I’m going to be super honest. I don’t want to write this blog post. There’s a million other things I should be doing. But I don’t want to do them either.
Half the time, I don’t even want to get out of bed and face the world.
Half the time.
The other half, I can see how beautiful the world is, how full of opportunities life is and how everything is impermanent. The feeling of hopelessness is also impermanent, it doesn’t last.
These are the thoughts I hold on to when I lack motivation. The fact that everything in life is impermanent makes life so much more beautiful, and every moment more magical. This is the birthplace of motivation. When we truly realise our time is limited, it provides the push that we need to stop living in the past or the future and truly start living in the present.
However as with everything in life it’s easier said than done.
But if we always listened to our lack of motivation, the best books would never have been written, the best songs would never have been sung… not to mention we wouldn’t have a roof over our heads or food in our bellies.
Here are the tips I use to get things done when I’m lacking motivation.
Tip #1 is to reflect on why the task is important. Maybe you’re getting paid for it, maybe not, but there has to be some reason why the task needs doing beyond simply monetary rewards or because it ‘needs to get done’. For example, perhaps you wash clothes for a living. Those clothes need washing so that people are clean and fresh, and because of that you’re contributing to their happiness. Our actions always influence others.
Tip #2 is to think about your fears. Fear is what holds you back from completing the task, so what are you afraid of? If you can accept some failures are essential for growth, you’ll be kinder to yourself when you inevitably slip up now and again, and your fear wont be able to have such strong control of you.
Tip #3 is to be thankful. There is always something to be thankful for. Be thankful that you’re in a position to even contemplate not doing the task. Breathe in the air and feel thankful for being alive.
Finally, tip #4 is to be embrace it all. The good and the bad. They are inevitable parts of the task, but you can help yourself by not judging the task or yourself too harshly. You will make mistakes, and this is okay. It’s all part of growth. At the end of the day, the only person who truly makes mistakes is the person who doesn’t try.
Suzi is a stay at home mom who juggles earning money online whilst raising 2 kids. She’s passionate about continual self development and earning money online for the benefit of herself and others.