Here I am sitting in front of my computer typing out my next Life Tip. What motivates us to undertake any activity at all? Deadlines? Other peoples expectations? Fear of failure? Ambition? Needs? Boredom? Money? The list is endless.

What about you, is there a driving force behind whatever you do?

And what is it that stops us from being motivated or staying motivated? Futility? Depression? Lack of interest or purpose? Too many distractions? Disappointments? Anxiety? Again another lengthy list of possibilities.

Whatever it is that gets us motivated or keeps us motivated, it is a very powerful force and without it we would accomplish very little.

Motivation has been described as involving "goal-directed behavior". Have you ever asked yourself, 'What are my goals in life?' Happiness? Health? Wealth? Contentment or inner peace? Again another list! We may feel our 'big picture' goals are so fundamental that they never need defining.

Even though we may have these types of goals it is usually the necessities of the moment which motivate most of our day to day behavior. Like simply turning up for work, or getting the kids ready for school, or feeding the dog or getting the papers ready for that meeting or ..whatever. So much for goals!

If you ask a mum what are her goals, you'll find meeting the needs of her kids is pretty important. A teenage boy may want a new car or a retiree a great overseas holiday. Sometimes motivational speakers can make our everyday life 'goals' look pretty ordinary and make us feel guilty that we are wasting our lives on so called trivia and that we have forgotten (their) 'big picture'.

There's plenty of hype around about setting long term goals. And I couldn't agree more!

However!

Last week I sat with a man in the last days of his life. His loving wife had devoted the last five years of their relationship to supporting her husband in every way imaginable. His poor health had radically changed everything. No longer could he work on his farm or do all the physical things he loved so much. Sitting with them made me once again think about my life and my goals.

You know, goals change and life can change the goals for us as well.

Sometimes you get the feeling that the goals others put in front of us are more for the affluent, the elite, the physically and psychologically strong - the so called 'winners'. Does that means those who don't meet this criteria and fulfil their goals are losers? I have very close friends who are totally goal driven. And what's more I have deep respect for them. Their focus is sharp, their motivation to accomplish is strong and their sense of purpose is deep. Nothing wrong with that! Such people do get things done!

What always intrigues me about such goal-driven people is what it is that drives them. And I frequently ask.

They have a sense of urgency. Time can't be wasted, opportunities can't be missed, things must be done. Seize the day! I also have friends who just 'coast along', who seem to let life just happen. They don't seem to be in a frenzy to get things accomplished, nor do they seem to worry about the moments passing by. They walk at a different pace.

But these groups of friends are as different as chalk and cheese.

It is my goal-driven friends who go around saying "Get motivated!"

That's a good message providing it doesn't turn people like my sick friend and his lovely wife into losers!