Have you ever spent time sitting around thinking, “I really need to get up and clean the house,” or, “I really ought to start on that big project,” or maybe, “I really need to write that proposal,” with that thought only to be followed by one like this, “But I’m just not motivated right now. I need some inspiration. I just don’t have the energy. I’m too tired. I’m worn out from all my other work.”
I’ve been there, dozens of times, and I think we all have been. While few people have a natural “Do it now” personality, most of us have learned to value that philosophy and have adopted it as an ideal. I certainly have days where “Do it now” runs constantly through my mind and I accomplish a lot. So what’s the difference between a day when you’re feeling on top of the world and a day when you’d rather just stay in bed? More importantly, how do we motivate ourselves into action?
Try this: Whatever it is that you are trying to do, just do a little bit of it. For example, if you need to clean the house, decide that you’re just going to run the vacuum for now. If you need to write a big proposal, resolve just to write out your thoughts about it for now – you’ll do the rest later. If you have a large project to start, just start the first step, which may be to create a plan of attack. Any action you perform creates a feeling of being in control and motivates you to do more. In addition, that feeling of being in control of your actions is very energizing. Before long, you will be well on your way to finishing the project, whatever that may be.
In his book, 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself, Steve Chandler says, “How you act is who you become.” I’ve talked about this a lot in my Dental Practice Management seminars, but Chandler cites a reference that most of us can relate to from memory – Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy:
“Spock had a big, big effect on me. I am so much more Spock-like today than when I first played the part in 1965 that you wouldn’t recognize me. I’m not talking about appearance, but thought processes. Doing that character, I learned so much about rational logical thought that it reshaped my life.”
While most of us don’t have a need to create a character as deeply as Nimoy’s Spock, we can use this analogy to realize that just “acting the part” for a while can be very motivating. Try this way of thinking: “I wonder if Martha Stewart would stop cleaning after just running the vacuum.” “This project is so huge it’s overwhelming; I wonder how Donald Trump would handle it.” Get the picture? Your energy and enthusiasm will increase as you emulate the character you most admire.
Finally, if you’re just in a lazy sort of mood for no reason but want to get out of it, get moving. Action begets action. Take a walk, do some serious stretching, carry the laundry to the laundry room, anything, to get yourself moving. The more you do, the better you will feel about yourself. Accomplishing some small tasks may be just what you need to get your self-esteem going again and back on track.
Today’s Assignment
Start keeping a list of things that motivate you into action. By doing this, you won’t have to wait for hours while you figure out how to get yourself going – you’ll have a number of ideas that you know have worked for you before. Don’t be surprised if some of your items are very simple. One of my favorite – and simplest - motivators is feeding the birds. I don’t know what it is – maybe it’s getting outdoors for a few minutes – but there’s something about it that boosts my energy level.
Thanks for reading today. I’d love to hear what motivates you into action.
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Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation
This post was written by Debra Moorhead, Motivational Speaker, Author, and Coach on May 28, 2008
