| |
| |
|
Motivation Information |
|
|
|
Finding Motivation: What To Do When You Dont Feel Like Doing Anything
"The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The 'you' who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the 'you' who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success - complacency." Chris Widener In all of my interactions with people, I've never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn't sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we need to do, and even desire to, we will find ourselves not wanting to do anything. And what separates those who will become successful from those who will maintain the status-quo, is the ability at those very crucial moments of time when we are making decisions about what we will do, to choose to find the inner motivation that will enable us to conquer our complacency and move on in action. I find that I confront this issue in my life on a regular basis, so the following success strategies are not merely "pie in the sky techniques", but proven ways to get yourself to go even when you don't feel like doing anything. Honestly evaluate whether or not you need a break. This is the first thing that I usually do what I find that I don't want to get to a specific action. The fact is that oftentimes we will have been working very hard and the lethargy we are feeling is really our body and emotions telling us that we simply need a break. And this is where it takes real intellectual honesty because when we don't need a break our mind is still telling us we need a break! But sometimes we do need a break. I'll give you a good example. I don't particularly like to exercise, but I do almost every day. Sometimes, I find myself before going to the club thinking about how I just didn't feel like going. Most of the time I am just being lazy. However, sometimes I realize that my body needs a break. So from time to time I will take a one or two day break from working out. The benefits of this are two-fold: One, my body gets a break to regenerate itself. Two, after a day or two, I begin to miss my workout, and eagerly anticipate a turning to the gym. Other examples: Perhaps you are a salesman who has been phoning clients for a week straight, day and night. You wake up one morning and just don't feel like doing it any more. Well, take a break for the morning. Go to a coffee shop and read the paper. Go to the driving range and hit some golf balls. Take a break and then get back to it! Starts small. I'm at a point in my workout schedule now where a typical workout day for me consists of 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and about 30 minutes of weight lifting. So when I find myself not wanting to get up and go to the gym, I will sometimes make a commitment to go and just do a smaller workout. Instead of deciding not to go, I'll commit to doing 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 to 30 minutes of weight lifting. This is also good for two reasons. One, I actually get some exercise that day. And two, it keeps me from getting into a cycle of giving up when I don't feel like moving toward action. Other examples: Maybe you are a writer who simply doesn't want to write today. Instead of the long day writing you had planned, decide that you will at least outline a couple of new articles. You will at least get these done, and you may have found that you put yourself into the writing mood after all. Change your routine. I have found that what keeps me in the best shape and burns the most calories for me, is to do 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill every day. Now let me be very blunt. I find running on the treadmill to be extremely boring. Usually I can get myself to do it, but sometimes I need to vary my routine. So instead of 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill, I will break down my aerobic exercise routine into a number of different areas. I will do ten to 15 minutes on treadmills, 10 to 15 minutes on the reclining cycle, 5 to 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 5 to 10 minutes on the stair stepper, and then back on to the treadmill for five to 10 minutes. I still get my exercise, but I'm bored a lot less. Other examples: Maybe you are in construction and you have been working on the plumbing for a week, and it is getting monotonous. Don't do the plumbing today! Go frame-in the office. Reward yourself. One way that I motivate myself to do something when I don't feel like doing it, is to tell myself that if I get through the work that I need to, I will give myself a little reward. For instance, I may tell myself if I to get up and go to the club I can take five to 10 minutes off my treadmill exercise, which will shorten my workout routine, and I'll allow myself to sit in the hot tub for a few extra minutes. Hey, it works! Other examples: Maybe you are a mortgage broker who feels like sleeping in. Tell yourself that after the next three mortgages you close you will take your kids to the fair, or your spouse to the movies. Maybe you'll give yourself a night on the town with old friends. Reconnect the action with pleasure rather than pain. Psychologists have long told us that we humans tend to connect every action with either pleasure or pain. Tony Robbins has popularized this even further in the last few years with something he calls Neural Associations. That is, we connect every action with either a pleasure, or pain. When we are finding ourselves lacking motivation, what we are probably finding about ourselves is that we are associating the action that we are thinking about with pain, rather than pleasure. For instance, when I'm considering that not going to the health club on any given day, I am usually associating going and working out with having no time, the pain of exercising and weight lifting, or the boringness of running on a treadmill for an extended period of time. What I can do to re-associate is to remind myself that by going in and doing my exercise I will feel better about myself, I will lose weight, and I will live longer. This brings me pleasure. When we begin to run those kinds of tapes through our minds, we find our internal motivating force unleashed and changing our attitude about the action that we are considering. Other examples: Maybe you are a counselor who really doesn't want to spend the day listening to people. Your association may be that it will be boring, or that you will be inside while it is sunny outside. Instead, re-associate yourself to the truth of the matter: Someone will be better off because of your care and concern. Think of your clients and the progression they have been making recently and how you have been a part of that. About The Author: Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.
