Motivation is Not My Friend

Motivation.

It's a bitch of a thing.

When you'd rather nap, or eat a cheesecake, or watch brainless TV shows like The Bachelor, motivation is the nasty little Jack Russell nipping at your heels. It's the tugging at the back of your mind that prompts you to get a move on.

Occasionally, we might listen to it, but golly do we resent it. Hence why most of the time we ignore it, or shove it away in the hopes that it will leave us in peace.

It rarely does.

I've been in a constant war with motivation since the day Dad taught me to ride a bike. "I tried it once and fell off, isn't that enough?" I thought to myself. What could possibly convince me to climb back on that blasted thing? The answer was dad's determination; less so my own desire to give it another go.

Even as I write this post, I stare longingly at my bed and my thoughts whisper: "Ah, you could leave it for today. You don't HAVE to write a post, like you said you would. Sleep is a lot easier."

I cannot tell you how often I've adhered to those whispers and utterly given up, with barely a hint of resistance.

In truth, I loathe this aspect of myself. If only motivation came effortlessly. If only it trotted over like a horse and allowed me to ride it to the finishing line. I could complete everything and anything I began and I'd do so without the slightest bit of hesitation.

But... would I learn from it that way?

I highly doubt it.

You regularly hear people claim "motivation is key." Key to success, key to wealth and a key to power. Setting aside the fact that I'd like to junk punch those individuals, they have the right idea. Motivation is integral to learning and development. It may not necessarily breed determination, but it goes hand in hand with it. If you can unleash your motivation, then your determination will carry you through to completion.

Then again, perhaps I'm talking nonsense.

Still, the evidence is there. I know for a fact that when I'm motivated, I accomplish tasks, and when I accomplish things, I feel fantastic. Sometimes it takes me ages to reach that high that goes with achievement, although it's certainly worth it when I get there.

Motivation - it's painful sometimes. But like the small dog bouncing around your feet, you wouldn't be without it. It'd just be nice if it let me forgo gym for chocolate sundaes every once in awhile.

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