The Language of Motivation

Words are strange and wondrous creatures. They can shape your perspective, enhance your understanding, they can define or obscure. They can motivate. History has borne witness to the power of words both great and small. Words like ‘equality’ and ‘tolerance’ have the power to change lives.

And then there’s the words that periodically come along and transform my entire outlook. These words aren’t mere syllables, but a catalyst for some of the greatest adventures of my life so far, and rank among my top ten favorite words of all time. “You can…”

Sometimes they can give a foolhardy degree of courage, like when my brother coolly eyed the gap between the roofs of two granaries, then craned his neck back to address me on my perch. “You can jump it.” What I heard were words, but what I felt was motivation. Those words did a great impression of confidence, and had the tone of an older brother sort of authority. He didn’t really believe them, but I did.

Words have something else in them, a different sound, a quivering, kinetic potentiality when the speaker actually believes them. You not only hear the difference, you feel it. There’s something so powerful that transcends encouragement when someone believes in you, and tells you that you can.

My steely-eyed high school coach, whose words would brim with concrete and visceral certainty: “You can do this. Get back out there and win this one.” Those words, or maybe the conviction behind them, have won championships, even and especially by underdogs.

An offhand “You can give it a try,” led me to a faraway country to learn, to teach, to live, to stand on my own. Those words took an abstract idea of an adventure that I wasn’t sure I could have, and made it concrete. Those words flew me to Taiwan, as I embarked on the kind of journey of discovery that I’d only ever read about. “You can” is opportunity in verbal form.

And one thing I’ve learned through all my triumphs and failures, broken limbs and new horizons, is how simply and how cheaply the gift of experiences such as mine can be purchased, can be given. It is absurdly easy to look someone in the eye and remind them that they can. When doubt is setting in, all it takes is a little encouragement to motivate someone to do something special. They start out as only words, but they become action, and when the words are positive, and supportive, so too is the action.

If you listen, you can hear the simple use of language making a positive impact on the people in your life. It’s in the daily discourse of coaches, teachers, friends, family. Every day we use words for a million things; to express, to instruct, to comfort. In order to make a difference, to motivate the people in your life, occasionally two little words are all that is called for, so be generous and use them well. Because you can.

Posted by Mychal Martin