9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
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Motivation is a Luxury
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By Kirsten Long
My heart sank. I couldn’t believe my alarm was ringing. It can’t be
5am already, it can’t. I really don’t feel like this. I snuggled deeper
into my duvet, imagining the cold I would feel when I got up. I
really, REALLY don’t feel like this. After a few minutes, I slumped
out of bed with a sigh. A while later I was doing what I really,
REALLY didn’t feel like doing. Gym.
Not Doing What I Don’t Feel Like Doing
Later that day, I received a call from someone who wanted me to
give a presentation to a group of people. Sure, I said. I put the
phone down and realised that I could start preparing straight away.
“But, I don’t feel like it”, I said to myself, and promptly starting going
through my emails. This time I let myself off the hook even though it
was the perfect opportunity to get going.
In the first story, I chose to do something I didn’t feel like doing. We
all do this, very often.
Ever brushed your teeth late at night when you didn’t feel like it?
Ever had a huge party one night, then got up to go to work the next day, even though you didn’t feel like it?
Ever visited your in-laws even though you didn’t feel like it?
Ever got up to nurse a crying baby – even though you didn’t feel like it?
Ever agreed to pick your teen up at midnight, even though you’d much rather be asleep in bed?
Very often we do things we don’t feel like doing. We are totally CAPABLE of doing things we don’t like or don’t feel
like. That’s life.
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9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
In the second story there was something I didn’t feel like doing, and so I chose not to do it. I was buying into the
belief that “I can’t do it because I don’t feel like doing it”. This is not such a good thing to be doing –
procrastination causes stress eventually.
Most of us start buying into that belief when we are at school.
I can’t study because I am so unmotivated.
I can’t start on that project because I really don’t feel like it.
If I Could Only Get Motivated, Then I’d do the Work
Very often we believe that we have to be motivated first and then we can do the work.
NOT True!
We are totally capable of doing things we don’t feel like doing.
We DO NOT have to be motivated first.
When I started doing gym that morning, I wasn’t motivated. At ALL. Half way through the session I started feeling
energised and enjoyed myself. By the end of the session, I was tired and sweaty and said to myself “That was good,
I really needed that!”
Very often, if we choose to do the task we don’t feel like doing, and we begin it, we find that the motivation follows
anyway.
The belief: “I have to be motivated before I can do the work” is false and limits us.
It prevents us from being as successful as we potentially could be. It’s one of the ways that we sabotage ourselves.
We believe this thought and we treat it like a fact. Then let ourselves off the hook and we don’t do the work. If
we’ve deeply integrated this belief, we don’t even feel guilty for not doing the work.
Throw Out the Limiting Belief, Bring in the Empowering One
If you want to move ahead more successfully in the world, throw out that belief.
Practice this one rather: “As soon as I start working, I’ll feel more motivated”.
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9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
If you are feeling unmotivated, say this to yourself: “I really don’t feel like doing this AND I’m going to do it
anyway”. That’s how I get myself out of bed and to gym.
It’s always useful to acknowledge your feelings rather than denying them or making them wrong. Follow this by
deciding to do the work anyway.
Now don’t get me wrong – motivation is GREAT and a wonderful way to get you going. There’s nothing wrong with
working on upping your motivation levels. When you are feeling motivated, and you start the work, it tends to flow
easily and effortlessly. You tend to enjoy yourself. The time flies because you are so absorbed in what you are
doing.
Motivation might be a luxury –
you don’t need it,
but like all luxuries,
it’s wonderful to have!
Sometimes you need an extra push, and you need a reliable way to help you get motivated because you’re not
going to naturally feel like that all the time, so because of that I’ve created a special gift for The Change Blog
Readers.
My special gift to The Change Blog readers
Because I am passionate about motivation (even though you don’t need it) and because I am grateful to Peter for
giving me this opportunity to meet his special readers, I am GIVING away a copy of my e-book “Magic Motivation –
from stuck to success in days”. Check out this Magic Motivation page, drop your email address and I’ll let you know
where you can download the book.
Here’s what you’ll get: My 90-page e-book “Magic Motivation – from stuck to success in days” is chock full of
exercises and worksheets to get you feeling more motivated as well as teachings to help you understand yourself
and your motivation levels. If you want to change your life, you need to reflect and take action. This book helps you
do both.
Photo by Helga Weber
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About Kirsten Long
Kirsten Long is passionate about personal transformation and shares her experiences and insights on her blog
www.coach4life.co.za/blog . Kirsten’s main focus is helping people on their journey towards Self Mastery. Because she is grateful to
Peter and TheChangeBlog for this opportunity, she is offering you a Workbook for Eliminate Limiting Beliefs. Check out the
LimitingBeliefs Page, drop your emails address and you’ll be able to download the work book.
Tagged with: Motivation
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26 Responses to Motivation is a Luxury
Reshma June 7, 2012 at 8:28 am #
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with this! It rings completely true for me! I often find myself burdened by
the false belief that I need to be motivated before I can do the work, and then allow myself to put it off, always at some
later cost to myself. But the times when I manage to just start doing it, the motivation naturally follows because the
more I get into the work, the more engaging it becomes and the more I naturally just want to keep going with it.
So the question now is how to make yourself cross that hurdle more often than not?
REPLY
www.thechangeblog.com/motivation-is-a-luxury/ 4/11
9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:46 am #
Good question Reshma…. and I believe that to cross the hurdle more often than not, is purely about
practice. The more you do it, the easier it becomes….
