Finding Motivation: What To Do When You Dont Feel Like Doing Anything

"The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The 'you' who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the 'you' who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success - complacency." Chris Widener

In all of my interactions with people, I've never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn't sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we need to do, and even desire to, we will find ourselves not wanting to do anything. And what separates those who will become successful from those who will maintain the status-quo, is the ability at those very crucial moments of time when we are making decisions about what we will do, to choose to find the inner motivation that will enable us to conquer our complacency and move on in action.

I find that I confront this issue in my life on a regular basis, so the following success strategies are not merely "pie in the sky techniques", but proven ways to get yourself to go even when you don't feel like doing anything.

Honestly evaluate whether or not you need a break. This is the first thing that I usually do what I find that I don't want to get to a specific action. The fact is that oftentimes we will have been working very hard and the lethargy we are feeling is really our body and emotions telling us that we simply need a break. And this is where it takes real intellectual honesty because when we don't need a break our mind is still telling us we need a break! But sometimes we do need a break. I'll give you a good example. I don't particularly like to exercise, but I do almost every day. Sometimes, I find myself before going to the club thinking about how I just didn't feel like going. Most of the time I am just being lazy. However, sometimes I realize that my body needs a break. So from time to time I will take a one or two day break from working out. The benefits of this are two-fold: One, my body gets a break to regenerate itself. Two, after a day or two, I begin to miss my workout, and eagerly anticipate a turning to the gym.

Other examples: Perhaps you are a salesman who has been phoning clients for a week straight, day and night. You wake up one morning and just don't feel like doing it any more. Well, take a break for the morning. Go to a coffee shop and read the paper. Go to the driving range and hit some golf balls. Take a break and then get back to it!

Starts small. I'm at a point in my workout schedule now where a typical workout day for me consists of 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and about 30 minutes of weight lifting. So when I find myself not wanting to get up and go to the gym, I will sometimes make a commitment to go and just do a smaller workout. Instead of deciding not to go, I'll commit to doing 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 to 30 minutes of weight lifting. This is also good for two reasons. One, I actually get some exercise that day. And two, it keeps me from getting into a cycle of giving up when I don't feel like moving toward action. Other examples: Maybe you are a writer who simply doesn't want to write today. Instead of the long day writing you had planned, decide that you will at least outline a couple of new articles. You will at least get these done, and you may have found that you put yourself into the writing mood after all.

Change your routine. I have found that what keeps me in the best shape and burns the most calories for me, is to do 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill every day. Now let me be very blunt. I find running on the treadmill to be extremely boring. Usually I can get myself to do it, but sometimes I need to vary my routine. So instead of 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill, I will break down my aerobic exercise routine into a number of different areas. I will do ten to 15 minutes on treadmills, 10 to 15 minutes on the reclining cycle, 5 to 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 5 to 10 minutes on the stair stepper, and then back on to the treadmill for five to 10 minutes. I still get my exercise, but I'm bored a lot less.

Other examples: Maybe you are in construction and you have been working on the plumbing for a week, and it is getting monotonous. Don't do the plumbing today! Go frame-in the office.

Reward yourself. One way that I motivate myself to do something when I don't feel like doing it, is to tell myself that if I get through the work that I need to, I will give myself a little reward. For instance, I may tell myself if I to get up and go to the club I can take five to 10 minutes off my treadmill exercise, which will shorten my workout routine, and I'll allow myself to sit in the hot tub for a few extra minutes. Hey, it works! Other examples: Maybe you are a mortgage broker who feels like sleeping in. Tell yourself that after the next three mortgages you close you will take your kids to the fair, or your spouse to the movies. Maybe you'll give yourself a night on the town with old friends.

