A New Foundation for Motivation and Evolution
The Struggle for Motivation
When we look at our lives, we often find ourselves in a struggle for motivation. Many times, we feel like we can’t find the energy or passion to evolve, to change, or to see things differently. We may sit with this feeling, expecting that motivation should somehow just appear. But if we continue in this state of mind, with these particular “glasses” on, we cannot expect motivation to come. The truth is, without a shift in perspective, evolution will not take place.
The issue here is rooted in the way we approach motivation itself. Often, we operate from the mindset that we need something in return for our efforts — that we should receive a benefit or gain. This kind of thinking is based on self-interest, on wanting something for ourselves. If we don’t see a direct benefit, if it doesn’t serve us, our motivation fades, and we lose interest. There is a Persian saying: “If the soup isn’t made for me, I don’t care what’s boiling there.” And when we adopt this mindset, it becomes incredibly difficult for true motivation to arise.
But I want to encourage you to look at this differently. Perhaps you didn’t come here simply for yourself. Maybe you came here to offer yourself to others, to existence itself, not to other people specifically, but to life as a whole.
The Ego and Its Filters
Every mind has its own filter through which it perceives the world. Often, that filter is built on the belief that everything should have a benefit for us, that our personal needs must always come first or at least we should feel good by doing something. When we live by this belief, motivation becomes tied to personal gain. If something does not serve our individual interests, we lose the will to engage with it.
This pattern is an expression of the ego. The ego subtly operates in the background, pulling the strings of our thoughts and actions. It feeds the idea that if something isn’t for me, it isn’t worth my attention. But in this, the energy is held back. The flow is blocked, and the true motivation for growth and evolution cannot emerge.
The Shift in Perspective
What is required is a shift in perspective. We must begin to look beyond the narrow view of the world that serves our personal desires. It’s essential to understand that not everything in life needs to happen for us. Not every action should be for our own gain. The foundation of our thoughts and behaviors must change. The current mindset — driven by survival instincts and self-interest — is not aligned with true evolution. We’ve learned this survival mechanism over time, through culture, society, and family, but it can become extreme and ultimately harmful.
So, I ask you to look at something deeper: not everything has to happen for you. Not everything you do needs to be for yourself. The fundamental blueprint of the mind — this instinct for survival and self-interest — needs to shift. We’ve learned this survival mechanism over the years. It’s something ingrained in us by culture, society, and education. But sometimes, it becomes radical and extreme, and ultimately, it causes harm.
A life that is selfless, that moves beyond ego, that seeks less personal gain and more openness to life, to others, and to the universe, creates space for more light, joy, and peace. IThe shift is subtle but powerful. It’s not about receiving for ourselves only, but about the balance between giving and receiving — a balance we can see in nature, in the universe. This is the yin-yang principle, the idea that life thrives when we are in harmony with both the giving and receiving energies.
The Foundation Before Motivation
True motivation is born from a foundation that exists before motivation itself — a place where the ego no longer dominates. This is the space where we can truly give ourselves to life, to nature, to the universe. We stop asking, “What’s in it for me?” and begin to offer our energy, our mind, our potential, to something greater than ourselves.
This shift, this change in perspective, is not instantaneous. It takes time and practice. But when you begin to live from this foundation, your life takes on a new quality. You radiate more purity. You bring more kindness, more love — not just to others, but to yourself. You step out of expectations. And with one shift, a multitude of things begin to happen on an existential level. You start to live according to the principles of life, not the conditioned principles of the mind.
Living According to Life’s Principles
The difficulty we face in life often stems from the unnoticed forces operating within us. These difficulties are often rooted in deeply ingrained patterns that we aren’t always conscious of. But once we begin to understand these patterns, we can begin to release them. This understanding brings clarity and opens the door to a new kind of energy, one that aligns with life itself.
It’s fascinating to realize that your difficulties are rooted in something much deeper, something you may not have expected. But when you look at it from this new perspective, everything changes. And in this transformation, motivation — true motivation — will naturally begin to arise.