Action & Motivation
Do you need more motivation?
Do you ever look back on the week with regret for the time wasted? Is your “to-do” list more of a weight than an inspiration?
To succeed in the modern world you need to get stuff done, add value, make a difference. All of this requires ‘doing’. Some of that ‘doing’ is boring. Mind-numbingly boring. Even the most exciting jobs have boring elements. Great musicians must practise, sports stars must train intensely; your job will have similar elements. Inside of this challenge lies opportunity.
If you can find a way to enjoy the challenge or look at it differently, it can give you an incredible edge. I remember listening to an interview with swimmer Michael Phelps, (the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals). He had trained every day for 5 years without missing a single day. He explained he chose to focus on the fact that every training session made him a little bit better and increased his edge against competitors.
Some people have seen the increasing desire to avoid the monotonous and boring as an opportunity to invent robots and AI. From packing warehouses to flipping burgers, answering the ‘same-old-boring-questions’ in customer service to doing complex calculations we are seeing AI become an increasing part of our everyday life.
The topic of motivation fascinates me. I am often referred to as a “motivational speaker” but prefer to refer to myself as an inspirational speaker. Motivation is an internal driver. No-one can motivate you, except for you. People and circumstances can heighten the need to take action but you alone are responsible for the action. Your brain is constructed to help with this. Your brain's number one job is to keep you alive. As humans can often get stuck over-thinking, your amygdala processes all incoming information and, when it deems necessary, will release adrenaline and cortisol and trigger your fight, flight or freeze mode. This holds an insight worth applying to your life: Action precedes motivation!
Stop waiting for something to motivate you so you can take action. Your brain does not work like that. Take action. Any action that aligns with your values, meets a need or moves you towards a goal. Often, the smaller the first step the better. A small first step completed comes with a dopamine release from your brain. Your brain likes dopamine and looks to repeat the action that created it. (Pokie machines and your cell phones are designed to exploit this element of your brain. Turn off your notifications if you have not already done so!)
Consider what you want to achieve. What is the next action you could take to move closer? Do that. Then take the next and the next. It gets easier as you gather momentum. Action comes before motivation. How could you use that knowledge to your advantage this week?
