If you want to achieve great things that require a lot of work, and all great results do, then you can’t wait on motivation coursing through your mind and body each day – because that is not going to happen.
Motivation may be there on the first day or the first hour, and that’s why you started in the first place. But after that, it boils down to work – not so fun anymore.
You have to get used to just getting after it each day, even when you don’t feel like it. Even when there are 20 other things you’d rather be doing that are more “fun”.
You have to build and rely on a habit of working on your project and hitting your daily goals. Once you build a habit of doing what most others won’t and don’t, while it may not be “fun”, at least you don’t suffer over it anymore – it’s automatic. This is what you do. This is who you are.
This post describes me and what I have been doing for many years. I don’t whine about it to myself or anyone else. I do what needs to be done to move the ball forward on my projects. I put butt in seat or tool belt on waist or whatever else I have to do, and I do not squander days, or even hours.
The results grow, accumulate, and compound for me and everyone in my life.
Don’t feel like it? Doesn’t matter. Do it anyway.
Waiting for motivation is a mistake. You’ll be stalled out most of the time, and you won’t finish what you started.
You can’t call motivation up when you want it each day, but you can develop disciplined habits that are there and take little effort to get you in motion.
Motivation gets the ball rolling; determination makes sure it gets to where it needs to go.
Yup! Unless someone is lucky enough to make their life passion their work, rare for most, this post hits the nail on the head! And being the best you can be at what you do, often time fuels the motivation you thought you lacked!
You have written many outstanding posts. This is undoubtedly one of the best. Thank you.
Love this. Totally true. I’m fortunate that I genuinely enjoy the practice of law, but this advice is great for me to take on regarding things like daily exercise.
Bravo 👏🏽
If I had to choose 1 TD lesson to keep and had to get rid off the others, this would be the one I keep. Put your feet on the ground and get moving and “Don’t Feel Like it” turns into “Getting it Done!”
One of your very best posts imho!
Well spoken!!
Fall in love with microimprovements.
I’m not motivated for most things. I find that If I put myself in the position where I have to do whatever it is, the motivation will come. But not until I’m staring at it in the face. IE: I don’t get motivation to work out until I walk into the gym, dressed staring at the weight I’m about to lift.
Hell YEAH!
This is a great sharing. I’m 83 years old and I have tried to do this all of my life. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and the reasons for your success.