Natural motivation — motivation that strikes you i.e suddenly getting inspired
Artificial motivation — getting into a state of motivation with sheer will
From mid-2019 to late-2020 I’ve struggle with low motivation.
I didn’t see the purpose of doing anything at all.
Eventually, after a lot of self-reflecting, I devised a system that will keep me motivated through the difficult times.
A guy with motivation running a race with a guy with no motivation will win even though their talents are equal.
Some people wait for motivation to strike them before they get started.
I found this highly unreliable. Sometimes you won’t get a single natural/organic motivation for months or years, such as my case.
Here’s how to get started.
🏃🏻♂️Action and Information
Every single case of being stuck with no motivation can be looked at as an information /action problem.
Let’s say you have been struggling with low motivation.
Out of the blue your favourite celebrity (Kim Kardashian), calls you personally.
You’ve just won a contest. You’ll get first class tickets to fly to Los Angeles, live with the Kardashian family, be a T.V star.
After a week of partying the Kardashian way, long talks with Kim and insights into how she became a business minded superstar, you return to your room.
Suddenly you realize that you could actually follow her footsteps. Kim showed you everything.
You start planning.
Although an extreme example, we see the dialectic between information and action here. The interplay of the two.
Information came in that you won the contest.
Action gave you impetus to fly to Los Angeles.
Information is what Kim personally gave you.
Action of planning allows you to see your pathway.
And so on.
Low motivation is caused by low information and low action.
A poor person doesn’t want to be poor, he doesn’t know how to not be poor.
Information To Confidence
Once we truly know, our fears begin to melt away.
Take a common fear, public speaking.
If you have to make a speech tomorrow, you would rightfully be nervous.
If I told you that the audience will only be composed of your mom and your bestfriend, how much less nervous would you be?
Much of the fear of public speaking is centered around the big unknown of slipping up infront of a massive audience.
Whether what I told you about the audience tomorrow was true or not, right now, you will feel less nervous and more confident.
The common adage that the word ‘Fear’ stands for ‘False Evidence Appearing Real’ applies in this context.
Fear is like a dark, creepy room. Turn on the light and you will see there’s nothing there.
Information leads to security, security to confidence.
Confidence To Possibilities
Having high self-confidence allows you to consider more options.
What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
Suddenly, a world of possibilities open up.
The pathways that you never considered possible before seem so doable now.
For example, I’ve always thought that I am stuck with an agency business because that is what I’m used to and really good at.
Not only until later that I started to become more confident with learning coding that I’ve realized that, ‘Hey, I can start to code my own startup too.’
Suddenly, a whole new world opened up.
Possibilities To Goals
Now that a world of possibilities have opened up, you wouldn’t need to continue of the same path as you have always been throughout your life.
With the previous confidence you have, you can stride confidently in a brand new direction.
A new goal has been formed. A bigger, different target.
Goals To Vision
A vision is a clear image in your mind.
Like a strong, immersive hallucination.
You can see yourself achieving your goals.
This is a peak state of complete information and ultimate clarity.
Why you are doing it.
How you are doing it.
When you will be doing it.
What will you be doing.
All become crystal clear.
You will not be thinking of what to do, you will be immersed in doing it.
Vision To Action
This peak vision state will be so powerful that it’ll automatically compel you to take action.
I have noticed that everytime I launch a successful business, I will have a strong, immersive vision in my mind prior to launch.
You just can’t help but take action when you have experienced such a state.
All your past failures, doubts, stress and suffering will melt away in that moment.
Taking this action brings us back to our first step.
Action and Information.
And so the cycle continues.
