No Motivations Method to Success?

No you are not seeing an illusion--the man in the image is arm-wrestling himself. More on that later.

No Motivations Method to Success?

"Build your routine. Create Momentum. Embrace discomfort. Prepare for failure and setback and accept it. Just keep showing up." ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
In a recent post in his newsletter (dated 11-July-2024), Arnold mentions how he is not at all more motivated than others. He assures that he has been training for over 60 years and no motivation lasts that long.

While this is true for fitness and martial arts and of course yoga too--one can deduce his wisdom can be applied to just about any aspect of human endeavor. Your academics, your career, your personal life, social life, any changes in life, et al.

All you got to do is remember what your goals are everyday, then know you need to stick to your agenda, accept the limitations while realizing there is no alternative than moving forward instead of stagnating. Then show up, do what you need to get done and then wait for the process to deliver results....eventually.

As is rightly said that...
"Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. The mind does not create what it perceives, anymore than the eye creates the rose."  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

You got goals. Now, you need to visualize yourself achieving these goals.

Arnold and many others like him in various industries and vocations have one thing in common--their vision for who they are and need to be. Becoming so is as easy or difficult as believing, needing and persevering for this vision of yourself.

Another memorable quote is from one of two very industrious personalities. I will illustrate both of them.

"The harder I work, the luckier I get" ~ Henry Ford
Isn't that just the plain simple bitter truth? How many times have you been better at something due to regular practice? Wouldn't you be better at say, giving a presentation to your boss, or playing the guitar or taking care of a pet dog, simply through gathering more experience and knowledge about it? Nope--don't dash into the board room or pet store just yet. Get a friend or a mirror to practice your pitch to your boss. Ask a friend if they need help taking care of their pet when they are away. Listen to the instructions or feedback--then you will be better equipped to respond to instructions and feedback from the boss (or a pet dog). If all else fails, look at it as a learning experience instead of as a catastrophic, soul-shattering, sky-is-falling kind-of situation. (In other words, don't 'bitch' about it boss....so many bad puns).

Another related quote is of course from Edison.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~ Thomas Edison
Who doesn't wish to enjoy rather than toil at some job or errand or health condition? Why does it feel like work? Apart from our primitive ancestors' genes wanting us to conserve energy (refer previous article, click here) the obvious reason for avoiding the hard-work is your lack of vision.

Maybe it is someone else's vision. Maybe your employer wants you to get some deal done, not you? Maybe your doctor or family wants you to lose 30 kg and walk 5 km everyday? Maybe you want to watch football and drink beer in your shorts all seven days a week?

So, motivation will only push you for a day or two or maybe just a few hours. Most likely, if you are chronically fatigued or chronically unproductive, you will manage to experience only enough boost of motivation to convince your mentor that you are supercharged and the minute the person leaves the room, you are as lost as when you woke up and didn't roll out of bed for a few hours.

If suppose you have a vision and pursue it with sincerity and passion....there will be days when you will meet with immovable obstacles. If this does happen--just consider it a small hiccup, a small pebble in the shoe. Don't dwell upon it and try and get back to your routine as soon as possible. Don't make a mountain from a mole hill. Just accept the obstacle and find a way to keep moving toward your goals.

A good way to reinforce faith in your vision and know you deserve it is by writing down your daily routine as and when you complete it. Yes, it might be the same thing everyday--but noting it down will make you look back and find inspiration in what you were able to accomplish, as well as keep track of milestones over the course of your pursuit and perseverance.

So try and map out your own path and journey, for example:
1. A vision
2. your faith in your vision
3. perseverance
4. aptitude for hard-work
5. notebook to track yourself
6. a mindset of can-do, can't afford to fail, not giving up at all, ______ (add your own).

Now, all I can say is get up and get going.....or as an elite athletic set of fighter/s would say:
Dutch: "RUN, GO! GET TO THE CHOPPER!"
(from the movie 'Predator' 1987)
On a more serious note--here is a final quote that summarizes the essence of all success and failure.
“Make sure your own worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.” ~ Laird Hamilton
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Let us know your experience with visualization techniques and goal-setting through email to editor@TaiJutsu.art