Just Start

Have you ever had one of those days … weeks … where you don’t feel motivated to do anything? Whether it is plow through priorities at work, going to the gym, cleaning … you want to do anything but what’s in front of you to complete.  

I recently heard a woman speak - by recently, I mean yesterday - motivation came up as one of the pillars.  She raised some interesting concepts about motivation that hadn’t occurred to me before, but resonated.  

The first point was about feeling motivated … which made me think … how many times have I set a goal to get up early to go to the gym, only to wake up the next morning and not feel motivated to go.

Spoiler … too many to count.  I don’t actually enjoy working out … like, at all.  

The second point she made was about using pain as a driver.  How many times have I dug in and done the work because someone told me it couldn't be done … I was proving I was capable … I was good enough?  

Spoiler … a lot.  Some of my biggest accomplishments came from a need to prove people wrong. 

How healthy that motivational driver may or may not be … it has served me well more times that I can count.  It has pushed me to remain focussed, to dig deep, to give everything I have and then give more.  In truth, I derive more motivation from those circumstances than I do from healthy ones … like feeling supported … having people believe in you etc.  While there is likely a therapy session - or two - in that … we’re moving on. 

The obvious question … how do I motivate myself when circumstances are good?  Well … there are time management tricks … block uninterrupted time in the calendar, have accountability buddies, build in rewards etc.  These don’t often work for me … they aren’t the same push … they don’t create the same fire, the same inner drive.  

So … then what?  Create pain?  Laughs … hopefully not.  

The focus of her talk was building a winning mindset … who are you on the other side of these big accomplishments?  How are you different?  

Hmmm … had to think about that one. 

If I looked back and picked one or two accomplishments that I had participated in delivering … I had to take a hard look at who I was at the start and who I was on the other side … I was different.  They weren’t major life changes, like losing 100 pounds different … but they were significant enough to be meaningful to me.  If nothing else, they were evidence that I could do hard things … I could be in situations where I felt completely unqualified and somehow do the research, ask the questions, create a plan and execute, execute, get feedback, adjust the plan and execute again.  

To be clear … that’s the minimum … the bare minimum.  

So. If I’m looking at what I’m not feeling motivated to accomplish in my life right now … I’m starting to think about the person waiting on the other side of done … Who is she?  How has she changed?  

For someone who likes growth, that’s an exciting concept.  I’m not always going to be motivated by the what on my list of things to do … I’m certainly not going to like everything on that list … but sometimes we do things we don’t like … we don’t enjoy … because we have too.

I like to walk, to hike, to ski, swim, board … working out keeps me strong … keeps me mobile … keeps me healthy and allows me to enjoy the activities I love.  Seems pretty simple.  

Full transparency, I haven’t tried this.  The talk was yesterday.  It left me excited, it opened my mind to possibilities … which is more than I had before … we are taking that as a win!

I have a clear picture of who that girl is, on the other side of all the work that lies ahead.  

Spoiler … I like her, I like her a lot.  She’s strong, healthy, capable, confident, she’s a little bit smarter, has a little more grace and humility, she doesn’t need validation from others - she knows her worth. (Side note … that may be my favourite thing about her).  She has big dreams … scary dreams … but she’s willing to try, because, well, why not?  I love that about her too!

I am at this end of the adventure … she’s on the other … the only way to get to her … just start.