Difficulties in Motivation: It's a Human Condition

Have you ever read Hyperbole and a Half?

If so, do you have her book?

Okay, good.

But what I'm really here about right now is our struggles with motivation, and I'd like to start with a comic strip from the above blog (which is, again, really amazing on so many levels).

I was reading this both laughing to myself and totally aghast. How was this absolute stranger so perfectly describing my issues with procrastination. For instance, I see everyday I go to the car that my registration is about to expire. I see the DMV reminder letter on my desk by the computer. And I don't do anything about it. It's not even a smog test year, I can do this online. The deadline passes, and now I have to go to the DMV. Or, actually, I wait until I get a fix it ticket. True story.

Then it struck me. The author writes about her struggles with motivation as though this self-destruction is unique to her. But I see it in myself all the damn time. And I bet other people do to, which is why this comic-blog is so popular.

We all have these absurdly easy things we feel we should do with our time. There are the things we have to do and just don't until the consequences are in our face. And how many of us totally beat ourselves up over these perceived screw ups? Each time we do that, beat ourselves up, it only going to prompt us to dive our heads into the sand the next time a similar "choice opportunity" presents itself.

I hear this negative self talk a lot:

"I totally screwed up over the weekend and ate all these pastries."
"I was terrible and didn't go to the gym like I said I would."
"I get so upset with myself each time I do____"

So give yourself a break. We're all in this together. So if you work with me as your coach or trainer, talk to me about it, let's have a good laugh at our human foibles, and then get back on track. Until next time.