Motivation

"a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way."

Motivation - What an interesting word. It can be both positive and negative in meaning and context.

I thought I might start this blog by writing about my motivations, both selfish and altruistic - as it’s most definitely both. So here it is, why do I do what I do?

Firstly, I do what I do because I enjoy it, or more I enjoy proving that I can. I am not doing this to prove things to others, it’s mostly for myself. Although I cannot deny that it’s rather nice to prove people wrong every now and then, after all I have been doing that since day dot.

I wasn’t supposed to walk, talk, horse-ride, para-glide, surf or travel the world. I’m not sure what the Doctors thought I would do but it certainly wasn’t ‘hold down a full time job whilst trying a crazy range of physical activities’. I never resented their pessimism, I saw it as my primal challenge. The first of many hurdles I would face to get where I am today.

Secondly, I like to feel part of the world. When I see something that interests me or excites me I don’t just want to see it, I want to experience it for myself. I never want to be a passenger in my own life. I’m never satisfied by the sidelines, I want to stay firmly in the driving seat at all times.

This part has very little to do with my physical challenges and a lot to do with my personality. I am a self-confessed control freak who refuses to do anything by half. This means if I see something I’d like to experience I will do damn near anything to make sure that happens, including beg, borrowing and thieving my way in (joking-but a few calculated understatements never hurt anyone). To me there is nothing less satisfying than wasted time and half heartedness, it has to be done right.

Thirdly I want everyone who has ever had to face a challenge to see that you’re more limited by mind than body, attitude is everything and failure is inevitable. No person should ever be afraid to do something because it might be difficult or impossible. Part of the journey is learning that some things are not for us but you’ll always wonder if you don’t try.

I have been called an adrenaline junkie in the past but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I am not fearless, nor do I enjoy being scared. The thrill comes from blasting through the boundary and challenging perceptions, not from physical challenges or being frightened. I meticulously risk assess everything I do, I am acutely aware that my body doesn’t handle damage and extremes very well, I plan to keep ticking over for a long one time. This means I have to weigh up each activity and decide whether the risk is worth the reward - with the correct procedure and planning it almost always is!

So there you have it, my logic behind the blog. I plan for this page to be a storytelling platform and I’d love to hear your motivations, what makes you get up in the morning and persevere through life?