Motivation

I have a confession to make…

I have motivation issues.

I know, it isn’t some grand revelation, or deep and meaningful insight, but it is something that I have come to realize about myself over the years. It is something that I struggle with on pretty much a day to day basis.

Sometimes I have an idea and I am going strong in following through on it, then something goes awry, I hit a stumbling block and the moment is gone, my motivation with it, and the idea languishes. Sometimes I make progress, but then I look back and haven’t come as far as I thought I had and my motivation evaporates in discouragement. Other times I look at what I have accomplished and find I simply am not happy with what I have done, I decide to scrap it and begin again, but that never happens, instead what was done is gone and nothing new takes its place. Then there are those times that I simply do not know how to begin, and the trying to figure out the how tos and where fors starting, or staring at the blank page before me, and it overwhelms my motivation and I end up walking away.

Part of it, I know, comes from my own self image. Those that know me know quite well how self-deprecating I tend to be. I, for various reasons, tend not to think very much of myself, and often times wonder what other people actually see in me. I think of myself last, if at all. It is another thing I have struggled with for more of my life than I most often care to admit, and I deal with it better on some days than others.

The two issues are quite often intertwined, motivation and self-image. At least they are for me. I have learned some little tricks over the years, things I can do to help with motivating myself, the carrot on the stick if you will. Incremental rewards help sometimes, even, or sometimes especially, if they are unrelated to the task at hand. Can’t have the ice cream in the freezer until I get at least so many words written, or some other treat for myself upon reaching the next step towards a goal.

They don’t always work, though, and of late for me they seem to be working less and less. Not sure why, but over the past few months it is something I noticed. So, I ask you, my friends and readers: What do you do to keep yourself motivated?