I keep learning this thing… and then forgetting it… and then remembering it again.
I wonder if you can relate. Doesn’t it seem like in order to get action accomplished that we’d need to be motivated first? And because of that, isn’t it easy to just wait around to do anything until you feel motivated to do it…? Yeah, I know, not very effective in the long run is it? Even though sometimes we do that, I think somewhere within us we know it’s totally backwards – or at least not helpful.
I’ve been helping people with shifting perspectives and making behavior changes for a long time, and I continue learning and using the same things that help my audiences and clients – including this topic. A few years ago I heard this idea spelled out really clearly when I was auditing a weight loss program called Naturally Slim. I was supposed to help decide if we were going to bring it to the group I was working with (which we did – great program).
As I was watching one of the videos, I heard the Founder (Marcia Upson) say something in a way that felt like a great “Aha!” for me. It was about the connection between being motivated and taking actions. She said that when it comes to making positive changes, she often hears people say they just aren’t motivated anymore; they say they only stay motivated for a short time. Sounds familiar, right? But instead of her trying to coerce people back into being motivated – instead of her giving ways to magically hatch more motivation – she was way more pragmatic. She suggested that when we lose our motivation – which happens to everyone, by the way – that we try taking some positive action anyway… and that the process of taking an action can start up the motivation again – brilliant (annoying… in a perfectly effective and empowering way – but brilliant)!
Think about something you’ve wanted to change, start, or complete – weight loss, healing a part of your body, forgiving someone from your past, making more money, interacting more positively with your favorite people, finishing a project, etc.
For me right now it’s growing my business. Do you remember a time – usually when you first began – when you felt really motivated to make the change(s)? How exciting! I love that – when things feel fresh and frisky, and I’m excited and know I can do it!
But then… a few weeks go by (or sometimes only days), and it’s like my motivation dries up. It must because I stop taking positive actions. And when one day of non-action turns into a string of days not taking any positive steps, then it feels overwhelming to begin again… especially if it’s an important project or big goal.
Here’s what I often do at those times – and I think it’s what a lot of us do: we wait for the motivation to come back before we start up our action steps again. Motivation first then action, right? Not so much. The truth is, not only is that completely backwards, it’s also soul squishing. Yes, I mean that this clearly: waiting until motivation comes back upon us can be soul squishing… because the longer we don’t do anything (with our projects or goals or changes) the more unmotivated we feel. Bluck…
This week, let’s turn it back around as Marcia suggested – and as we already know in our hearts is the real way to reach positive outcomes.
On that note, here is your provocation for the week.
Call to mind something you’ve been wanting to make progress with. What change or project or life goal has been calling you? This week, the plan isn’t to light up the whole planet with huge, important, gigantic progress! But neither is it to wait until you are graced with motivation “coming back upon you.” Instead, take one simple action – even a tiny one – toward the change you are wanting. Just one action. Then choose to be happy that you did it.
Choose to be proud of the action you took. Let’s all do that. Then let’s do it again tomorrow – one small conscious action. Then perhaps – after our actions – motivation may light upon us once again. Let’s all do that for just one week and see what happens to our sense of aliveness and motivation! You deserve to be wildly, wonderfully happy!