[nabs-l] FW: [vilam] How (And When) to Motivate Yourself

[Joe Orozco]

I hope the article below is of good use to some of the students and budding
professionals here.  Every now and then it does not hurt to get the extra
kick.--Joe Orozco

Subject: [vilam] How (And When) to Motivate Yourself

 

How (And When) to Motivate Yourself - Peter Bregman - Harvard Business
Review

 

http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2010/05/how-and-when-to-motivate-yours.html

 

I woke up this morning to pouring rain and temperatures in the low 40s. I
had planned on going for an early bike ride in Central Park but now I wasn't
so sure. I like to get some exercise every day and given my commitments for
the rest of the day, this was my only opportunity. But did I really want to
get so wet and cold?

I decided to go for it, though I continued to question myself as I put on my
biking clothes and got my bike out of the basement. I paused under the
awning of our apartment building, as rain streamed down on either side of
me.

A friend of mine, Chris, happened to be dashing home to avoid the rain and
stopped under the awning for a second. 

"Great day for a bike ride," he said, before running on. 

He's right, I thought, this is dumb. I stayed under the awning for a few
more minutes as I considered retreating into the warmth of my apartment. 

Finally, knowing that I'd feel great after a good, hard ride, I got on my
bike and took off, pedaling hard. The initial sting of the cold rain had me
questioning myself again but I kept going.

Then, after less than five minutes, the rain stopped bothering me. And after
a few more minutes, it felt kind of good. Invigorating. It turned out to be
a great ride. 

When I got back to the apartment building - drenched, a little muddy, and
with a big smile on my face - one of my neighbors commented on how motivated
and disciplined I was to be out on a day like that. 

But he was wrong. My ride in the rain taught me a good lesson about
motivation and discipline: we need it less than we think.

"I didn't need to be motivated for long," I laughed. "Just long enough to
get outside."

Because once I was already in the rain, it took no discipline to keep
riding. Getting started was the hard part. Like getting into a cold pool.
Once you're in, it's fine. It's getting in that takes motivation.

In fact, when you think about it, we only need to be motivated for a few
short moments. Between those moments, momentum or habit or unconscious focus
takes over. 

I write at least one post a week. Does that take discipline? Sure. But when
I break it down, the hardest part - the part for which I need the discipline
- is sitting down to write. I'll find all sorts of things to distract me
from starting. But if I can get myself to start a post, I don't need much
discipline to finish it.

Need willpower to work on something difficult? Ask yourself when you need
that willpower the most. Received feedback that you should talk less in
meetings? Figure out when are you most susceptible to blabbing on. Trying to
maintain a commitment to yourself or someone else? Identify the times when
you are most at risk of violating that commitment.

Then, whatever you do, don't give up in the moments when you're most
vulnerable. Don't give up the bike ride while standing under the awning
watching it rain. Even when your friend tells you you're crazy to go out.

In other words, never quit a diet while reading the dessert menu. It's too
tempting. That's not the right time to second-guess your commitment. It's
precisely the time to use your willpower and discipline.

We waste a lot of time, energy, and focus second-guessing ourselves. Am I
doing the right work? Is this project worthwhile? Is this employee going to
work out? That moment-by-moment deliberation is a distraction at best and
sabotage at worst. If you keep asking yourself whether a project is worth
working on, you'll reduce your effort on that project - who wants to spend
time on something that might fail? - and doom its success.

On the other hand, it's impossible to ignore those feelings of uncertainty.
The solution? Schedule them. Create an established time to second-guess
yourself, a time when you know your commitment won't be weakened by the
temptations of the moment. If you're going to break the diet, do it when
your need for willpower is at its lowest. Decide to decide the next day,
maybe after a healthy breakfast or a little exercise, when you know your
inclination to stick to your goals will be naturally high. 

Then, if you decide to stay on the diet, commit fully and powerfully until
the next scheduled time to deliberate. Knowing you have a planned pause
allows you to focus and concentrate without hesitation until the established
time to second guess yourself. 

And if you do eventually decide to change your commitment, you'll know it's
not from momentary weakness. It'll be a strategic, rational, intentional
decision. 

What's important is that your moment of choice is when you are in the right
state of mind - when you need the least willpower - to make the best
decision. 

Which is why, sitting here at my computer, dry, comfortable, and having had
a great ride today, I decided to go out again tomorrow.

 

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