Myth of Motivation | The Simple Self-Improvement Blog

Reprinted from: Active Vegetarian?

One of the things we hear most is that people don?t feel motivated. Understandable ?I feel that way quite often. A huge myth is that people who are the most fit, healthy and strong are also the most motivated.

WRONG!

Often they are the most dedicated and disciplined, but that?s a separate thing from motivation. Let me explain?

? People think that they need to be motivated in order to achieve a certain task. For example ?in order to have a great workout you need to feel motivated and inspired.

I will never be inspired and motivated to run high incline treadmill sprints. Never? Ever ?Period.

It?s no fun and it hurts. However?

I AM motivated by the results I get from treadmill hill sprinting. It gets me lean and conditioned.

THAT?is motivating.

This is where most people get it?BASS-ACKWARDS ?.

The motivation comes from the results. Very rarely before it.

So here?s the catch:?In order to get the results ?that will further motivate you ?you have to find a way to do action necessary to begin the cycle.

Here?s my advice?

?..Stop wasting time trying to motivate yourself into action. Just take action. Any action. Imperfect action.?BUT TAKE ACTION.

That is the most motivating thing in the world. From the action you will see results ?.thus spinning a Perpetual Cycle of Awesomeness (TM).?

As are most truths in life?this one is rather paradoxical.?Motivation Comes After Action ? Not Before It!

So here?s what to do:

Whatever area in your life you aren?t feeling motivated ? take immediate action.?TODAY!!!!

It?s not action if you say you?ll do it later.

Action is now!?Commit to yourself right now that you will take action within the next 24 hours.?However small it is, as long as it?s action it?s a step in the right direction.

Let me tell you a story from my own personal life.?Disclaimer: All people and events in the following story have likely been exaggerated to make me look much cooler than I really am!

Earlier this week I had a scheduled strength workout. I really didn?t feel like it. So I made myself a deal ?.

?.I told myself that I would go to the gym and do the first exercise in my scheduled workout. That?s it, just the first exercise.

After I bench pressed 1700 pound (possible exaggeration) I made another deal with myself. I would do the next exercise and ?see how I feel?.

It went well and I finished the rest of my workout. It wasn?t the greatest workout I ever had ?but it was a hell of a lot better than nothing.

I went into the gym feeling miserable -and left feeling awesome! That motivation helped me eat better the rest of the day, and turned a mediocre day into a great day.

That feeling came?AFTER?the workout. (Before the workout I was like a bear with a sore?.)

Bottom Line:?When we take action we feel great! It gives us a sense of pride and accomplishment. That re-frames our thinking and perceptions about ourselves and we begin to see ourselves in a more positive light.

Once this happens we take bigger action on a more regular basis and results come greater and more frequently.

So here?s the question of the day:?What action are you going to take within the next 24 hours?

I?d love to hear about it?

Talk soon,

Joe

Technorati Tags: Health, Mental Health, Motivation, Personal Development, Self Esteem, self help, Self Improvement

Tagged as: Health, Mental Health, Motivation, Personal Development, Self Esteem, self help, Self Improvement

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