"What Drives Us to Better Ourselves" by: Shawn Garcia

Im excited to unveil my motivation and tell you what drives me to better myself. Its hard to decide, since after researching the options, I found that I could use anyone of them. Most likely, I will use all of them at one point or another to endure trekking across the ocean of knowledge. In our text book, chapter 1.1 "Learning empowers you" it says; "Learning allows you to gain new knowledge that enables you to understand yourself, others, and life more clearly." This quote over all for me, says it all. It might lean towards the personal motivation section, but I feel it covers everything, all four as a great launching pad to access what drives you. For "practical" motivation, I found a strong connection since Im returning to school to learn the "ins & outs" of properly running a business, hence, Business Entrepreneurship as my major. I know reaching my goals for a degree and to be a successful businessman are obvious motivational factors. Is it the strongest reason for going back to school? No, since many people have been known to successfully run a business without any college education. My grandfather for example ran a business in an experimental field for 50 plus years. My father, another example, no education. Then how is it that I'm not taking that chance. Why do I feel the need for a higher education? Well since "practically" we know my reasons, lets explore the other three options for "motivation".

My "personal" motivation runs deep as I feel unaccomplished within my own goals for achievements. To be proud and confident are very important to me. I'd like to one day look back as my grandfather did and say, "I lived a good life". Living a good life would entail all the standards for "comfortable living". It also means to me that I succeeded in providing for my family. Being able to give them a strong foundation to explore their own goals is also a major motivational factor. Being the first in my family to hold up that degree and proudly walk off that stage knowing what I accompolished, another major feat. As I venture through the corridors of knowledge, I'm finding the more I learn, the more there is to learn. Which leads me to the next paragraph. "Idealistic' motivation, also vast in its reasoning. As I love information. I love being apart of the age of computers because I've been blessed with the never-ending result of absorbing whatever knowledge I come across. One day I'd love to teach and if I'm going to teach I will never stop the process of learning. Even though I'll find my strengths and use them, I know myself and I know I will always be hungry to develop myself to better my lesson plans. So for self gratification and for more or less mind expansion, its hard not to choose idealistic motivation as my desired path. I been reading Ralph Waldo-Emerson of late, his essays on self-reliance has been a real eye-opener and fits right in with the materials we are studying. Which ushers us into the next context. "Experimental" motivation. Waldo wrote from the essay titled, "History"; "If the whole of history is in one man, it is all to be explained by individual experience." And I quote Bruce Lee, from "Enter the Dragon" who's quoting Buddhist doctrine when he

said; "Think of knowledge as the moon and my teachings as my finger, I can only point you in the direction of the moon, its you who must still travel towards it." There's no replacement for experience, I know its what I've survived off of to this point. Martial Arts has taught me many things other than self defense. The Theory behind it shows the roots of its reasoning. You can't just watch some kung-fu movies or read a book of "how to be a black belt", you have to walk the walk. It's the journey not the destination thats as important. If I met