I don’t think I can even count how many times have I started out on a project with excitement and creativity and then fell flat after a few days, weeks, or months. I didn’t have the time or it became boring or frustrating when things didn’t go my way, right? My answer to questioning friends might have been that I lack motivation, but that wasn’t the case because I had plenty when I started the project, didn’t I? The truth is, I found other reasons to not be motivated toward that goal, and it’s usually frustration that has made me give up. When dealing with a new situation that needs motivation-such as starting a new business or getting more fit, it’s about what the payoff is for the motivation.
Negative Motivation
I personally had a time in my life where I turned to vices because the payoff was the immediate experience of feeling good, however fleeting that may last, to avoid certain feelings– when I think back on it now. It almost seems like I was under hypnosis at the time. In my case, it was alcohol abuse but can certainly extend out to substance abuse, overeating, or alcoholism. The motivation, in this case, was negative– meaning that the behavior came from avoiding pain. Of course, what happened was that the pain worsened from the original issues to the original issues plus the new pain of a life disrupted by alcohol.
Positive Motivation
Ultimately, it was the positive motivation that has kept me from turning back to any sort of substance, because it is a stronger driving force for me. And it is also easier to move toward something I like rather than away from something I don’t. One provides a clear direction to go in, the other doesn’t, as the mind cannot think in terms of a “not” something.
For example, I have had times in my life where I have become utterly fascinated with learning something. And getting something going, like in the case of going back to school to finish my postgraduate degree and starting a new business. The motivational factor, in this case, was positive– the meaning of the behavior came from gaining something at some future point.
The challenge here is staying motivated.
Motivation Strategy
There are several things I have done to keep myself going. It is not one tip, technique, or idea — it is several things in combination. Here is what I have found works well:
Have a clear plan– but don’t be afraid to change it. Remember, it is the outcome you are after, not the “how” of getting there.
