Two young souls motivated by the pain
We have this common misconception that motivation arrives as a result of passively consuming a motivational video or reading an inspirational book.
One of the most surprising things about motivation is that it often comes after starting a new behavior, not before. Now for the important question: What can we do to make it more likely that we cross this mental threshold and feel motivated on a consistent basis? Common Misconceptions About Motivation Somehow we cross a mental threshold-usually after weeks of procrastination and in the face of an impending deadline-and it becomes more painful to not do the work than to actually do it. Every choice has a price, but when we are motivated, it is easier to bear the inconvenience of action than the pain of remaining the same. This, I think, is the essence of motivation. It is easier to feel awkward while making the sales call than to feel disappointed about your dwindling bank account. It is easier to take action and feel insecure at the gym than to sit still and experience self-loathing on the couch. In other words, at some point, it is easier to change than to stay the same. To paraphrase Pressfield, “At some point, the pain of not doing it becomes greater than the pain of doing it.” So what is motivation, exactly? The author Steven Pressfield has a great line in his book, The War of Art, which I think gets at the core of motivation. That's nice and all, but I think we can come up with a more useful definition of motivation. It is the set of psychological forces that compel you to take action. Scientists define motivation as your general willingness to do something.
Two young souls motivated by the pain how to#
How to Stay Motivated by Using the Goldilocks Rule.How to Get Motivated (Even When You Don't Feel Like It).At the end of this page, you'll find a complete list of all the articles I have written on motivation. You can click the links below to jump to a particular section or simply scroll down to read everything. Whether you're trying to figure out how to motivate yourself or how to motivate a team, this page should cover everything you need to know. (That's not my style.) Instead, we're going to break down the science behind how to get motivated in the first place and how to stay motivated for the long-run. This isn't going to be some rah-rah, pumped-up motivational speech. This page contains the best ideas and most useful research on how to get and stay motivated. Other times, it is nearly impossible to figure out how to motivate yourself and you're trapped in a death spiral of procrastination. Sometimes it is really easy to get motivated, and you find yourself wrapped up in a whirlwind of excitement. Motivation is a powerful, yet tricky beast.