Meg Dowell Writes

I was thinking yesterday about what I wanted to write about in my blog (because I’m that much of a nerd), and I started brainstorming ideas in my journal (because, yes: I’m that much of a nerd). I started going on this rant (need I repeat myself a third time?) about success, and the things that drive the human population to desire to do so. I thought about motivation, and where it comes from, why it sticks around, and if it ever really goes away.

Near the end of this rant, I came to the conclusion that we want to succeed because of Maslow’s Heirarcy. I know you’re thinking, “Um. Duh?” right? But when I learned about it freshman year (and slept through Cast Away, and got a B), I didn’t really think much of what it really meant to me, or to the people around me. But that was freshman Health. No one really cared about sex ed.

Instead of going through the boring stuff, let’s skip ahead to step 5: self-actualization.

We want to fulfill our potential. Really, we’re the only ones who know what our full potential is. You may not think you do, but we’re always underestimating and doubting ourselves, afraid to be wrong, etc., etc. Think about what happens when someone assumes you can’t do something just because of who you are—or, really, who they think you are—and makes a point of telling you so. Their words make you want to prove them wrong, don’t they? Well, they should. That connects to one thing I mention in my rant, which I’m a little hesitant about copying here. Hesitation gone.

Can we as a society teach the younger generation this trait [of obtaining high motivation], so that we can see much more will to succeed in our youth? Because think about what would happen if there was a greater will to succeed in all humans: more of them would. And if more of them would, in the areas that they desired to study and succeed in the most, then wouldn’t the world as a whole accomplish more? Wouldn’t we find more solutions, answers, and cures? Then, couldn’t we function better, instead of cheating and killing and lying for power? Wouldn’t we all be better off?

So the question arises: what keeps us from being motivated? There are a lot of different opinions and “answers,” one of the obvious ones being that we allow ourselves to get distracted too easily by the media—TV, YouTube, etc. (You’re not bored right now; you’re procrastinating. Stop it.) I’m convinced that the reason I didn’t operate to my full potential in high school was all due to Facebook (I got one because everyone else was getting one. I was a sophomore desperate for a lot of things). Maybe the solution to this lack of motivation in this society would be to do what Caleb did to his computer in Fireproof. He did it for a few different reasons, but for the same ones, too.

All I’m saying is, there has to be more. We’re not living up to our full potential, and that’s why we’re fighting wars, clawing our way through lies to be on top, and failing—over and over and over again. There are people out there who are afraid to do what they love to do for fear of being ridiculed. There are people who could easily be leaders, but are held back by the assumption that their words aren’t worthy enough for other people to hear. We have to get rid of this fear somehow and become who we’re meant to be. We have to stop letting other people control our lives, telling us where to go, what to do, how to do it.

Except for when our parents tell us to study. Then that would be okay.

Love&hugs, Meg♥