Motivation

By definition: "the act or an instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act in a certain way". The motivation to get up really early in the morning to get your homework done. To feel motivated to continue to exercise, even when you know it would be easier to stay in bed. Motivating yourself to actually DO something about that bad relationship you're in, just because you know there is something better out there for you. Why don't people move in order to get things done?? The reason is simple: fear. The fear of not knowing what can happen is sometimes the worst feeling in the world. So much so, that most people would rather put up with the mundane, insane monotony of something awful, simply because they know what to expect from 'awful'. They don't know what to expect from the unknown, and walking out on a bad relationship into the arms of the big, wide, open world can be terrifying. It's easy to romance the 'idea' of being able to get up three hours earlier than usual every morning because you know that it will give you better grades, but how easy is it to stay in bed when the alarm goes off? How many times have you found yourself staying up late at night when you don't need to simply so that you have a 'reason' to stay in bed the next morning. Jeopardizing your studies as a means to complete a self-fulfilling prophecy is as reasonable as smacking your head into a wall, but we do it, if not literally, then we do it metaphorically. We get in our own way and time and time again, we just don't learn. Living inside of the comfort of what you know isn't such a bad thing, but doing what's best for you, regardless of how much work it takes is really what matters. Can you do it? Can you walk away from what isn't good for you in the name of what IS good for you? Of course you can. It's a matter of perspective. It's so simple...such an easy concept: you must want it to happen, and it will. You have to switch how you think about the thing you must do in order to accomplish it. In order to motivate yourself to do anything, you have to first consider the consequences of what you're doing. You know that if you go to the gym three times a week to lift weights, eat properly, drink enough water, and get enough sleep, you will see the results you are looking for after about six months of this kind of routine. This is why people with a GOAL paste photos of the great body they are working to acquire. Three days a week at the gym. And treating your body properly. That's all it takes. What is the difference between someone who does it and someone who just talks about it?? Perspective. If going to the gym three times a week seems rough, then you have to consider how you're thinking about it. Why is it rough? Why isn't it a gift that you're giving yourself: three days a week for an hour each time you go, to be alone with your thoughts, give your body the exercise it craves in order to function properly, and you will LOVE the results. You have to consider what it is that you're doing when you tell yourself it's too much work. You're ultimately telling yourself that you're not worth the effort. And that's not fair. There is only one person in the whole world that cares about you as much as they should and that person SHOULD be you. So why aren't you doing what is best for you?? Think about your perspective with regard to your life, and start deciding what needs to change. It should be something small to start: challenge yourself to stay away from the candy aisle at the grocery store. Make it a challenge, and see if you can actually stay away; play a game with yourself. Intentionally stay away from it and if you feel tempted, remind yourself how silly it is if you can't walk away. Remind yourself that sugar is actually really bad for your body, and say this regularly because you WILL eventually believe it. That brings me to the end of this little speech on motivation: if you believe it, it's true. If you don't think you can do something, you're right. You can't. So why not believe that you can do anything, add a little bit of competitiveness to your lifestyle, and get started on something that you've been wanting to do for a while. I always look at someone that is working really hard, and I ask myself: if they can do it, why can't I?! And I'm always right. Why not me???! My grandmother used to say something that resonates with me to this day: "...why put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today?" How true is that?? So start saying no to the part of your psyche that wants instant gratification (the impulsive side of you that never serves any real purpose: to eat sugar, to spend your hard earned money on things you don't need, &c.), and start saying yes to hard work. Say yes to optimism and thinking positively because it will pay off in the long run and you'll be able to share your hard work and competitive edge with someone who needs it!