The problem with most of us is not that we have a lack of motivation to do things or to change our emotional state. Rather, we don’t believe the things that actually motivate us should motivate us!
I’m out here in 7° weather freezing my ass off trying to get my 4 miles worth of steps in on a day that I don’t run. To be honest with you, it’s been a hard Monday morning. Usually I listen to great speakers on YouTube, podcasts, or wherever to help motivate me at the start of my week. While I was lacing up my shoes and considering whether or not I needed to put on an extra layer for warmth, I kept trying to come up with what I wanted to listen to while I was walking. I considered my usual go-to’s: listening to the great Les Brown. Maybe some Tony Robbins. Or, I speculated, was I feeling a little bit political? If so, it could even be Jordan Peterson…
It doesn’t happen a lot. But today, nada. Nothing. All I kept thinking about was that wind I had seen hitting the American flag across the street from my office, and how cold it was actually going to be outside. It wasn’t going to feel like 7°…that would be a gift. You see, the whole reason why I’m doing at least 4 miles of walking on the days where I don’t run is because I’d like to lose a little bit of weight before race season. Somehow I’ve convinced myself that getting out for this walk will help me burn the extra 400 calories that, at some point, will add up to about a half a pound of weight loss a week.
The problem was, I wasn’t associating the fact that listening to Les Brown usually motivates me to write blogs and make my vlogs. Right now I need to get out the door so that I can walk, and what I really need is something that’s going to motivate me to think about the commitment I’ve made to lose weight before a race season. As I’m browsing YouTube, I find that the interest that actually catches my attention is a documentary about the effects of sugar.
I hit play.
Suddenly, it’s a little bit easier to get my shoes and jacket on. The wind that stings my face as I head out the door wasn’t as bad as I feared, or at least I’m not noticing it because I’m interested in the fact that fructose and high fructose corn syrup are the same, and they’re both poison. On top of that, I learn that I’m consuming 16.5 pounds of it a year without even knowing it! This professor from the University of I-don’t-know is very engaging, and his speaking, his passion has inspired me to write, or, should I say since I’m walking, inspired me to dictate this blog!
Sometimes we judge the subject matter of our motivation. Sometimes we give the job to our reason to decide what should motivate us. The only problem with doing that is that reason is not an emotion. When we’re looking for something to motivate or inspire action, both of which are efforts to put energy in motion (aka emotion) in our bodies, we’re going to have to listen to a different source. That source is our emotional intuition.
How do you tap into your emotional intuition?
First, acknowledge that your source of motivation is not working – if you don’t seem to be moving toward the action you want to take or feeling motivated, don’t just try and tough it out and think there’s something wrong with you. Acknowledge that perhaps it isn’t you, but rather the source of your motivation that is lacking. Consider trying something else. Maybe there’s something else in your life that you are more focused on at the moment that can bring up more passion and inspiration within your body. The subject matter is irrelevant. What is relevant is that you find something that actually helps you move forward with whatever you’re trying to pursue.
Next, trust your gut – in truth, we have a bias that whatever motivates us has to do with the subject matter that we’re trying to move forward on. Sometimes our gut may be screaming at us and we’re just not listening to it. When you feel that lack of motivation, ask yourself how you’re feeling and, if the answer is low energy, do yourself a favor and start to examine other areas of your life that you’re trying to move forward on as well. Is there something that motivates you more and feels right in your gut, don’t be afraid to move with that.
For me, I found that when I stopped trying to go with those things that traditionally motivated me that were work-related, I opened myself to the possibility that a personal goal could inspire me to get up and get moving. In the end, not only did learning about the effects of sugar help me get out the door for my walk in spite of the cold, it also gave me the inspiration to complete a piece of work. You never know where your motivation may come from. But when you judge it, you may just miss out on an unexpected source of inspiration!
If you would like to learn how to top into your emotional intuition, reduce your emotional isolation, lessen your avoidance of shame, fear, and anxiety, to reach your goals, break old habits, or create new ones, I can help. We can meet virtually or in person at my office in Waterbury, Vermont. Just click the button or the link below for a free consultation and let’s talk.
