What is Motivation? Does it work?

Avatar for fantagira
3 years ago

06th of June 2021

It's the end of the week and only now I'm starting to write about this week's prompt by @JonicaBradley . That on its own can tell you that motivating myself to write is not my strong point. Even my birthday task of writing 1 hr 20 minutes a day is not helping. One day I write for 6 hours then nothing at all the other 2 days.

One side of me (Ernesto the donkey) is already willing to give up, because I missed a few days, while the other knows that giving up is not an option. We’re in the river of change and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s not like I was laying on the sofa watching movies and didn’t write at all. I had a rather busy and very productive week in fact and still managed to do some micro writing on noise.cash and a lot of reading and commenting here, which also counts as writing.

Unmotivated? Me?

I guess I could agree then with what Jonica said about the motivation in her article here. It’s not like I’m not motivated to write, I am more motivated to:

  1. Visit a friend, who’s on her holiday not that far away from me (Weymouth) and spend a great time with her and the family. As much as I love my solitude, I don’t want to become a complete hermit.

  2. Take advantage of my other friend being in between the jobs and offering help with my allotment as well as visits to local nurseries. Whenever the two of us get together magic happens! My ‘unworkable’ plot No 14A has a huge square almost ready for planting some first veggies!

  3. Utilise a sudden burst of energy leading me to fertilise all my orchids  in the morning sun, which then led to many cleaning activities in the house, which needed doing for a long time. Let’s face it - I wouldn’t be able to do it today, because there is no sun.

I'm not really moaning. All these things were really needed and made this week very enjoyable and productive. Usually I would say that Ernesto made me do these things instead of writing. There is of course more to it when it comes to creating change/new habits for that instance and I wrote about it in my article entitled The River of Change, but let's face it - Ernesto became a really entertaining part of my articles, so he's here to stay!

Plan it!

Another friend told me about the video they watched, where the speaker said that motivation doesn't just happen. You need to plan for it, start it and eventually it comes. Or rather you do it anyway, because it's in your schedule.

Does it work for me? Nahh, not really. I have pages upon pages of never completed to-do lists and the feeling of guilt of not completing them. I stopped making these lists altogether.  Sometimes I make a flexi list. I put all the tasks I want or need to do on such a list and cross them off as and when I get round doing it. Whenever I stumble across such a list, I put a date of completion next to the task and feel happy that I did anything. Eventually all the tasks get crossed off.  All in perfect timing.

What motivates me?

These days really not much motivates me. Thinking back I would say there were a few motivating factors for me:

  1. Fears,

  2. Goals,

  3. Passion.

FEAR

I would prefer this not to be true, but fear is the motivating factor for a lot of people, including myself in the past. Fear or being judged for instance. It would motivate me to rush like a crazy person to make my house look more clean/tidy if I am expecting a visit from certain people. It would also motivate me to put on a lot of make-up before going out to work/shop/party, so nobody can see my acne-covered face.

Fear of receiving low grades would motivate me to learn, prepare for tests and finish my school assignments. Fear of becoming a loser motivated me to go to college and later university, despite the fact that I was encouraged to choose a trade school, so I can finish it quickly and start earning money to support my poor family. Or was it because of it? I mean I have always had that rebellious strike in me.

GOALS

The goal of buying my own house motivated me to work hard for many years. Similarly with a car, vacations and other material things. 

The goal of performing on the stage motivated me to practice my dancing every day for months or actually even years. 

Year 2014 after our performance in London

PASSION

My passion for pretty flowers motivated me to create a beautiful garden inside and outside of my house as well as learn a lot about nature. 

My passion for dancing motivated me to take a shower, change my clothes and drive miles after work to remote locations, so I can dance for a few hours each night. It also motivated me to get up for work after just a few hours of sleep, so I can earn more to dance more!

Sad truth

The conclusion of this article is not a happy one I’m afraid. I might have left the fear behind me, which is great, but I also have no goals and not much passion left in me either. No wonder I struggle to motivate myself to do anything!

Even more reasons to stick to my June goal that I already talked about in my previous article here. So far I'm behind the schedule, but I'm not giving up, no way!


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Comments

We can be motivated if we allow ourselves to be motivated. .it doesn't come from others or anything. It comes from within.. I actually published an article regarding this motivation 😁

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Sometimes it is easier said than done Jane. Thank you for your perspective nonetheless 💙

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Regarding writing daily. There is not a consensus among professional writers as to how to write successfully. Some day wow every day no matter how long is how many words. Some say write 1500 words every day. Some day work only on one project. Some have three or four projects going at once So of they get bored with one they focus on another.

Creativity is such a huge part of my life. When I'm not being creative whether it's painting, drawing, writing, or crafting it is usually am indication I am frozen in a depression or a CPTSD emotional flashback. I understand wanting and needing to create a daily habit. But I recognize that I have the need for a huge umbrella under which I need to operate. The umbrella is called creativity.

