[ WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATOR?] SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!
I spent all of my time and effort trying to build businesses since I was about 19. The common factor in all of my efforts was that the final goal was simply to make a ton of money. So, why did none of my ventures work? The answer is because MONEY can not motivate you on its own. I failed over and over. Trying new great ideas all the time, but nothing seemed to stick.
Everything changed for me when I realized that MONEY was not my motivator.
In 2004, I sat in a dark cubicle watching the clock tick. I watched and listened closely to the people around me. All I heard was ANGER, BLAME, JEALOUSY, ENVY…. and most of all, I heard over and over again that each worker had a BIGGER dream. They all had something that they really wanted to achieve and this current job was just temporary.
Well, my dream was to be home with my family. 
My dream was to be with wife and for us to raise our daughter together. I wanted to be there for Tatum everyday so she wouldn’t see me as a stranger, and so that we could share and enjoy life together. After all, spending 40 hours a week with a bunch of WHINERS and COMPLAINERS at the office is NOT what I signed up for. I wanted energy, passion, excitement. EVERYDAY. Now with 2 kids, and a truly wonderful loving wife, I have the ultimate motivation with me everyday.
I can sum up my ultimate goal and motivator in one single word… “TIME”
NOW, I WANT YOU TO REPLY WITH YOUR COMMENTS, AND LET ME KNOW WHAT MAKES YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE ULTIMATELY STRIVING FOR?
I want to hear each story of what you think about on your way to work.
What do you dream about when your all alone? What makes you tick and what is your goal?
What is your motivation?
Remember that by simply writing it into this blog, it will stick into your mind and your brain will start to respond by thinking of ways to accomplish it.
July 6th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Great story on Time being your motivator. My motivator was similar, but to me it was Freedom. The freedom to do what I wanted when I wanted & to do it at home so I could see my kids grow up. And then when they started playing sports I wanted to be there for them. After quite a number of jobs, careers and my own businesses, I finally found the right combination. That formila was a company that allowed me to sell their product, software consulting services, from my home. I treated it like it was my own company. When they showed me that flexibility and trust I worked harder than I ever did in my life. In a seven year stretch I brought in almost $100 million dollars in business. With a commssion plan that was very generous I was able to get that Freedom and hardly missed an event my two sons were in such as a play or a ball game. Sorry to the companies that didn’t allow me that Freedom to work from home. Some of the companies that required me to make calls from a cubicle are no longer in business.
July 6th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Right now - this week in fact, I’ve found out that my husband’s job (he’s a nurse) of 20 yrs. is going to be forcing him to take an early retirement, so they can save money by hiring new ones at much less money and benefits. Sucks, huh? Oh, and he’s only 54, so not exactly 1) ready for pasture, 2) well off enough to retire unless living in the poor house is what we dreamed of. Not!
We’ve dabbled in eBay, and other things, and througout the years, have probably made $10,000 online, but not consistently.
One thing I would really like to know - is what your seller name is on eBay for the spas that you have sold. So many people say they are making money hand over fist, but when you look at their feedback and what they’ve sold, it’s only information on how to make money, rather than real products. I’m not saying that you are one of those, but I’d love to know your eBay seller name.
As for money not being a motivator - I’m a writer, which I love to do, but so far, not paid. Still, it’s something I love.
However, I agree money can’t be the end all of motivation, but it does give you the opportunity to do those things you love and to be able to provide for your family, and not be dependent on stupid companies whose bottom line comes at the cost of your livelihood. In my husband’s case, at the cost of decent patient care.
July 6th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
BYW, I’m also from Indiana! My husband’s grandparent’s were from Bluffton, though we’re closer to Chicago.
July 6th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Great entry Dave, I couldn’t agree more. Up until the birth of my daughter last month, the motivation behind every new job and the main goal of every salary negation in my career was to make more money. As I made more, I found myself working more. Putting in 60+ hours in the office, and then a little more at home.
My solution… well, I haven’t figured that out just yet. But the next time I re-negotiate my salary I am going to enter the room with the goal of working part of the week from home!
July 9th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Good topic! I believe one of the greatest crimes alive in this world today is that most people do not live their dreams. I see people everyday who plan to work an 8-5, build their 401k, and retire at 65 in order to enjoy the good life.
That is not the life for me. I have always lived my life with the motto “I never want to look back and say I wish, I should have, I could have”! So for me the dream is to have both the time and the money to be able to do what I want when I want without unfulfilling limitations (like a job). So the goal is time, but the ticket is money. Also, I want it now, not when I am 65.
For a while I was living my dream (sort of). I had a job, but was working for a ski resort where I could snowboard almost daily. Well bottom line is that you can live that life when your single, but when you get married and have 2 kids now you have a family to support and resort work does not pay well. So I became a salesman. I have been reasonably successful, but not wildly.
Most importantly, I am no longer snowboarding daily and I don’t get to be with my kids and wife all day like I desire. I have struggled for about 10 years now to figure out how I balance my personal pursuits, my family life and the way in which I provide financially for my family.
