Motivation Triggers

I recently heard that all motivation is self-driven. At first, I didn’t believe it, but when you think about it — it’s absolutely true. Even if there are external things that help you get and stay motivated, YOU need to engage those things.

If you feel yourself slipping into staleville, recognize that fact immediately and mark that feeling. This is the point when you need to engage something motivating.

I used to think I was infinitely motivated and did not need any proactive motivation. Surprise — I was wrong. It was the slow slip into laziness that got to me on a regular basis. I didn’t realize it was happening. I would just look back on the week or month and realize I didn’t do my best and was lacking motivation.

The key is to recognize it within a minute and reverse the wave. You need to define your “motivation triggers”

Here are some ways I reverse the trip from lazytown to hustleville:

- weight lift every morning (very key to getting a good day started)
- brisk walk with music or motivational podcast
- play drums
- write a post like this or write about anything
- write a thank you note/email
- write down ideas or ambitious todo lists
- plan a trip
- turn on some loud music and make dinner
- text a friend I haven’t talked to in a while and just say hey

“The greatest in the world don’t wait for the spirit to move them, they move the spirit.”

(Fun fact: I wrote this post in the time before “Thinking of You” finished by The War on Drugs)