Reconnect the action with pleasure rather than pain. Psychologists have long told us that we humans tend to connect every action with either pleasure or pain. Tony Robbins has popularized this even further in the last few years with something he calls Neural Associations. That is, we connect every action with either a pleasure, or pain. When we are finding ourselves lacking motivation, what we are probably finding about ourselves is that we are associating the action that we are thinking about with pain, rather than pleasure. For instance, when I'm considering that not going to the health club on any given day, I am usually associating going and working out with having no time, the pain of exercising and weight lifting, or the boringness of running on a treadmill for an extended period of time. What I can do to re-associate is to remind myself that by going in and doing my exercise I will feel better about myself, I will lose weight, and I will live longer. This brings me pleasure. When we begin to run those kinds of tapes through our minds, we find our internal motivating force unleashed and changing our attitude about the action that we are considering.

Other examples: Maybe you are a counselor who really doesn't want to spend the day listening to people. Your association may be that it will be boring, or that you will be inside while it is sunny outside. Instead, re-associate yourself to the truth of the matter: Someone will be better off because of your care and concern. Think of your clients and the progression they have been making recently and how you have been a part of that.

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

---

I Give Up! How to NOT Say Those Words!

Boy, I tell you....it seems the world is just going... Read More

Break And Move Beyond The Length Of The Chains

"Never let fear, procrastination or the longing for approval from... Read More

Change Your Life For The Better!

Are you still hoping and waiting for someone somewhere to... Read More

Motivation - The 4 Most Potent Ways To Awaken Your Enthusiasm

...it is in this whole process of meeting and solving... Read More

Elements of Change

The key to achieving more than you currently are, no... Read More

Are You Stuck?

You know the feeling.There's something you want to do. You've... Read More

ACTION is More Important than Knowledge!

It was Albert Einstein who stated that 'imagination is more... Read More

Pride and Prejudice Can Be Healed and Melted Away

Several years ago, my husband introduced me to some potential... Read More

Move On!

I woke up one morning with a sharp pain in... Read More

Live On Fire

Words seem inadequate to describe the beauty and abundance that... Read More

What Makes You Special?

Many people are too busy today trying to fit themselves... Read More

Choosing Your Vision

There is a new television show, called Blind Justice that... Read More

A Book Review: Great Resource for Group Facilitation

Anyone who is a leader or member of a group... Read More

Life After Prison - The Road Home, Vanishing Dreams

The basic trauma of being locked inside of a penal... Read More

Get Things Done: Take 21!

Ever begin doing something that you do for a few... Read More

How to Make the Most of Being Let Go

Being let go; suffering redundancy; experiencing downsizing are all very... Read More

Succeed Like the Super-Successful

Two undeniable traits of the super-successful are: their belief in... Read More

Changing Lifestyles

We stood in the kitchen talking. I was discussing my... Read More

The Biggest Mistake Youve Made About Manifesting

What is the biggest mistake you have made about manifesting... Read More

Stained Glass Windows

Elizabeth Kubler Ross once said, "People are like stained glass... Read More

Whatever Happened to You?

Whatever happened to all the dreams? The wants, the desires,... Read More

Lights, Camera, Take Action

Have you ever had a great business idea?Did you focus... Read More

Nothing To Lose

I stormed out of the office and headed for the... Read More

Is Work Still Necessary?

I have a confession to make - several confessions in... Read More

Why You Dont Ned Motivation

As a life coach, I often hear people say they... Read More

The Undeniable Power of a Mastermind Group

A Mastermind is a group of individuals who are joined... Read More

Hello! It Is Opportunity Calling!

If I knock at your door hold your hand take... Read More

Ask Your Question ? Get what You Desire

"Questions get answers, advice, opinions, beliefs, impressions, stories, and... Read More

The First Step

Today is an anniversary of sorts for me. Three years... Read More

Being Genuinely Curious

Yesterday at the dinner table, my eleven-year-old daughter asked me,... Read More

Change - The Skill Of Adapting To The Inevitable

Change your thoughts and you change your world. -Norman Vincent... Read More

Intelligence & Energy

Life and evolution is the dynamics of energy in which... Read More

Let It Fly Over Your Head

Sarah Watson is a young woman who contracted HIV eleven... Read More