Self motivation part 7
The car
The car is used as an example as we spend a lot of time in them going from A to B and for the most part do not utilise the time wisely.
Really, the same principles apply for whenever you have a few minutes to spare.
The car is a very good example where you can listen to tapes or CDs about almost any subject that you wish.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to attempt to learn a language, autobiographies, historical facts etc, the point is it can be a very good use of what might otherwise be ‘dead’ time.
Planning
Planning can be a big topic (see The Complete Project Management package) but for personal use it can be very simple.
Once you have your goal you need to plan.
Create a schedule containing milestones with contributing tasks.
Once you have this you will be able to see your way forward much more clearly.
Many people can use computers well enough to generate simple schedules which can be modified as necessary.
Without firm plans we tend to have an idea of what we want to do but actual concrete actions are vague.
This in itself can be frustrating and reduce motivation.
Making plans gives you direction.
Proactivity is better than reaction and just following.
By making plans others will have to respond to what you aim to do and not the other way round.
When you generate a vision it is there to help solve an issue. It is something to aim for and if you get there you hope to be in a far superior position than when you started. On the way to it you will come across a lot of hurdles or problems. In the process you will have created something special.
There is a difference between solving a problem and creation. In the former you are eliminating something that is in your way, in the latter you are creating something during the process of removing hurdles.
Problem solving is, of course, important but if you can do it by creation so much the better.
If you have a particular goal it is easy to assess if your current direction in life will achieve it.
If you need additional income you may have to change to working for another company, change jobs entirely or seek additional skills through training.
Are you restricted where you are now, not your own boss?
You might consider setting up in business for yourself.
Don’t say can’t
“There’s no way I can do that.”
“I don’t have the experience or skill for that.”
We have all said something similar.
For the most part it isn’t that a person can’t do something it is that they have never tried to do it.
As we grow up we usually adapt to certain ways of doing things.
Some people are right handed whilst others are left handed. Some people are right footed and others are left footed.
In some sports it is no great advantage to be ambidextrous. In tennis, for example, there isn’t much opportunity to change hands mid shot. However, if you play snooker and can play well with your normally weaker hand it can be an advantage for some shots. Ronnie O’Sullivan can beat most people playing snooker left handed when he is naturally right handed.
Basically, it is possible to improve in areas that you find naturally weak by retraining your brain to cope by constant practice.
Look for fun
Find things that you really enjoy doing. Once you begin to enjoy tasks and look for the fun things in them your overall interest and motivation will begin to rise.
Most people can draw plenty of energy in the pursuit of something they like doing.
Playing cards all night seems simple if you enjoy it and you’re winning.
All jobs are not boring. Freedom and fun is not always the prerogative of someone else.
It’s in your own hands to make particular jobs fun.
There is a subtle difference to pleasure and enjoyment, as mentioned by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (born in 1934) who is a psychology professor at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.
He suggested that enjoyment has more depth to it than pleasure.
Pleasure covers areas like drinking and eating whereas enjoyment requires a skill that will meet a challenge.
For example, golf, basketball, martial arts etc. Activities involving enjoyment improve motivation and are usually more memorable because of this.