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Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

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Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#81

Post by jstx1 »

aaronax wrote: post #76
pm215 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand that caveman wasn't doing the the same thing at the same pace of work every day of the year, and they had a much clearer idea of why the things they were doing were worth the effort they were putting in...

Presumably you are referring to work here, as the worth of anything you do in your personal life should be quite evident. You can find rewarding work.

> You can find rewarding work.

Seems like a big assumption. I haven't yet, and I keep trying.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#83

Post by xyzwave »

SnowHill9902 wrote: post #35

Motivation is for rookies. Discipline and competitiveness is for men.

You’re getting downvoted, and I can see why, professionals would’ve been a better noun.

That said, I don’t think you’re wrong:

> Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightening to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.

- Chuck Close

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#84

Post by gima »

My* experience: Motivation doesn't come. Waiting for motivation is allowing yourself to be controller by your feelings.

At one point you just decide to do it. Ignore the feeling that you lack motivation. Grind through even one laughably small bit. Then repeat that, every day. Nothing changes, you just do it.

Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.

*) adhd, medicated_depression, passed_one_therapy

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#85

Post by l72 »

sparks1970 wrote: post #27

Try breaking it up into small steps. I procrastinate about doing my tax return all year but I "tricked" myself into doing it earlier this year by telling myself "I'm not doing the tax return now, all I'm doing is finding my employment records." Finding those records was easy, energized by that easy win I picked another easy task, "I'll get together my bank interest statements" and in a couple of hours I was done. May…

This is what helps me the most. I like to break down any large/daunting tasks into a bunch of small milestones. It makes it much easier to know where to start. You also feel like you have completed something and you have a defined place where you can take a break or pick up later.

I also find the actual task of breaking something large down into small pieces gets me thinking about the actual task rather than the abstract "big task" and gets me more motivated. Think of it like brain storming.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#86

Post by Scarblac »

sshine wrote: post #78
robertlagrant wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your supervillain equivalent is a housemate who does things as big jobs, and think you never do anything. Of course, from their perspective, you're the supervillain.

To-do: Live life to its full extent by being present in the moment, deal with obstacles as they come, and derive both meaning and revision to your assumptions as you progress. It's just one thing, you know.

It's so annoying that the moment you finally get to mark it done, you just died a moment before and can't anymore.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#87

Post by cc101 »

Based on our experience when young we expect motivation to come without explicit effort. That doesn't work anymore for most adults. I find that explicitly imaging successful completion of a task, especially the resulting pleasure, is essential to getting started. After I start a task, it is easier to continue.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#88

Post by more_corn »

I have been putting off going under the house to fix the insulation for months.

100% not motivated to do it. The trick I used was to just start. Now is the scheduled time to do it. Do you want to do it? Nope. Ok go get the tools and equipment. Didn’t you hear? I’m not motivated.

Motivation not required. Just start.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#89

Post by mumer101 »

DrThunder wrote: post #5

Habit. Stop looking for motivation to drive you. Sometimes it will and sometimes it won't. There's a pretty common saying that motivation is a result of doing stuff. You just do it whether you want to or not. I know that's simplistic but that's really all there is to it. Easy to understand but harder to implement. It helps me not to think too far into the future and break stuff down into daily goals so I don't get ov…

I have this suspicion that often people who thrive at "school" suck at doing things, their whole life they are getting programmed to:

a) do things for an quick and clear reward

b) always be in extremely well defined rules (when semester starts you see how people obsess over edge cases and their impact on grade with a professor)

c) always do it for pleasing someone else and get their admiration (teachers, parents, peers, etc)

d) only be motivated by fear

In a way the better you adapt to that system the more 'slave' minded you become and only do what is asked, when rewarded, given clear instructions and a threat of leashes is near. Often Top students in HS end up mediocre at college and life.

Lack of motivation plagues them all life as they have no clear guidelines, external threats, or third person providing validation.

Re: Ask HN: How to do that you need to do but not motivated at all?

#90

Post by mumer101 »

chitowneats wrote: post #74
pm215 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand that caveman wasn't doing the the same thing at the same pace of work every day of the year, and they had a much clearer idea of why the things they were doing were worth the effort they were putting in...

This comment is such a great example of the modern human brain worms GP is describing. Cavemen didn't have a damn clue about anything other than survival. Imagine not understanding basic things about your environment like: why wife die of sick, why sky open and pour ocean, etc. Now imagine how terrifying and demotivating that type of thing must have been.

no people had good understanding, or consistent explanations. Thunder = angry God. Sickness/diseases natural things but curable with leaves and herbs sometimes. Rain another natural gift from God. Also you seek answers to question that are new, not something you grew up with. Did you when woke up question why air is less dense than water? No! Does it bother you why sunlight is so bright? no it's just a matter of fact.
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