If you want to motivate yourself, you will need to find a source of motivation to tap into. Think of this source of stimulation as a bucket of water. Whenever you need a boost, you can dip your cup into this bucket and get some extra motivation. But that means whatever's in the bucket has to be something powerful.
Earlier we talked about the three sources of motivation and how these sources can fuel your motivation. But the problem with these sources is that they exist. For example: you need to sleep at night, so maybe you're motivated to work hard at your job and still get a paycheck so you can pay the rent. If you have a need for libido-boosting excitement, you may be more motivated to lose weight or get in shape.
Since these sources of motivation already exist, whether you want them or not, it is clear that using them as a source would not be effective, otherwise you would have already achieved your goals. Therefore, we need to find a new source of motivation that you can tap into.
The next chapter will give you some tips for staying motivated, like posting a picture of something you're working on on your wall, but that's not what we're talking about here. It's something deeper, something that helps you get motivated in the first place and get started. The best way to do that is to know yourself and what you want. Here are some exercises to help you.
Meditation: A lot of people scoff at the idea of meditation as a way to get to know yourself, but let's put all your preconceptions aside. Basic meditation is just a period of time where you are very still and very quiet. Asking the deepest questions about what you want in life requires calm, otherwise you won't hear the answers. Try it and look deep within yourself and find what you want, deep within yourself.
Write a Biography: Suppose you were to die tomorrow and you had 1,000 words to tell the world who you were and what you wanted out of life. Take your time and really think about it. Sometimes writing about ourselves as if we were writing someone else's biography is not only cathartic, it can open us up to truths we weren't previously aware of, at least consciously. .
Studying Religions: You don't have to be a religious person to study religion. Indeed, religious people often find it difficult to study other religions and especially to look at them objectively. But religions have been asking the question of who we are and what we want out of life for far longer than I've been alive, and while you have to take most things with a very big grain of salt, you can find truths in certain religions. - especially Buddhism - which can help you understand what you want out of life.
What is unique? Decide what sets you apart. It can help you know what you really and deeply want. A side effect of discovering what is unique about us is that we can see what we can give to the world and what the world can give back to us.
Love List: Make a list of the things you absolutely love in life. The things that make you excited and happy, that make you feel like you're really alive. It doesn't matter what those things are. You have the freedom to write whatever you want, including cooking, sports, teaching, learning, etc. Hidden within this love list are deeper truths about what you want out of life.
Billionaire: Consider this: what would you do if you had a billion dollars in the bank? You'll never have to worry about working again, and all your bills will be paid, plus you'll have enough money to do whatever you want, fund whatever you want, from starting any business to the realization of a large film budget. So what would you do, where would you go and what would you care if you had a billion dollars?
Likes: Who are the five people in the world that you love the most? Write them down and then decide what qualities they each have that make you love them the most. Then, look at those qualities as if they were something you yourself were working on (and probably working on). These traits could give you good clues about what, deep down, you want out of life.
You are limitless: Imagine that you have no limits in your life. Whatever those limits are, remove them. If you always wanted to be a rock and roll singer, but you don't have vocal talent, remove this limitation! If you've always wanted to run a marathon but are stuck in a wheelchair, remove that compulsion as well. Now, once you've removed your boundaries and written what you really want, can you figure out where your deepest motivation comes from?
Judgment is free: If you knew no one would ever judge you, what would you do? What reasons would you proclaim to the world and which would you believe? Remember that no one will judge you, no matter what you stand for. Make a list of several things you absolutely believe in and would be honest about if you weren't afraid of being judged.
My Accomplishments: List your greatest accomplishments. In the things you have already done, you can find the motivation to do more things in the future. Write down anything that was particularly difficult for you to achieve, not necessarily something that is difficult for everyone. Every time you succeed, especially against the odds, put it on paper. Then assess and see if you can see a deeper meaning and motivation from those accomplishments.
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