Blog #44 – Take the Pain Out

Often times the most painful thing is to start.

To start playing an instrument. To start speaking a different language. To start writing a blog. To start working out. To start cooking at home more. To start being more vulnerable. To start saving money. To start your creative process.

There is an unbelievable amount of motivation that one must have to start anything. If you are like me and most people then this motivation comes and goes. I’ll be good for a day or a week or a month and then I’ve fallen off the motivation wagon. Usually I fall off because progress is too slow or I get bored. Then I do not get back on until I am motivated again. This could take weeks, months, or even years. There is a better way to start than to rely on this invisible motivation meter.

Think of what you want to start and how you can make it a habit. Once something is a habit it becomes natural and does not require any motivation.

To create a habit you need a trigger, the action and then a reward.

For example if you want to start working out then the trigger could be once you get off work or set an alarm on your phone or right after you wake up. Once the trigger happens you know its time to do the work but once you do it then reward yourself. And make the reward big enough to get you excited to take the action.

What is your trigger? What is your action? What is your reward?

To learn more about habits I suggest reading.