I keep hearing these complaints from friends and family about lack of motivation. Especially during the lockdown, the self-motivation is at its lowest for many of us. Some people are convinced that the inspiration they need to start exercising or writing or cooking is going to come from outside. A gym buddy, a trainer, a mentor, a coach, a book, a movie, or a lover is going to be their motivation. As much as these sources of motivation are important, they are not the best solution to achieve goals. Here is why I think motivation is overrated.

Myth Of Motivation

Motivation is like the electric starter in your car that helps get the car rolling. It is like the push of the foot at the beginning mark of the race. But what keeps you going is your discipline. A set of habits done with consistency. Rain or sun, night or day, tired or fresh, no matter what the condition.

How To Bring The Consistency

How do you build this discipline? It sounds tough or even impossible to some people that you can keep doing something over and over.

How mundane is that? Doesn’t it suck the fun out of the activity?

No, it doesn’t have to. It depends on the importance and variety you bring to the activity each time. Brushing everyday is mundane but you do it by establishing the necessity of it. Eating every day can be mundane but you make it engaging by adding variety to it.

Establish Importance

I bring meaning into the execution of house chores by reminding myself of the consequences of missing it.

Telling myself how dirty will the floor be if I miss the mopping days or the kitchen slab if I don’t wipe it regularly.

This does not make house chores interesting to me but it adds the negative incentive element. The urgency is based on the importance I associate with it.

Add Tremendous Variety

I bring meaning into the habit of exercising by adding variety to it. For the last 7 years, I have managed to work out 4 to 5 days a week. For the last 2 years, I have stuck to 5 days a week religiously. It does not feel like a chore to me at all. In fact, it is the most fun part of my day. The reason is variety. There was a time when I ran every day. There was a time when I cycled every day.

But the most fun time is now when I have started balancing a variety of workouts throughout the week. Strength training, dancing, cycling, running, and swimming(non-lockdown days).

Concluding words

Find ways to bring discipline.

Build systems, find variety, and associate urgency or high importance. Stop looking for motivation within or outside every time. Discipline will take you far while motivation can only help to start.

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