The following is a guest post from my friend, Robert Smith, author of 20,000 Days and Counting.
Do you ever feel tired, exhausted, depleted, drained—you know, one of those states where you absolutely do not feel motivated to do anything?
Most likely, if you’re the person behind the wheel of your household who is juggling kids, a spouse, work, planning, finances, etc…then the answer is absolutely a “YES.”
If you have multiple plates spinning, the reality is that those plates are probably not going to come to rest any time soon. In fact, when you get good at keeping them spinning, the overwhelming (but exciting) reality is that they don’t slow down—they create even more plates for you to spin!
If you think you’re busy now, how are you going to find the motivation to keep up the activity once those new plates start popping up? (And trust me—they’re coming.)
The answer is: You won’t. Sorry. If you’re going to start looking for motivation in order to stay on top of all you have going on, you simply will not find it. It does not exist.
Motivation, in terms of how we think about it, IS a myth. (click to tweet)
Here’s the truth—real motivation is the feeling that comes after action. Sure, you might feel motivated to start something, but unless you keep the action up, that initial “motivation” quickly dies.
We’ve been trained to think that productivity follows motivation, when motivation ACTUALLY follows productivity.
Think about it. When do you feel fired up and excited to do more? Before you do what you’re supposed to do…or after you do what you’re supposed to do? Before you start something you need to do there’s usually a bit of hesitancy, feelings of overwhelm, or nervousness.
We tell ourselves negative things like, Are people going to like this? Can I actually pull this off? What if it doesn’t work?
Once we get started though, the activity inspires us. Think about the last big, successful project you took on, whether it was launch a business from your home or finally planning a budget for your family. It probably started slow, but once things began to fall into place, it got exciting. You started seeing the benefits. You did a happy dance. And then you started doing more!
William James, one of the founders of modern psychology, has a quote that I come back to again and again every time I think about this:
“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I sing.”
You don’t get things done because you are motivated; you are motivated because you get things done.
How to Start with No Motivation
OK, you’re probably thinking, so if motivation comes after I start, what’s the best way to get myself started in the first place?
I’ve noticed that we as human beings have an amazing ability to overestimate what we can do in the next year…while totally underestimating what we can do in the next 15 minutes!
To get started on anything big, all you need to do is, first of all, STOP thinking about the size of the project. Don’t think about the big end result. Don’t let negative thoughts creep inside your mind. With the project in mind, all you have to do is ask yourself two questions:
- What’s important now?
- What’s next?
The first question will tell you what you need to act on in the next 15 minutes, and the second question will tell you what comes after that. Start by focusing on the smallest thing you can think of that is necessary to make progress. It might be actually scheduling the time for you to work on the project. It might be clearing off a messy desk so you have a suitable workspace. It might be coming up with a title.
Once you know what you need to do, begin moving forward with massive action. Don’t worry about doing it wrong. Don’t worry about being unsure. Just move. A lot. Now move some more.
The real motivation is right around the corner. All you have to do is meet it halfway. I know you can do this. I know you will.
What do you do to find motivation? How do you get yourself to start a big project? (click to tweet)
Robert D. Smith is the author of 20,000 Days and Counting, a crash course in living every day with maximum purpose and intensity. He also writes about personal growth, entrepreneurship, and more at TheRobertD.com.
Robert is offering a giveaway of the book. FIVE readers will receive a copy. (click to tweet)
I have already had the privilege of reading the book (it’s a quick read!) and I highly recommend it. My husband and I both enjoyed it and gleaned from Robert’s wisdom.
To enter the giveaway just leave a comment. You have until Monday morning at noon CST. The winners will be contacted then.
This does sound great!
Thank you – looks like a worthwhile book!
Never thought of it this way, but now that I think of it…does seem to work that way. Sometimes when I think something will take me a huge amount of time to do, when I actually start it, I get motivated and get it knocked out in much less time than I thought it would take me! Thanks for the reminder to just start it!
Your post is motivating me to get busy! Thanks.
I never thought of it like that! Makes a lot of sense.Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
monk5 at charter dot net
It is a great book I know many that could benefit from it, remember to pay it forward…
well, you’ve sure got my number….hmmmmmmm LOL
Sounds great. I would like to read it on my kindle.
Would love to read it. I know the power of just starting and getting on with it. I just have to be reminded of it on a regular basis!
I would love a copy!
Don’t we all need encouragement! Life can get so overwhelming at times. Yes, I would like to win the book.
I need to win this giveaway…I have been battling Major Depression for 29 years and I am trying to do some soul searching. I was immediately intrigued when I came across this article and it spoke to me in a way that not even Dr.s have been able to. Please consider me as a winner. Thank you
Oh my gosh, do I ever need this! I struggle so much in this area of my life. I’d love to win, but if not, I’ll still have to buy this one when I can.
WOW! Great insight!! This is by far my biggest problem. I’m not sure how I overcome it, I just do. Usually I get angry at the problem or the mess and let it full me to move. But that is definitely not the way to handle, I’m sure.
Sounds wonderful. I usually get motivated lots of times by my boys but would love to branch out.
