Obstacle Lesson #3: You Rely Too Much On Motivation

Ahh, motivation…how nice it is to have your mind on your side when you wanna be productive and work hard.

Except for when it’s not.

Motivation is like a drug. It feels good at the moment, and it may give you a temporary boost when you need one!

But reliance creates dependence. Dependence creates addiction. And…

Well, I’m sure we’re both familiar with what addiction creates.

The reason I decided to bring this up to you is this.

Just like the Shiny Object Syndrome that I talked about last time, relying on motivation is a symptom of the SAME deep-rooted psychological issue we face in the modern era.

Which is that emotions hold too much power over our livelihoods.

But, steel manning the other side of the argument, being able to focus on emotions is also a superpower we have living in modern times.

With many of our physiological needs taken care of, this gives us the time and energy to focus on the metaphysical world.

We’ve developed effective treatments for mental illnesses like PTSD and schizophrenia.

We can share how we feel about things through civil discussion and have the power to do something about them, monetarily or otherwise.

To be frank, I’d loathe living in a world where emotions didn’t exist.

And this is where we cross sensitive territory…

Because we’re prioritizing emotion TOO much to the point it’s affecting people like you and me.

Who longs for something GREAT and AMBITIOUS.

This, my friend, comes with putting your emotions ASIDE, but not neglecting it. Two very different things.

Ironically, cultivating positive emotions can come as a byproduct of sticking to your goals, which involves putting emotions aside.

Being a success in anything means “Hey, sometimes I gotta just pull myself up by my bootstraps and do what needs to be done.”

Not because I hate myself and I don’t validate my feelings…

But because I LOVE myself so much, I want to achieve whatever I set out for myself.

THAT is the truest form of self-love you can give yourself.

There’s always a time and place for everything. And right now, if you’re on the same path as I am, things must be done.

This is the third key takeaway that you must internalize:

“Relying on motivation alone will leave you drained and depressed. Instead, use it as an extra tool to propel you farther while you rely on purpose and mission to keep you on the right path.”

I’d like to finish this email with a quote from the Bible, from 1 Corinthians 13:11:

“When I became a man, I put away childish things.”

This doesn’t mean men or women don’t have emotions. This means men and women are not children, but grown-up people who know what needs to be done.

So the next time you think about watching your 5th motivational video of the day, remember why you’re here.

You’re here for big things.

With discipline and direction,

Meg :)