Self Motivation - I lack it badly. Help!
 

Right, I'll cut straight to the point. I've never had good self motivation in situations that don't interest me/engage my interests. By this I mean that I will quite happily spend hours learning a song I love on guitar, or I'll get up early to go and exercise because these are both things I want to do. However, if I'm given an essay to write on a subject that doesn't totally interest me, or I have to learn some songs on guitar that I didn't choose for a gig I don't really want to play (ie. performance exam) then I'll leave it all right until the very last minute. This ends up with me being extremely stressed and ripping my hair out, which I hate. I always manage to get the things done, and I get good (not excellent, just good) grades, but I know this could be drastically improved if I started stuff earlier.

Now I know there probably isn't one person on the face of the earth who isn't more motivated to do things they enjoy than things they dislike... but some people seem to be able to start dull and boring essays very early, power through them with lots of energy and get them done quickly, days before the deadline. I've tried doing this, but it just never happens. If I don't have that pressure on me to do it, then I just can't start it.

So I was wondering: Are there any books or methods that you know of that will help me change my mindset with regards to doing tasks I don't enjoy? Before anyone tells me I'm just lazy and I should get off my ass - I know I should. That's why I'm posting this!

So what I'm hearing you ask is how you can get your boring essays done quickly and before the dealine?

Ask yourself this: How badly do I want it and what am I willing to do to get it?

Self-motivation is all about your level of desire. If you want something badly enough, you'll dig to find that motivation that will allow you to achieve that goal. For short-term goals such as this, keeping your eye on the prize ought to do it.

Another note. You're calling it a "boring" essay. You know it's only as boring as you choose to see it. If the subject matter doesn't interest you, find an odd element of that subject to keep yourself from snoring. I know this will be an awful analogy but, let's say, you have to write about water dripping from a faucet. Perhaps you could focus on the changing beat of the drops as they fill the cup, or how a closeup photo can show your reflection. Look for interesting angles that might help hold your interest.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. It's pretty much the bible on success in whatever you do.

It specifically addresses your concern. It states that successful people manage to do the things that unsuccessful people don't: the things that people generally don't like to do.

It deals with time-wasters, and how to work effectively with other people as well. But it begins where it makes sense: with the self.

I meditate and convince myself that the world is going to end in a few days unless I complete my goal.

Bam, motivation.

I thought the title of the thread was wonderfully ironic.

Panic. Long-term panic.

Seriously.

Think about how much you're hurting yourself by not doing the little things to make yourself suceed, and how all the folks that you're going to be competing against are doing those little things. And how many of those folks have more talent at it than you do. And how many others are just plain old luckier than you are. And how your only hope to ever have even the smallest success in your chosen field is going to take all of your meager talent, as much hard work as you can possibly put in and every ounce of luck you can scrape together. If you can't imagine **that guy over there** doing the things that you can't be bothered to do and then surpassing you at crunch time and getting the gig, then you have a problem. If the idea doesn't send cold shivers down your spine, give up now and pick something that any schuck with eyebrows can do, like demolition or truck driving.

Well, DON'T do what I did... that is, start a PhD. I have to write the longest, most boring paper of my life in order to finish what I started. :lol:

Truly, I'm in the same position as you... the only thing that is capable of kicking me in the ass is a DEADLINE. Once I have a deadline, then I can kind of work. But it's still usually at the last minute, and try as I might, 23 years of being a student (I'm 28) has not changed that aspect of my personality. I've long since accepted it as just who I am, and I try to work with it instead of against it.

If we helped you get motivation, wouldn't it no longer be self-motivation?

Sheer bribery works wonders.

Make lists of what needs to be done. Say you'll treat yourself to coffee/lunch/a movie/a beer once the list is finished. Do what needs to be done, and reward yourself accordingly.

Excellent, thank you very much. Exactly what I was looking for! I'll get that.

Haha, not quite. I just wanted somebody to recommend a book for me to read that will help me to change the way I do things. It's more a case of 'show me the door, I'll walk through it'.

I'll reply to some of the other posts when I've finished this musical analysis I have to write! Cheers guys.

Haha, things aren't quite that bad. Like I said, I always manage to get stuff done - I've never missed an important deadline, and I work hard when the chips are down. The problem is that I really need that pressure on me to get anything done; which causes me a lot of stress. I hate being stressed, and I'm not prepared to accept that it's 'just the way I work' anymore. I want to change it!

You don't seem to understand. The damage has already been done. You're already fucked by life. The only thing left to do is figure out how to at least get the common courtesy of a reach-around. While you've been busy attending your pity party, all those folks who are smarter, better and luckier have been getting the job done. Your only hope is that constant work and attention to detail will give you the smallest hope of eeking out the most meager of livings from your chosen field. If you can't do that, then McDonald's always needs cashiers.

Don't burn yourself on the frier.

Hahahahahaha. :thumbsup:

If anyone has the secret to motivation, let me know as well. I am a terrible procrastinator. When I am productive, I find that I literally have to talk myself into it. It is all about my mental state. I know that if I have a paper to write, but I choose to lie on the couch, I'm still stressed while I'm lying on the couch. I tell myself that I can lie on the couch worry free, when I am done with my paper.

I'm not being funny. If you think I am, you've completely missed the point of my posts. If you want motivation to change, there it is - hard reality. Figure out how to start doing those things that everyone else seems to be able to do so easily or stop wasting time and money with school. If you don't, you're going to end up celebrating the pinacle of your career in 30 years when you finally crack into middle management at the accounting firm that specializes in used car sales. Or you can change your bad habits, buckle down and actually make something of yourself. Maybe instead of the 14th best guitarist in Brighton, you can be someone that some jagoff in Chicago with an internet connection and an attitude would have heard of.

agreed. this is serious stuff.

I looked inside myself for the power to get things done. Somewhere inside me is that ability. When I want something bad enough, nothing gets in my way. No hurdle. No obstacle. I somehow figure out ways of accomplishing something because it is what I want.

Once I figured out where that lived inside me, and how to call it up at will, I started to pass up all the procrastinators and dreamers. I used it to get through shitty things that I didn't want to do, but needed to be done.

When things that other people didn't want to do because they seemed hard or insurmountable. I volunteered and called up that from within me. I succeeded where other people didn't even bother. I picked up more work. I picked up more pay. All because I was 100% present. I showed up when others didn't want to.

Exactly. This reminded me of two of my favorite quotes.

Life is tough. Get a helmet.

What's the definition of insanity? Doing it the same way (or doing the same thing) over and over and expecting a different result.

This is absolutely fantastic advice! Nothing like understanding your areas of concern and areas of influence and how they work together.

I would also suggest Now, Discover Your Strengths which helps you understand how to work in and expandyour areas of influence. It deals with your strengths and weaknesses; how to develop your natural strengths and manage around your weaknesses. The things that bore you are often tied to your areas of weakness which can be boring and/or cause frustration.

Both books work very well together.