To rephrase Einstein, E=MC4; Effectiveness = Motivation x Commitment x Concentration x Clarity x Consistency, where motivation and commitment both include action as well as positive thinking, concentration is focus and clarity is having a clear objective.

Whilst “The  Secret” and the “Law of Attraction” are deserverdly popular – they have focused people’s attention on the important part their beliefs play in their daily lives, they miss out on the action element.  Empowering beliefs and positive thinking  on their own are not enough, otherwise we’d all win the lottery! Taken to its logical conclusion, if positive thinking and beliefs were all that is required, you needn’t even take the action of buying a ticket! But we know that’s absurd, we know that action and effort are required.

Yet the idea of putting effort into something has become unpopular as more and more people want a fast fix, quick buck, easy solution. If people really understood tha social media and networking is not a sprint, it’s a marathon as Gary Vaynerchuk is fond of saying, I’m prepared to bet that the number of bloggers out there would drop off sharply!

Where does effort come into the equation above? Effort is a combination of the energy that comes from being committed and motivated and the repetition of consistency.

Maslow, in his well-known hierarchy of needs, says there are two processes necessary for self-actualization: self exploration and action. It’s not an either/or, it requires both. So, what are the characteristics of self-actualized people? According to Maslow (1) they:

• Embrace reality and facts rather than denying truth.
• Are spontaneous.
• Are interested in solving problems.
• Are accepting of themselves and others and lack prejudice.

(1) Maslow, Abraham H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.”  (1943) PDF retrieved 14 December 2009