For a little while I had a banner on my blog that said “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams.”

Later I thought, does that really sound inspiring?

Although I’d like to say that’s what I’ve done most of my life, I at times wasn’t moving in the direction of my dreams, instead I did what I needed to do to be sure to make a living (like my parents preached), and then maybe in the evening I would have time for the work I loved, like painting and writing.

Fortunately, I’ve another dream I’ve always been pursuing is becoming a better person as quickly as possible. We can have more than one dream!

My lifelong pursuit was given a name by Anthony Robbins in one of his books so I realized I wasn’t so unusual. He called it “Constant and Never-Ending Improvement.”

I remember when Robbins advertised his “Personal Power” 30 day coaching program in infomercials. He was convincing and I bought the program that came out in the mid-1990’s. Within those teachings he brought my attention to these two different ways people may be wired to get things done – a basic part of what is known as Neuro Linguistic Programming (“NLP”).

“NLP works from the starting point that you may not control much in your life, but that you can always take control of what goes on in your head.” –https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/nlp.html

Robbins got my attention because I didn’t think “moving away from” could be as powerful a driving force as “moving towards,” yet he and other coaches have told me that the majority of us are motivated by the need to avoid pain.

In fact pain and moving away from pain can be a greater motivator than pleasure.

Look at the ways limited time offers work, for instance.

Doesn’t the fact that it’s going to go away compel more action because of the possible pain of missing out?

Would “Don’t Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” actually be motivating for many of us? Die with the music within you? Might those messages be more effective?

Note: The reference to the music within is from Dr. Wayne Dyer’s quote, “Don’t die with the music still in you.” It reminds me to share what’s flowing. I was flowing with my music when I painted “Shine Your Light Within,” a watercolor.