Motivation is Not a Trustworthy Emotion

If we lean to heavily on motivation to move us, we will stagnate.  

I know within myself, that some days if I wait for motivation to initiate the tasks that need to be done that day - those sucky tasks, just will not get done.  

In order to have the energy to “do”, whatever the task may be, we all need to get rid of low value activities.  Firstly, I suggest that you make a list of your low value activities and pin this to your fridge.  Know what they are for you.  They will suck your energy and without strong gain.  

Need an example?  Sorting through my emails first thing in the morning becomes a barrier to getting the important and meaningful stuff done for me.  I get side tracked into reading the connected podcast introductions or sales on at Ice Breaker, and really, this is not priority.  I have a list of priorities in order one through to ten for each day and those are the things I should be ticking off first as when those things on my list are ticked or at least initiated, I feel like I have reduced the burdens in my day and this allows me to be more creative.  More creativity brings flow and flow states encourage motivation.

To bypass the notion that you need motivation to act, answer the following three questions for yourself in view of the task you are waiting to feel motivated to do. Obviously your desire is to complete this task, be in exercise, shop for a healthy cook up or perform your recovery exercises etc.  In considering why you want to complete this task and how it will benefit you, ask yourself the following; 

1. Where are you now on your timeline of completing this task?

2. Where do you need to go? 

3. What is the way?

Question three (3) will open up your current obstacles.  Choose just one obstacle-removing action.  Forget about results.  Focus on why you are doing it, focus on your intention in doing it.  No matter what results on that day or the next, your intention will always be true and it is your intention that will create “flow” and sustainability.  

You do not have to go all out.  If it is exercise that you are chasing, then just do ten minutes.  Just do a little and then get up and get back to what you were doing.  If it is nutrition, just choose one meal per day to change.  

Let me know how you go.  Map it out week by week and look back at what you managed to achieve each week and celebrate your forward journey.