I finally do have a plan to get my family and I back to the mountains within 5 years to live without money or time constraints. My plan involves a service business, an online business, and building other income producing assets including investments, intellectual property, and real estate.
One step at a time is all it takes. I have proven this as I recently turned my health around through disciplined exercise. It was as simple as getting up and running first thing.
Anyway Dave makes good points; focus on what you want other than money, work for yourself not your employer, make a plan, but get started with action today (don’t over analyze). Over analysis has hung me up for far too long! It’s time to take action and live my dreams!
July 10th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I hove found that Dave Novak ownes
www.iSteamShower.com &
www.NovakAndCompany.com
July 11th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
My motivation is the children God has belessed me with. I want to be there for them 24/7 because in today soceity growing up is hard. There are a lot of infulences children face and I want to be there for them when issuses arise and just plain be there for them. I am a single mother of two wondweful little boys, so having a business of our own would be great.
July 11th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Sorry about the typeos (wonderful!!!!!)
July 12th, 2007 at 7:17 am
It is great to see all these wonderful comments!
I want you all to know that the common theme is freedom, time, and family. Nobody was wishing they could spend more time in the office or sitting in their cubicle. Nobody wished they had a longer commute to work or wants to miss their children’s lives while stuck at a meaningless job.
Everyone wants freedom. So, what are you waiting for? Take action, buy the video, and make it happen.
Dave
August 4th, 2007 at 1:56 am
HI DAVE,
i am a loser. You wanna know why? on 2006 i allready predicted this nichie market as the hit for 2006 onwards. but never make any moves for one year. now i am going in after my leg injuries which put me to think what happen if i have no job. its a lesson.
i’ve ordered ur video ,waiting and exciting.
i m in aSia . hows the shipping done and how long will it takes? mpost probably we will be working together soon.
rock on.
August 28th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
That’s an easy one Dave…
I have 5 grandkids that deserve to go to Harvard, or any other school of their own choosing… my treat.
God willing and the Creeks don’t rise, it’ll happen.
That’s MY motivator!
Nick
September 27th, 2007 at 10:42 am
A motivation. Hmmm. Have to think for a second. I love to lead. You’ve heard the old adage, Lead, Follow, or Get The Heck Out of the Way?
I like to take a leadership role and try to change for the better. To make myself an expert in my field, no matter what I’m doing. It’s like now, I’m learning a new 3D software to make a moving animation for my business. I want to become a master of this so that I can share my experiences to help them.
Plus making some decent money is pretty motivational. I already work at my business full time and have the capacity to dictate my own schedule (most of the time) so now, my goals in life have changed. I want others to learn how to become successful.
Dan
December 29th, 2007 at 6:54 am
Hey Dave, just watched your past June’s interview in Bob Parsons’ program and came to your website right away.
I also want TIME in my life. Time to spend with family, doing sports, keeping fit, traveling intensively, lavishly giving back to the world (this last one would be a sure sign that I’m doing really really well).
Keep on the success
June 20th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Hi Dave and everybody. This little story touched me personnaly. Not that i’ve been myself in a cubicle listenning to those whiners but damn the world is filled of negatism. Ita hard to keep our dreams for ourself becaus you just gonna hit a wall of jealousy anyway and you are not gonna enjoy it but you gonna have to fight again. But sincerely its not a bad thing. Its a good test to see how strong is your faith in your dream and how srtong you can defend it. And like that you grow up and your mind become even more clear when these people will all stay way behind and dont even know they unconsciously gave you a push. They can drawn in their jealousy. Going to work for me is just a source of anger. The system is automated, we cant feel we talk to humans anymore. I want to evade in my own empire. The one i build by myself and i can fly free. When i am alone i visualize a lot my futur. I see myself in a very confortable position. On a yot on clear blue water relax with somptuous food and drink and gorgous women at my side close to the beach seeing all there people on vacation hagning arround with a beautiful quai in wood hawaian with roof and people in vacation and people with flowers arround the neck. I see myself on the beach with my laptop and my internationnal cellphone to checkup if everything is going well or to answer to emergency from the warehouse where everything go in and out with my employees structure taking care of everything. Traveling arround the world and not be afraid anymore to meet a beautiful girl i see at the bar becaus i can go to the highest class bar where the music is harmonic and we can still ear eachother and its not filled with scum bags and i’m not afraid to engage a conversation becaus i know everything is possible in my situation. Live a james bond life in someway without the danger lol. Honnestly, my motivation is all that. My motivation is also my faith in that system. I think you said somewhere eBay count something like 90 millions of members and 90% of them are buyers. If you can sell steam showers, i can do a market study too and find what will be my product and find my manufacturer. I’m on my way to go study business administration to give myself a structure to run all that and once done with that i will just need to start working to save money and have my first import order. I am so thankful to life that i found you by surfing the web and learned this simple little secret which is importation. For a couple years i was thinking of the secret to build a successful business. I did meditate a lot on that and i believe it didnt happen for n reason. What we really want and strongly believe, must happen a day or an other if we never give up even in the worst position we can find ourself in some moment. Thank you very much for your work.