What Motivates You Towards Your Goals: Muslim Women and Self-Help

I attended a self-help workshop a few months ago that was specifically for Muslim women. The Theme was basically about learning about your self, and accomplishing the goals that you set your mind to. The speaker had written a book called, " Releasing Your Inner Queen of Sheba." I though, hmm that's a catchy title. I want to attend this event. Well I really got more I expected. I thought the event was going to be a more spiritual developing course than it was personal. It was a lot of both, and it turned out to be very helpful. So I placed my order for the book after the workshop, and began to get involved in many of the online discussions on the sisters blog.

Today I came to protocol number two. The Queens Modus Operandi. This chapter basically goes over the various ways in which we are motivated to do things in our lives.

The list of motivations included, certainty, and comfort, variety, significance, growth, connection and love, or contribution. I would say that we are all motivated by all of these things in some way depending on the situation; however we are truly motivated at a greater scale in one or two areas than we are in the others.

Motivated by Certainty and Comfort:

If one is motivated by certainty and comfort, he or she will make sure that dinner is served and on the table by 6 p.m. sharp. A schedule is important to them, and the fact that this is a structure that they wan to keep in their life, they will make sure that it gets done. The need to feel safe and secure is what may motivate you.

Motivated by Variety:

If you are the type of person who likes variety in their life, and find that monotony of the same thing say in and day out, you may be motivated to cook dinner and have it one the table if it is a new recipe that you are trying out. Your need of change and excitement is what motivates you, where certainty may mean death, and or completely discourage you.

Motivated by Significance:

If you are like myself, and need to feel appreciated, respected for the things that you do than you would be motivated to cook a meal if you know and or hope to hear how great the meal was from the family, and or friends that you cooked for. You may be motivated by the need for recognition by others.

Motivated by Growth:

But even more so I am motivated by growth, more than significance, and if you are as well; you may be motivated to cook a meal at a cooking class taught by a great chef, simply because it is something that gives you a felling of personal growth.

Motivate by Contribution:

Sister Heba says in her book, that is you are one that is motivate by contribution than you may be motivated to cook, if you are going to be feeding your meal to the needy at a homeless shelter. A since that you are providing something of worth to others may be what motivates you.

Motivated by Connection and Love:

And lastly a social person, that thrives around family, and community may be motivated to cook a meal because they will later sit and enjoy it with family and or friends, and feel the love all centered around a simple meal.

You could be motivate in more ways than one but by asking yourself the following questions, it will help you to find one that is more dominate than the other.

What motivates you questions?

1. To relax, I like to ...
2. I'm most happiest when I ...
3. When on the Internet I...
4. The things that make me angry or upset are ...
5. I feel proud when ...
6. My greatest accomplishment to this date is....
7. I feel proud when...
8. If I had to pinpoint one factor about my personality that drove me to this accomplishment it would be:
9. This is why I believe that this was the factor:

So what are you motivated by? Keep this in mind when you set a goal, and find a way to keep your eye on the prize based on your motivating factor.