REPLY
Jaky June 10, 2012 at 3:17 pm #
You know, I guess there is some strange energy flowing around us when we “take that action”. So, it
definitely isn’t motivation but some subconscious pattern that pushes us to do it anyway. And it can be
habitual too! Call it “Life Source Energy”?
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 21, 2012 at 4:09 am #
I like the “Life Source Energy”!
REPLY
Mantha June 7, 2012 at 8:36 am #
You are so right, motivation is a luxury and one that we should give ourselves often. Sometimes just changing
the way you think about something, such as ‘I want to do this’ as opposed to ‘I need to do this’ can motivate you.
Thanks for this great post and awesome download. I can’t wait to get working on it.
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:48 am #
Mantha, you are so correct about this. The kind of language we use has a huge influence on how we feel
about something… Saying “I want to” is very powerful.
REPLY
Cass June 7, 2012 at 8:37 am #
Great stuff, I miss reading your articles. Shoot me an email with book info?
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:49 am #
www.thechangeblog.com/motivation-is-a-luxury/ 5/11
9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
You can get it here…. http://coach4life.co.za/blog/w.....g-readers/
REPLY
SRIVIDHYA IYER June 7, 2012 at 8:59 am #
Nice article. And truly needed for me. Motivation. I always used to see for reasons for not working out, not
loosing my weight, and always will pacify myself that i dont have the right motivation. which i was looking from outside.
Well said, its just inside us and we need to motivate ourselves. And the download article also looks awesome. Will
surely give my feedback once i start reading it and implementing it the right way. Thanks. Waiting to read more such
articles from your end.
Thanks.
REPLY
Kathryn June 7, 2012 at 9:35 am #
My therapist always said “You do the thing first then you get motivated.” I believe many people get this
backwards.
You know after dinner would be great for you, your family, your dog but you just can’t get it together. Once you’re up
and at it and on the walk you feel motivated to do it again!
Thanks for this post :)
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:52 am #
Pleasure…. therapists often have wise words …. sometimes the time has to be right for us to hear it!
REPLY
Tracey June 7, 2012 at 9:38 am #
I had a similar “light bulb” moment awhile back. I wanted to get fit, but knew I needed to work out. The
problem was that I usually didn’t feel like it. I used that excuse for a long time. Then one day, just out of the blue, this
thought popped into my head: “You’re NEVER going to feel like it. If you wait until you feel like it, you’ll never do it.”
It was an epiphany of sorts for me that day. The next time I thought about going to the gym (and I don’t even go in the
morning), I just resigned myself to the idea that I knew I didn’t feel like it, but I was going to do it anyway. And that’s
what I do every time now – I KNOW that I don’t FEEL like it, but I just do it anyway. Somehow coming to that simple
realization made it easier. And yes, once I’m done, I’m so glad I went.
Thanks for the post!
REPLY
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9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:53 am #
That’s is brilliant – you may never feel like it – but the benefits are there. Well done….
REPLY
Shawn B June 7, 2012 at 10:11 am #
This is the tip I needed in life. Thank you kindly. Shawn
REPLY
Dean June 8, 2012 at 10:41 am #
I get fed up with the oldies telling me how to be. This however makes sense. I am bored to death with where I
live and their actions towards me but philosohpically I can cope.
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 10, 2012 at 7:54 am #
Absolutely! You can always cope….
REPLY
Dean June 8, 2012 at 10:51 am #
Life is dull in the countryside. People don’t have adequate entertainment to avoid tittle tattle as an interest. It’s a
pity they can’t talk about themselves rather than an outcast like me.
REPLY
Dan Erickson June 8, 2012 at 2:08 pm #
I hate to use the Nike slogan, but… I have become one who works without motivation. Sometimes I am
motivated, but more often I just do it. I have learned to become disciplined as a writer and a musician. So yes,
motivation is a luxury. The true test is whether you can keep moving when you’re not motivated.
http://www.danerickson.net
REPLY
Kirsten Long June 21, 2012 at 4:11 am #
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9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
It’s just such a good slogan, isn’t it! And sometimes that’s all we need – to just do it.
REPLY
farouk June 9, 2012 at 3:14 am #
very interesting post
thank you for sharing it with us
REPLY
Allison March 1, 2013 at 1:49 pm #
Now i’m really, really glad I went back to look at my old emails, because i seriously needed this right now. just
finished a project i had majorly procrastinated on–all because i had no motivation, yet i pushed through.
thanks so much for this, tho it’s a bit late for thanking you. have gone ahead and taken a loot at your book–reading that
is on my list of daily objectives now.
REPLY
Kirsten Long March 3, 2013 at 11:43 pm #
Hi Allison – it’s never too late. What’s important is that you got going. Well done!!
REPLY
Garima Tiwari April 1, 2013 at 8:55 am #
Thank You Kristen :)..I never thought of it this way..My life is definitely going to get better now..Thanks a ton
REPLY
Kirsten Long April 1, 2013 at 9:57 pm #
Thanks Garima! I hope things do go very well for you.
REPLY
ph_yoyo April 19, 2013 at 6:07 am #
What if I did the thing I have to do, and it didn’t feel good when I’m done, for example I woke up at 5 to go to
the GYM, and I did not say “That was good, I really needed that!”
What should I do? please tell me.
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9/4/13 Motivation is a Luxury
REPLY
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