Even cooking goes under today umbrella. With my medical teams, both physical and psychological I always set the goal of being creative every day.

Sometimes I need to set a goal of writing every day, no matter how much, no matter what medium. This comment, for example would count. Texting with friends and family would count.

As long as I'm not frozen in depression, I give myself a break.

You sound like a very creative person as well.

I want to read more about your stage career. We have yet another thing in common. I went to Hollywood High School for the Performing Arts (for 2 years).

I still love Ernesto. But I would also like to meet the others.

Also, it's perfectly ok to sit around watching movies all day.

$ 0.05
3 years ago

This comment definitely counts for writing time, you wrote an article on its own!

Ernesto seems to be the newest and the most dominant now. Others have been loved and tamed for years and he’s stealing the show 😅

Setting the monetary goal turned out to be a great idea and it’s working… until I reach the goal, then I sit on my laurels and start new articles without finishing the previous ones. Oh well, once they’re all finished they will be popping here quickly one after another.

Creative people I guess work this way, that we have many different passions and projects going on at the same time. Since dancing isn’t available now, I have more time to pursue my other passions. Dancing has never become my career however. I mainly dance socially and join student teams as a development and for fun. I will no doubt write about it one day 💙

$ 0.05
3 years ago

I've always wanted to learn to dance. I mean other than getting buzzed, hitting the dance floor, and spazzing out to music. I have a comment about dancing I don't want to put on read.cash. Are you on Twitter?

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Barely, but I will go there knowing that you left something for me. Monika K-G @MKMMAMKG

$ 0.00
3 years ago

@lynn_jonica

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Love seeing Ernesto in your write ups, and how you give in to his charm from time to time :)

Motivation is 'work' and a real one at that (at least it is to me)... One doesn't say I am motivated and motivation comes real quick like a servant. I think it still needs some kind of push from the inside. Then we get to do things we initially didn't want doing because we made a conscious choice to win, something like that :)

$ 0.03
3 years ago

Something like that 😉 The work part doesn’t seem to work for me that well. It has to flow and then projects get finished quickly one after another. Some days don’t seem to flow in the writing corner, so I get busy with other things.

Ernesto is a part of me, so I have no choice but to give in at times. He just wants to play and keep me ‘safe’ 😅💙

$ 0.00
3 years ago

😃 The good thing is you also have some fun while giving in to Ernesto's delaying tactics and still get things done afterward❣

$ 0.00
3 years ago

True dat! I have to put him to sleep now, to at least finish one of my 3 articles :D

$ 0.00
3 years ago

All the best and waiting to read❣

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Simply by writing here, you have proved you have way more motivation than you think!

$ 0.03
3 years ago

That is so true Ed. Thank you for this lovely reminder 💙

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Courage is not the absence of fear but the presence of fear yet the will goes on. So, having fear as a motivation for you sounds about right. As long as it pushes you to do things better, that's a good one.

You really had a busy week and I hope you created time to rest in between?

My warm regards to Ernesto. 😊😊

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Thanks Olawale. I'm not sure I can agree that fear is a good motivating factor, at least for me it isn't, but of course we don't need to agree on everything, as long as we respect each others opinions.

I actually didn't create much of a rest period. Sometimes I get lost in doing things, because they don't feel like work.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

You are so right. I just feel it depends on the end justifying the means but like you said, it varies.

That's passion - getting lost in doing things because they don't feel like work. 😍😍

$ 0.00
3 years ago

True fact! I still have passion for a few things, but somehow not enough of it to motivate me to do things on a regular basis.

Anyway, I have been told many times that I am simply too hard on myself, while others say I just love sitting on my ass doing nothing. Hard to say which is more true.

Today I am itching to go for a walk into nearby forest, so this will be my 'rest'. Forest bathing 💚

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Hahahaha. People will always talk and staying true to oneself while consistently seeking to do better is key. It's hard to be motivated on the outside when the inside motivation is missing.

Go for that walk. I wish we have something close to a forest around me here.

I hope you would write about it.

$ 0.10
3 years ago

You are a great motivator Olawale, I am very happy we have met in this online space. My internal motivation is indeed missing. It has been for a while.

That is a second great idea for an article that you gave me, my friend. I will add this to my writing list for sure. Thank you.

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3 years ago

I feel more blessed knowing you and I would always cherish it. Thank you for being so amazing always. I look forward to reading the post 😍😍😍

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3 years ago

It will most likely take a while. The walk was amazing though! Just what I needed and the weird anxiety I had earlier also dissolved 💚

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3 years ago

This is a good therapy for the mind. 🥰

$ 0.00
3 years ago

I think pain motivates me.

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Sadly pain can also be a motivating factor. I can understand it very well Angela 💙

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Yeah, and you don't have any choice but to push ourselves

$ 0.00
3 years ago