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Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
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Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#2There is no one single unfailing way for me to do this.
Some days it will be closing X issues, or a cold beer, or a gaming session with a friend, or tracking down that one annoying bug, or seeing that my numbers are low and I need to up my game (which can conflict with long work to find that bug of course), or reading a book, going for a bike ride.
There are other ways I do it but no single thing hits the spot for every day and every situation. Having a stock of various methods works though and I'm always happy to add another.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#3Eric Baker has some good insights http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/01/how-to-be-motivated/
I struggle to get motivated as well.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#4There is a popular comment somewhere in the internet (I would guess on quota, but not sure) about this subject.
The point of this comment is that you don't need motivation you need discipline.
Motivation comes and goes, discipline stick around which is what you need if you want to build anything meaningful...
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#5I have actually written about this a lot as it is one of those topics that I am fascinated with. The trick is not to try and motivate yourself but to build systems and processes to get things done regardless.
For me, it boils down to 3 things. Pre-planning, habits and elimination. I have written about each separately on my blog http://www.new2code.com/2016/06/deep-work/
I plan a lot of stuff on my Google Calendar. My whole days are planned in advance including free time. When I am learning a new language, I set aside time for study. If a friend asks me to hang out, I can just check to see if I have prior commitments. I also have the regular gym slot and after 2+ years, I am simply routine when it comes to exercising.
Next, learn how to build habits and routines. This saves a ton brain power. There is a great video on habit building
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8
Also, check out a book by Charles Duhigg called The Power of Habit.
Finally, cut out the news and as much information as possible. Not watching the news added a ton of happiness to my life. This also cuts out distractions. Check out something called the Low Information Diet which goes into more detail as well as a book called Deep Work by Cal Newport
I also wrote a guest post on the blog Simple Programmer that goes into more detail on the willpower.motivation side of things https://simpleprogrammer.com/2016/09/07/limited-willpower/
I hope that helps. Largely I don't believe in long-term motivation, it is more to do with becoming routine.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#6DHH once gave a talk at Startup School. Watching that talk invariably pumps me up and leaves me motivated for hours. (Specifically, it gets me motivated to work on personal projects that make money online.)
In general, reading about anyone's success is like a shot of motivation directly into my veins.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#7DHH once gave a talk at Startup School. Watching that talk invariably pumps me up and leaves me motivated for hours. (Specifically, it gets me motivated to work on personal projects that make money online.) In general, reading about anyone's success is like a shot of motivation directly into my veins.
Is this talk available online?
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#8The easiest for me is to just start doing something, even if it is a little thing. It may have been in the Power of Habit or another place. The person said if you wanted to get in the habit of flossing, just start with the front two teeth. Derek Sivers I think said something like do one pushup and what ends up happening is that you get to thinking, I am already down here why not do another one. This leads to a habit.
I approach this the same way when it comes to motivating myself to work on a side project. Another good approach I picked up is the 5 minute journal. You invariably end up reflecting on things you could have done better. This helps you to focus yourself and pay attention to where you are not getting the most out of life.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#9Everything was handed to me in life. Not much but enough to get to middle class if I had just followed the rules and stuck with it. But I didn't. I failed out my physics/engineering program. I now work in a factory, and owe around 50K which I barely make 19K a year.
My life sucks. But I'm also young. I watch movies, sci Fi movies/shows which motivates me. I want that life. But then I try to program and I'm like "Holy crap. I'm so far away..."
I hate going to work I perform the same tasks over 6,000 in a day. Everyday is the same. I am wasting my life.
Motivation by fear isn't a good thing. Like the cliche, follow what you love.
Me I'm about trying to get out of my situation. Make money. I HAVE AN IDEA!!!
The problem is discipline. Sleep is a basic thing. Screw up your sleep pattern. You end up wasting time being awake and trying to fall asleep/not able to work.
Yeah discipline is the big thing. And true motivation from a desire/longing to do whatever it is with an internal driving force.
Re: Ask HN: How do you motivate yourself?
#10Everything was handed to me in life. Not much but enough to get to middle class if I had just followed the rules and stuck with it. But I didn't. I failed out my physics/engineering program. I now work in a factory, and owe around 50K which I barely make 19K a year. My life sucks. But I'm also young. I watch movies, sci Fi movies/shows which motivates me. I want that life. But then I try to program and I'm like "Holy…
I am trying to quit watching shows/browsing websites. As soon as I start. My productivity is just sucked away. IQ points drop and I'm left as a drooling idiot.