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Xavier Mendoza • February 16, 2021

Which do you prefer…

Motivation or dedication?

Motivation is a fleeting feeling that easily dissipates with the ebbs and flows of life.
I’ve fallen prey to its enticing bait on many occasions in my lifetime.
Motivation feels great during the course of time it hangs around.  

When motivated I feel ready to conquer the world.  
When motivated I feel ready to take on new tasks with the end result in mind.
When motivated I commit to endeavors without first counting the cost…

 Why?

Because motivation is a crafty little devil always looking to set us up for failure when it is left alone with no other companion.

Lately I’ve been motivated to complete a new program I created in order to see some desired results for Q1 in 2021.

But…
This is what I know-
My motivation will soon fade away.  It will come and go like the waves of the sea. 

In order to obtain the desired results I envision for Q1, I will need more than motivation.  

Dedication….
Dedication on the other hand is different.  Dedication is a mindset.
Dedication starts at the core of who I am.  Dedication is rooted in my core values and who I have decided to be as a man.  
Dedication does not leave me with excuses as to why I will not complete something.  
Dedication leaves me with deep resolve to fulfill my commitments regardless of how I may “feel” at any given moment. 

As a man who desires to add value to the world around me, dedication is what drives me in the moments I feel unmotivated. It is what drives me when I am facing a fear.  It is what keeps me going when I do not see progress.  I know progress is imminent based on the disciplines I put in place that are meant to serve me. 

If you find yourself struggling with dedication there are ways you can conquer the motivation mentality.  
Don’t wait until next time you feel motivated. 
Don’t quit next time you feel unmotivated. 

Discipline yourself in the practices you know will yield positive results in your life and dedicate yourself to the process.  

If you need another level of accountability, feel free to join our  True North Man FB group.  

You can also join us in our dedicated tribe of men who meet weekly for a  mastermind  that will challenge, encourage, and equip you.  

Let’s go!  

“Motivation Sees the reward.
Determination counts the cost. 
Motivation can get you going.
Determination keeps you going.”

Written by:
– Paul Beam  2021

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠…. 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐘𝐎𝐔

By Paul B • March 23, 2025
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SIlence the Noise

By Paul B • March 23, 2025
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By Paul B • March 23, 2025
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Identity Crisis

By Paul B • March 23, 2025
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Who Am I

By Paul B • March 23, 2025
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A Period of Agony

By Paul B • March 13, 2025
Sit In It… Experience It… Learn From It Some days, sadness feels overwhelming, almost tangible, as if it’s trying to teach us something we’ve yet to learn. Today, I find myself in such a moment—sitting in sadness, letting it wash over me, tears coming unbidden. I don’t often linger here, but today, I feel compelled to sit with it for a moment. Why? I can’t quite pinpoint it. Perhaps it’s a deep longing to be better—better than I was, better than I am, better than I ever thought I could be. Or perhaps it’s the weight of realizing I haven’t always lived up to the man I’ve aspired to become. It’s easy to catalog the ways I could have been more: more kind, more patient, more compassionate, more present. I could have been more diligent, more understanding, more thoughtful. I could have loved more—deeper, better, and with more intention. The adversities of life have often distracted me, frustrated my purpose, and shifted my focus inward when I should have been outwardly focused on others. And yet, as much as regret can pull us into despair, perhaps sadness has its own purpose. Perhaps sadness invites us to pause, reflect, and grow. Sitting in sadness doesn’t have to mean wallowing in it. It can mean experiencing it, letting it teach us, and learning from it. Perhaps the tears and the ache remind me of what I do not want to be. They remind me of the kind of man I should be and the man I still desire to become. Sadness can become a teacher if we let it—a mirror that reflects not just the brokenness but also the possibilities. Maybe it’s here to show me that I can still be kind, compassionate, patient, and empathetic. That I can still learn to be more present, more thoughtful, and more loving. Maybe sadness is enabling me to see through the smoke, guiding me toward clarity and a deeper understanding of myself. As hard as it is, perhaps I’m meant to sit in this sadness for a moment. To let it shape me into someone who can better serve others, help them feel seen, and guide them toward joy, peace, and fulfillment. So today, I sit with it. I experience it. I learn from it. And when the sadness lifts, I’ll emerge as someone more thoughtful, more loving, and more attuned to the needs of others.  Because maybe that’s the purpose of sadness—to deepen our humanity, broaden our capacity for love, and remind us of the human we’re striving to become.

Be More Intentional

By Paul B • February 25, 2025
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