Question 1

It depends on how much I want it, what I am trying to achieve, and my past experience. For example, if I really want a new computer then I am motivated to save up so I can buy the one that I want.

Question 2

I usually find famous atheletes like Michael Jordan to be inspirational. I like his winning attitude.

Question 3

I like two quotes: "It is better to have tired and failed than to have never tried at all." and, "I don't fail, I succeed in finding what doesn't work.". I don't know the origins of these quotes.

Question 4

Take a day off and relax. When tomorrow comes, it is a new day, so lets do what you need to do.

Question 5

For me, taking out the trash in winter is hard. It is cold outside and although it is a quick job, it is troublesome.

Question 6

I wouldn't but my father would be. He is very straight with his talking and very black or white with his thinking.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
save up	金を貯める
winning attitude	勝気
origins of	元
black or white	正否

Question 1

As someone who has coached and mentored people, there are many levels of motivation. No one is born motivated. It's a learned behavior. Our brain is designed to do one thing and one thing only - to keep us alive. Motivating someone, for me, is to push them to go outside of their comfort zones and do something different. I wouldn't say that I'm "naturally" motivated, however, I have developed techniques and ways to get myself motivated such as understanding how the brain works and why dopamine is important when making your way towards a goal.

Question 2

If you have known me long enough, you probably have guessed that I'd say Lady Gaga is the most inspirational person in the entire universe. I do have a mentor, Rob, who I listen to every week. I believe that everyone needs someone that they can look up to.

Question 3

There are so many quotes that I live by, but since I brought up Lady Gaga in the previous answer, here's one of my favorite quotes from her - "Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are." I love this quote because I feel that so many people don't really live their own lives. They live according to how their family, friends, or society expects them to. My mentor also used to tell me that "most people die at 25 but don't get buried until when they're 75." So many people are stuck at the same job, which gives them security but doesn't necessarily relate to their passion. It's a powerful quote that I always tell my students.

Question 4

I deal with people lacking motivation every week. it really depends on the area that they're trying to improve. Is it finance? Relationships? Self-development? Motivation is not one-size-fits-all. Each complex problem requires an equally complex approach. Taking an example, if a student did poorly on their writing assignment, I would say something like "you're one of the smartest people that I know. I put all of these red corrections on your paper because I know that you can do much better." There are still teachers who verbally tell their students that they're not good enough or that they're dumb. I think that's one of the worst things that someone can do to people's confidence. Each individual is also unique. There are things that I would say without hesitation to someone but would never say to another.

Question 5

I still find it hard to wake up early in the morning. My brain keeps telling me to sleep in. Unless there's something that I really look forward to, waking up in the morning, especially before 8 am, is incredibly difficult for me.

Question 6

Motivational speaking has been a skill that I cultivated since I was a university student. Some of the people I've mentored benefitted from counseling with me. One of them even succeeded in becoming a doctor. I'm not sure if I would make a good motivational speaker since public speaking is a skill that I'm not too confident in. It is something that I still need to work on.

Tough Vocabulary