“So what motivates you to put in your greatest effort?”

If I ask this question to people, their response usually revolves around money or passion or people they admire.

For me, it’s this:

This is one of my before-and-after pictures, a cringing yet pleasing reminder that I can always be better than the person I was yesterday.

It’s a photo I took when I had hit rock bottom, when I didn’t know what to do with my life after a heart-wrenching breakup, to when I had began to change and do things for myself for the very first time.

Even though I sometimes cringe at the sight of my old self and how I used to be, I’ve gradually grown to accept myself. That I have flaws, weaknesses and imperfections just like everyone else in this world. That I could use my weak points as an opportunity to improve.

That’s why every time I need a little motivation boost, I pull out that picture. And so far, it’s helped me accomplish more than what I could’ve ever imagined.

I hit over 100k views in less than 3 months after writing nearly every single day.

I grew 1 cm taller and lost 2 cm off the waist after stretching for a month.

I finally discovered my style after 30 years of following what other people liked.

I’ve come to realize that there’re a million versions of you, each one having this unique quality that enables you to do something that you thought you could never do. And while this will take a lot of time and patience to expand beyond yourself, it’s completely doable.

You just need the motivation to get the ball rolling, and the best way I’ve come across is to think about the times you’ve had success or better yet, frame it on your wall where you can see it.

After all, if ‘success builds success,’ why not utilize it to find the kind of person you want to be?