It's the Mojo

What's the difference between productive people and ineffective people? It's the mojo.

Mojo is what tells you that something is possible. Mojo is what tells you that something is desirable. Mojo is what gets you through the rough spots. Mojo seems to make magic happen. It defies the odds. It's like Lady Luck loves you.

How do you get mojo? How do you keep it? What happens when you lose it? Just what, exactly, is mojo???

I can't tell you. Not exactly. But I have some ideas...

I think mojo comes from purpose, presumption and preparation.

Mojo starts with purpose. A goal. A direction. A point on the horizon that you aim for, even if you never arrive. Without purpose, you're just blundering aimlessly, subject to the whims of the world and unable to stay a course. You might occasionally stumble across something good, but it's the exception rather than the norm. Purpose makes things happen. Purpose sends out vibrations that synchronize your desire with what's happening around you. Even better is passion. Passion is purpose with force. Passion is focus. Whether you have purpose or passion, if you have it, you've got a powerful tool in your mojo bag.

Mojo needs preparation. Purpose tells the mojo where to take you, but it feeds on faith and knowledge. Knowledge comes from preparation. Learn what you need to know. Practice the skills you need to have. If you can't decide what skills or knowledge you need, work on your communication skills, your organization skills, and your analysis skills. Learn how things work. How the world works, how people work. Luck favors the well prepared.

Finally, mojo needs presumption. Faith. Belief. You have to assume you can achieve something, even if you're not sure. Even if you can't prove it, or have all the facts. For some, this is easy. For some, this is the hardest part. But you can't cross a chasm in small steps. Sometimes you just have to jump. To take a leap of faith. You have to believe that you've prepared enough. You have to desire the goal enough. You have to feel the confidence that it's worth doing. You have to believe in yourself.

So how do you get the mojo? Well, start at least with purpose and preparation. Sometimes, once you've done that, things will start going your way. Life starts looking up, because you've got a goal and you have a way to head there. You can start small, and let small successes build your confidence until you feel the mojo turning in your gut. Sometimes, just picking a goal seems to put the wind in your sails, and things start happening. Sometimes something big. It doesn't matter. Take those things that are going right and build on it. Learn from the setbacks, but don't let them bother you.

I have trouble with big goals. They scare me. They look like too much work, or too much that can go wrong. So, whenever possible, I divide and conquer. I start with the small steps that lead toward the big goal. I take care of the little things, and before I know it, I've made a lot of progress, and I feel better about my ability to go the rest of the way. I tackle bigger and bigger bits. I get about a third of the way, two-thirds of the way, and my mojo kicks in and the last third seems charmed. Things go wrong, but it doesn't matter, because I find ways through them or around them.

If you've done all this, and you still can't find your mojo, there's yet another thing you can do. You can get a catalyst. In chemistry, a catalyst is something that brings about a chemical reaction, but is not itself consumed in the reaction. In the movies, you'll often see the hero with a rabbit's foot, a magic ring, or some other talisman that purports to give the hero power, but which is revealed to have no actual force of its own. It's the belief in that power that gives the hero the mojo. Sometimes it's a partner or ally whose mere presence gives confidence. A sidekick makes a nice backup. Ultimately, though, a hero has what it takes. If you can find a talisman that helps you, go for it. But remember that the magic is in you, not the catalyst.

As you seek your goal and stoke your mojo, be wary of the mojo killers. Friends, parents, associates, who don't believe in your goals, or don't believe you can achieve them. Sometimes you can learn from this, especially if they offer suggestions to overcome their objections. But some people are just perpetually pessimistic, skeptical and negative, and should be ignored. Defend your mojo!

I hope that somewhere in this rambling you've maybe found a few crumbs of wisdom to ease your way. If you have comments or questions, feel free to post a comment. But especially, if you have a goal, state it out loud. Write it down, tell your friends, post it here. Somehow, that has power to push things your way a bit. Tell us about your mojo!


Blog Tag: Opinion