(NB: I just discovered this post draft sitting around on my WordPress dashboard. I had no idea that I hadn’t published yet, so here it is now, for your enlightenment. I’ve already added two new songs to the list since I originally wrote the post, so I added those at the end of the list.)

I have recently started reading Og Mandino’s book The Greatest Salesman in the World three times a day. I find it a great motivator, to get me ready for the day and remind me to work my hardest. (See my new blog, The Year of Og, for more information about Og, the book, and my thoughts and experiences with it.)

Actually, I frequently listen to Og reading the scrolls from the book, which I have on both my computer and my iPod. I appreciate the extra flexibility that the audio recordings offer me: I can listen in the car, on the treadmill, or while getting ready in the morning. So a while ago, I created a whole playlist to listen to, with my current Og “reading” and several other songs that help me feel motivated and ready to take on the world. That way, when I’m finished listening to Og, I keep getting motivated, rather than switching over to the radio and who-knows-what.

So this week, I decided to share my “daily motivation” playlist with you, along with a few notes about each song.

  • “Unwritten” (Natasha Bedingfield) “Feel the rain on your skin! No one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in. No one else, no one else can speak the words on your mind.” Ah, so great! This one is currently my favorite, just because it syncs so well with my Og reading for the month, which you can read about on my Og blog. :)
  • “Time of My Life” (David Cook) Last year’s American Idol winner is amazing, IMHO. I love the line in this song that says, “I’ll taste every moment and live it out loud.” It reminds me, in some ways, of the next song …
  • “Little Wonders” (Rob Thomas) This song always makes me think of my newest favorite movie, Meet the Robinsons and the injunction to Keep Moving Forward. It also makes me think about the small moments in my life and how they are the foundation of my entire life. Which helps me remember to live each moment in the way that I want to live my overall life.
  • “Good Vibrations” (The Beach Boys) Not exactly a motivational song, but it reminds me of a fabulous speech that Del Hargis gave last December, in which he talked about the fact that everything is energy and about the vibrations that that energy gives off. Helps me focus on creating good vibrations with my thoughts, which then  attract other good vibrations into my life.
  • “Butterflies & Hurricanes” (Muse) You know I can’t create a playlist without Muse, right? :) This one reminds me, somehow, that it’s up to me to create the life I want.
  • “I’m Still Standing” (Elton John) My old roommate and super-close friend once said I was a “closet Elton John fan.” I do like him, and this song also reminds me that I’m still going, even after some kind of crappy things that have happened — which, in turn, motivates me to keep going once more, even if I’m in the middle of something pretty crappy at the moment.
  • “We Are the Champions” (Queen) Need I say more?
  • “Typical” (Mute Math) Another one that reminds me of Del Hargis last December, since he played it for us then. I love that line, “Can I break the spell of the typical?” It helps me remember that if I want different results, I have to do something different.
  • “Through Heaven’s Eyes” (Brian Stokes Mitchell) This song, from The Prince of Egypt, reminds me that even if my life seems insignificant, it is part of the great tapestry of the world, and that without me the pattern wouldn’t be complete. And, naturally, it also makes me think of how Heavenly Father views me and whether I’m progressing in the way that He and I both know I can.
  • “When You Believe” (David Archuleta) Also from The Prince of Egypt, this song has long had the ability to make me cry when I’m in just the right mood. I love thinking about the Israelites crossing through the Red Sea, and all the miraculous that symbolizes in my own life. And I like Archie a lot, so I chose to use his version from season 7 of American Idol last year.
  • “Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor) Another classic motivation song. Sometimes I actually throw a couple of fake punches, just to get in the mood! This one also reminds me of high school, when they would pump it through the PA system once a year when we were set to play our cross-town rivals, the Tigers.
  • “America” (Neil Diamond) I got this from an iTunes Essentials playlist about change. I’m not particularly a Neil Diamond fan, but I have always liked this song. It makes me think of my ancestors, and so many others, who gave up their entire lives for the hope of a better one. And I think: If they could do it, so can I. I might not have to emigrate from my homeland, but there are plenty of other things I need to leave behind. I also like all the “Today!”s in the chorus, which remind me that I have to act now if I am going to accomplish anything.
  • “The Impossible Dream” (Brian Stokes Mitchell) This is definitely my favorite version of this classic song. It might seem a little corny, but I really love the lyrics of this song. If I really think–I mean, really … think–about what it’s talking about, it can give me chills. I think that we are all meant to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks in this life, and this song reminds me that “the world will be better for this: that one man, scorned and covered with scars, still strove with his last ounce of courage” to do one of those impossible things.
  • “Give Me the Simple Life” (Jamie Cullum) Another great song from Meet the Robinsons. I’d never heard of Jamie Cullum until I saw that film, but I really love his voice. And I like this song’s up-beat, cheery rhythm, and the matching lyrics. “I dont believe in / frettin’ or grievin’ / Why mess around with strife?” Why, indeed? The longer I live and “the more I see of the world” (as Elizabeth Bennett would say), the more convinced I am that all I want is the simple life; I find great power in simplicity.

There you have it! I’d love to expand this playlist, so if any of you have suggestions about other songs that you find motivating, drop me a line!