MORE RESOURCES:
Motivation - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mastering Emotions: Taking Your Life To The Next Level Hello,How is your day coming along? Better, I am sure, than that particular day the crew of the Apollo 13 had as they were on their way home to planet earth.The return flight of Apollo 13 will forever be one of the most momentous flights ever recorded in history. Why You Should Write Your Obituary Today Writing your own obituary sounds and feels a little strange, I know. If the idea doesn't appeal to you, try pretending that you have just won an award and the newspaper is doing a feature story on your accomplishments. Commit to Doing 80% Instead of trying to be perfect, it is better to do your best, and often your best doesn't look like going all out all the time. This is especially true when you are making changes in your life. Change Your Life, Release Fear, and Create What you Really Want Do you have a dream? Or do you just have a nagging feeling that life could better?Many of us have a life that we know is not what we really want, but perhaps we've become resigned to it, believing that 'this is all there is for me' or 'it's OK, really?' or even, 'it's too late to change anyway.'The reason for this resignation is usually because of fear. Why Do 9 Out of 10 People Never Live Their Dreams? When we were kids we all had dreams. There were no boundaries to our imagination and anything was possible. How You Developed Bad Habits That Rob You Of Motivation Bad habits rob you of your motivation.Today I want to tell you why I decided I absolutely had to take charge of my self-motivation. How to Get Up on a Down Day One of the major obstacles to achieving goals is losing the motivation necessary to finish them. Many times the initial surge of energy is lost after the reality of hard work or set backs sets in. Finding Motivation: What To Do When You Dont Feel Like Doing Anything "The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The 'you' who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the 'you' who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success - complacency. Do I have What It takes? What am I made of? Do I have what it takes? I want to succeed, can I do it?Let us attempt to answer your question, if you are willing to listen.I don't know you, but you tell me? So you have what it takes? Everyone wants to succeed, can you make the grade? What are you made of? Why should you care? Is it worth finding out? Well, it is interesting you ask this question. Motivation By Spring Cleaning Spring cleaning is a great motivator. Why confine it to Spring?It is arguable that we should not only give gifts at Christmas and make resolutions at the New Year. The Default Setting In the coaching relationships I have with our clients, the major problem I see is that individuals end up in the same place - over and over and over again. They mean to save money and build wealth, only to end up (again) with "too much month at the end of the money. Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist? I have been giving some thought lately to optimism and pessimism. Basically, these are attitudes. Motivation: Tearing Down Your Own Limitations Q.: I've always been sort of cynical about all this motivational stuff. Back to Boot Camp You know, whenever you are going to make a major change and begin to undergo a different lifestyle, it is probably good to make a massive move in that direction. Think about it. Letting Go Of Our Negativity Everyone has something, whether it be a habit, or aspect of their personality, that they wish that they didn't have. For me, that something is fear. Do We Have Free Will? It is being suggested here that we have only one real choice in life:To let go of fear and resistance and be taken by the flow of life, or, to fight, screaming all the way, as the flow of life takes us anyway.Life is. Define Your Own Future - Shatter The Crystal Ball! When I decided to look into remote viewing, I had the impression that it had some bizarre metaphysical and psychic associations. But, in reality, remote viewing is a natural and 'taught' method of probing remote locations in the past, present, and future. If You Are Rejected! This article exemplifies the inner working of emotional intelligence. Effectively working through one tough situation at a time can build our emotional competence. Its Not Enough Whatever you are doing in your life at the present moment; it's not enough. What do you mean it's not enough? I've done all I can. The Most Courageous People in the World Who are the most courageous people in the world? Armed services? Coastguards? Astronauts? Firepersons? Explorers? Mountaineers? ??Sports? For us, the most courageous people in the world are those who are committed to discovering how they can get the best out of themselves. Individuals, who are committed to learning about and changing, their habits and beliefs in order to fulfil their dreams.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