Wow…I needed to read this today. I would love to read this book!!
Sounds great! Would love to read and share with my girls!
Never really thought of it this way – thank you for shedding some light on the subject! Sounds like a book that might “motivate” me!!!
I loved the perspective on motivation. Makes total sense when I actually stop to think about it. Would love to read more of what Mr. Smith has to say. Thanks for the opportunity!
HUGE thank-you to Amy for the opportunity to post! Wow! I’ll be checking in on the comments throughout the day, so feel free to ask ANY questions you might have and I’ll do my best to reply
Sounds very interesting. I needed to hear this. I will be checking out his website.
Thank you for sharing and I hope I win.
Motivation after action makes sense…just never thought of it that way. Satisfaction of completing a job well done makes the next project seem more easy to accomplish.
I honestly hadn’t thought of motivation in this way before. I’ve been looking at it from the other perspective, but after reading this it totally makes sense. Once I start something the motivation comes to continue them. It’s absolutely true. I definitely need to read the rest of his book — it might be just what I’m looking for in terms of answers right now. Thanks!
It sounds like a book that would help me.
I’ve always said that I have so many plates spinning that sometimes the start wobbling and fall. Then I have to pick up the pieces and start again. I would love to win this book!
This sounds like if was meant for me. I am trying to start a business and I could really use this book!
If there’s one thing that’ll create more “spinning plates” than anything else…it’s starting a business! Just focus on one task at a time, getting the most important ones done as soon as they come up. Would love to hear what kind of business it is. Entrepreneurship ALWAYS excites me!
Thanks for the inspiration and the giveaway. This book sounds like the perfect read at this point in my life…
Our second move in 20 months {military}, death of a parent, a high school senior and junior, one financial challenge after another…oh YES can I relate to the feelings described here. Thank you for the reminder that motivation comes after action, it’s been a while since I had *that* feeling!
Sadly, after reading everyone’s comments I see how so many of us are in the same boat! I really don’t think God is pleased that our lives are so busy and we’re so overwhelmed. I’m 64, work full-time, and am caregiver to my 88-year-old father and 39-year-old daughter, who we think has MS–waiting on a diagnosis. My husband works full-time too and is past retirement age, but we have to keep working. Most evenings we just plop down and try to rest so we can start over the next day at 4:30, doing the same things we do five days a week. We live for weekends, but we’re wishing our lives away, hoping for Fridays to come quickly. I don’t know if the book would help us, but I hope that it would.
I can’t imagine how exhausting those things must be but your comment made me think of a book I recently read and I highly recommend. http://skipperclan.com/2013/01/17/what-the-most-successful-people-do-on-the-weekend/
Katy, that DOES sound beyond exhausting, emotionally and physically. I manage another author who has a free eBook you can start reading right now that I think you’ll find TONS of value in. It ties in to many of the things I wrote about in “20,000 Days and Counting”:
http://www.andyandrews.com/pages/the-perfect-moment
I could really use this book! I would love to win it!
Great words of wisdom. I would love to win the book.
Last year was a crasy busy year with LOTS of family changes. Life was coming down fast and hard. In the midst of all the change, I was also fighting some pretty tough spiritual battles along with with personal attacks, physical illness (Chronic fatigue and a respiratoty issue at the same time). Oh, I could go on and on but I will spare you all the hairy details. Needless to say …I was dragging myself out of bed most days (until very recently) and many of them just decided that my best coarse of action was find a way to get back in bed as soon as possible. NO. Motivation. AT, All. I was completely worn out by all the energy required from all the outside demands…and it has been only in the moment by moment choice to just do the next thing that anything at all has gotten done. Waiting for the motivation to follow. Hopefully soon the breakthrough will come. Thanks for a chance to win the book! A little inspiration always helps to get the blood pumping.
Keep focusing on the moment to moment, Danielle. The little things eventually add up to the BIG things falling into place. The motivation is on its way!
Husband (bi-polar) just read his first book clear through in (we don’t know, but maybe) in his life… It was a great encouragement to him… This book sounds like one he needs to read as his second ever book… Meanwhile, I pick up the pieces of our lives by being/doing everything but the housekeeping (he was a janitor and now makes a great house-husband) and run a business, write books, tutor, and more… Tired? Overwhelmed? Hmmm. Let me think for a moment… YES!
Thank you for the info on this book. It sounds like a very good and informative read.
Wow, talk about timing. God is Good! I would love to win this book!
Would love to read this! Love books that help with motivation and productivity.
I’m almost too pooped to comment. lol. Seriously, this sounds like exactly what I need.
Now THAT is feeling pooped, Ruth
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!
Okay, let’s get going:) I am ready to read this book.
I’m interested in this book! I just heard a talk about the number of our days — and what are we doing with them to make them count!
Sounds like a book that I would really benefit from. Thanks for offering it.
Plates. Yeah….feeling like mine are about to crash lately. This was a great piece. I wrote down several things I wanted to remember. The book sounds like a great read too.
Sounds like a very timely message for me.
I would love to win too!
Sounds like a great book! I would love to win.