Growing up my parents never left anything unfinished. They weren’t the “do it later” type. They were organized and precise. They instilled this in my brother and I. If we had homework, it had to be done before dinner. As a child, I was not happy about this. Did it really matter if there was one dish left sink when we went to bed?

Of course this quirk of theirs has been incredibly helpful to me as I’ve grown older. I know for many motivation is this elusive feeling. Motivation sometimes feels like it has a mind of it’s own and comes and goes as it pleases.

When I was younger I would wait around until I was “motivated” to get to working on something. As I got older (and wiser), I realized that my parents were right. Drive isn’t an external force; it’s something that’s already inside of you. If there is something you want to accomplish you will make it happen.

Personally, I have also found that having a strong “why” is helpful in maintaining motivation. For instance, if you are trying to lose weight don’t just focus on an abstract number. Focus on all the meaningful reasons you want to lose the weight. Your health. Your children and being able to give them your best. Fitting into your favorite pairs of jeans. Without connecting to your deeper purposes, your motivation will be fleeting.

In the tradition of my parents I teach my girls that there is nothing they can’t do if they work hard for it. But I always make sure to direct their attention to their own “why.” I know that my rules won’t always make sense to them but if they understand that there is no discipline better than self-discipline and that their power to impact the world lies inside of them (not outside or in “things”) I know I’ve done my job as a mom.