How do you find self-motivation?

[speakeasy]

I'm not talking only the world of gaming women, I mean in general. I have found that in the last year, my self-motivation is seriously waning. I may know that I need to do something, but have an incredibly difficult time just accomplishing my tasks without getting sidetracked and staying focused. This has been especially true with work over the last couple years. I've thought long and hard about it. I notice this pattern throughout my life. Even going back elementary school, I was always known by the teachers as the smart kid that hates doing homework and should be getting straight "A"s but got "C"s. I was probably the only "C" student in my school's gifted program. I've always been a procrastinator and put things off until there was no way I could ignore it.

I know Sosuave isn't a forum for public psychotherapy and I'm not asking for it. But if anyone has ever struggled with self-motivation and eventually found it within themself, I would like to hear how you did it. I've come to the conclusion that there's no way I'll ever realize my full potential in life without the fire of self-motivation burning from within. That's true for anyone.

 

[War Against Betaism]

There was this one trick I was taught to keep myself motivated. You know those moments where you feel like accomplishing everything in one sitting and you just wanna feel productive? There's a way to make yourself remind your brain of that feeling whenever you want, apply it to an object, like a poster of a person doing something productive, and whenever you look at that object all those emotions start springing up. The problem is applying it, it requires literally hours a day and weeks to really complete this technique unless you're REALLY REALLY good at NLP. I've tried doing this technique because I was also revered to by my teachers as a smart kid that was lazy and unmotivated, but the application is a tough process that requires patience.

 

[Heart Break Kid]

I like to read the lives of famous people, it really gets me pumped up. Reading about Warren Buffet's rise to the top when I'm playing the stock market. Now that I've made some very decent gains (thank you recession) and I'm figuring out what kind of business I might be able to run I've been reading a bit about Gates. It's hard to get to bed when ideas like that keep coming into my head but it makes motivation easy. When my efforts are worth it that also sends me on an upward spiral.

As for school, it's hard. If I am left by myself it has to be close to examinations for me to pick up case studies. I usually befriend the people who sit at the front with me and organize a study group. I find a lot of the smarter people in the classes generally sit at the front (also a good way to stay motivated because you have to listen) and I find friendly rivalry's develop in my study groups. Honestly, as evil as it sounds, doing better than someone else who is smart in my class/study group is probably the most motivating thing for me.

 

[Darth]

Honestly, as evil as it sounds, doing better than someone else who is smart in my class/study group is probably the most motivating thing for me.

Yeah, me too. I'm competitive like that.

I've never really had a problem with self-motivation- I've spent pretty much my whole life trying to improve myself...I guess it's just part of my personality.

 

[speakeasy]

There was this one trick I was taught to keep myself motivated. You know those moments where you feel like accomplishing everything in one sitting and you just wanna feel productive? There's a way to make yourself remind your brain of that feeling whenever you want, apply it to an object, like a poster of a person doing something productive, and whenever you look at that object all those emotions start springing up. The problem is applying it, it requires literally hours a day and weeks to really complete this technique unless you're REALLY REALLY good at NLP. I've tried doing this technique because I was also revered to by my teachers as a smart kid that was lazy and unmotivated, but the application is a tough process that requires patience.

That's a really interesting idea. Never thought of trying NLP as a way get the ball rolling. I feel like I just need that extra kick to get the gears moving, maybe it could come fro NLP. Thanks for the idea, I only know a little bit about NLP, but this sounds worth exploring.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

Another thing I've found helpful for myself is to start a daily journal. Not a journal like of stuff you did, but a reason journal.

Take for example exercising. you wanna exercise, but you just can't find the mo to make it happen.

every night, or every morning, or same time of day that is convient, take 5 or 10 minutes and write or type WHY you want to exercise, WHAT BENEFITS you'd get from exercising. Make sure to keep them positve (e.g. because I wound't be such a loser would be a bad choice) and just let your brain flow. don't self edit, don't stop for grammer or spelling mistakes. The first few times you might not come up with much, but if you keep at it, pretty soon your brain will come up with plenty enough good reasons, and those reasons will begin to motivate you.

Motivation can be like momentum. It takes a while to build up, but once it gets going it can be pretty formidable.

If you wanna go the NLP route, google "Godiva Swish Pattern" and practice that daily (five minutes or so a day) until you get really good at it. (PM or post if you'd like specific details) Those two techniques combined can be fairly powerful. Just make sure you pick ONE specific thing you want to be motivated to do, and stick with it.

after you easily convince yourself that you can DEVELOP MOTIVATION for any old thing you choose, the sky's the limit.

 

[WORKEROUTER]

I think that a lack of motivation is indicative of a lack of understanding for what you desire in life. Lack of motivation can really be the brain's way of covering up procrastination.

Motivation for what? Wealth? Stability? Freedom?

Once you can clearly define your objective and your values in life, you can more clearly recognize what is most important to you, and I think this is really different for everyone.

After clearly outlining exactly what is important or of value to you, the next step is to write these goals down, and begin forming a way to achieve these goals. This takes discipline and will often require you to get rid of the bad habits that can hold you back from being a disciplined person. This is when inner strength, persistence, and drive matters. It is what will keep you going through the times when it seems like you are moving too slowly, or perhaps not even at all. And it is what seperates those who actually achieve their dreams vs. those who simply dream.

 

[Nygard]

Providence by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

 

[ChrizZ]

Write down your goals. Set a date when you want to achieve them and how to achieve them. Everytime you don't feel motivated look at what you wrote, read it out loud and visualize yourself already having achieved that goal.

The visualizing part is the most important part. If you just read it out loud it won't do sh!t.

Now go ahead and do it!

 

[speakeasy]

There was this one trick I was taught to keep myself motivated. You know those moments where you feel like accomplishing everything in one sitting and you just wanna feel productive? There's a way to make yourself remind your brain of that feeling whenever you want, apply it to an object, like a poster of a person doing something productive, and whenever you look at that object all those emotions start springing up. The problem is applying it, it requires literally hours a day and weeks to really complete this technique unless you're REALLY REALLY good at NLP. I've tried doing this technique because I was also revered to by my teachers as a smart kid that was lazy and unmotivated, but the application is a tough process that requires patience.

Another thing I mean to say is that this sounds a lot like classical conditioning. A previous oneitis of mine used to wear this perfume that I strongly associated with her. And when I'd walk around in a store and smell that fragrance on a woman, it instantly brought up powerful emotions.