Yes, exactly. Especially poignant for me is the image of old photos you've chosen to accompany this entry. When my parents passed away years ago I came into possession of my Dad's huge collection of photos, slides and digital images. When I am in that intellectually unmotivated place, I fall back to the seemingly never ending project of digitizing Dad's photos and organizing them onto DVDs for sharing with the family. Soon, I'm up and running again with my writing, gardening or whatever .

Whether we admit it or not, I think all of us have been there at some point in our lives.....I know I certainly have. And it doesn't seem to matter whether it is caused by a physical issue or another reason....the mindset and outcome is the same.

For me the physical one was tough to overcome because I truly wanted to do more but was physically unable to do certain things w/o "paying" the price...i.e. I would only put myself into more pain. The boring a neccessary stuff is stuff nobody enjoys but eventually EVERYTHING becomes that or we become homeless (I have never been), but is the only outcome I see. THAT IS ONE HELL OF A MOTIVATOR! Ultimately, that'll get people into gear!

Regarding my physical ailment (low back pain), about 4 months ago I underwent ANOTHER spinal surgery (I've been in chronic pain for 10+ years) and it has made a HUGE DIFFERENCE in my life. I had a spinal stimulator "installed" and the relief I received was immediate. I'd put my pain reduction at minimum of 70% and my maximum reduction at 85-90%. Life is good. :) Nowdays it's a rare day that I don't do things and lay there like a sack if potatoes.

Hope you and your family are well.

Les

You're a legend Derek.

Matt from Singapore.

Turning Pro!!!
☺ — Derek

True words. And if you happen to be one of those people who seldom finds themselves bored, THEN you have to push through anyway on the things that just plain need to be done. Sigh . . .

yes. and yes.

Being bored and un-motivated is being like a child in summertime. Eventually it frees the mind to be who we really want to be and with whom. Sure I can clean up some inner and outer space meanwhile and get those " to do when I am bored things "and then time will surely lead me back to school or whatever other more studious endeavour. For now. Farniente. The best time for some silly dreams to pass me by until one strikes a chord and slowly but surely it unravels its mystery. Let me know what note the to do list left you with. I go through every single piece of it and either say delete from my life or act on. Those small decisions one at a time orients me step by step. It feels good doesn't it to free some space!

One for your reading list, Derek.

https://www.amazon.ca/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/1576754227

I love this! Anything productive makes us feel better, and if it's getting stuff done that's been *mind clutter* anyway, it's a double whammy! ??

I feel if your mind can occupy a different space why doing said "boring" things you actually enjoy them or at least the time spent doing them. I hate dishes! But put on a podcast or something that engages my intellect or arouses my curiosity and before I know it I'm done.

Love it! I begin tomorrow!

Thanks for sharing this Derek. It sucks to lack motivation, especially when one is a stellar creative like yourself. I like this post because i can relate. It's good to know I'm not the only one with human ebb and flow cycles in my creative energies. Cheers!

This is great. I've been feeling unmotivated recently, and this makes perfect sense. ☺

The way I look at it is building habits. If I simply build the habits to do the right daily tasks everything else will take care of itself without expending any will power. Example: Forcing yourself to program 1 hour a day. You'll naturally get better over time and achieve the business results you want. After it become a habit you can then expend willpower on other tasks, but it'll seem like you naturally reach closer to your goals.

So I suggest spending the next 45 days consciously building a habit to empower you to your goals and focusing on that habit only, then focus on other awesome habits you want to build. You'll notice yourself naturally improving over time as you keep building new habits every 45 days.

That's just me tho ☺

Thanks for been human and honest about your situation. It's provided hope to me.

Excellent idea.
I'm feeling unmotivated, jaded. I sometimes think social media and the noisy online world scatter folks' energy, so we're all jaded and there's less bandwidth for projects and endeavors. It feels like there's less audience.

I had the same problem now for a week. I tried to convince my subconscious (fifth discipline method) to do boring things. It didn't help. I also thought about using a stoic method to turn the lack of motivation into an obstacle to overcome it.

Then I just started slowly to first overcome the obstacles: free space on my computer, to be able to run my VM, drown out the noises around me, avoid checking email, facebook, twitter etc. Then reproduce the bug and unravel the code that I forgot what it was doing, learning it again, improving and fixing.

I think that most important was my training; running and strength training that gave me focus and concentration. I did a new route every other day, I even invented a Ultrabridgeathlon™, (lots of bridges).

Maybe your mind/subconscious knows when it's time to heal and get in shape...

The way is the goal!

Dear Derek, I need to learn frontend design and development and once I finish with then php and sql, because of my work, but sometimes feel so unmo that I never find the time to go for it. Sure I need to find the right path. What would be your recommendation for this lady?
See How to learn JavaScript — Derek

Sometimes the satisfaction of accomplishment is enough to push me out of that funk. When it's not, I know it's time to take stock and find out what specifically is bothering me.

I love this!

Very true Derek, very honest. I've felt the same way about songwriting lately. I wrote and recorded a lot 2006 - 2008 but haven't felt motivated since. Other things tug at my creativity. Mostly marketing and my profession. I find that when I am feeling unmotivated, just getting started is a good thing because once you are into it, the groove kicks in and it eventually feels worthwhile. The trick is to get started.

OR you can keep an eye on a hummingbird feeder and feel like you're speedy busy. :)

Thanks!

Hi Derek,
Are you human, not a superhero? If you are like most of us can be unmotivated. ;)
Did you try to switch your attention to an unusual topic for you or take a vacation? It helps to search for inspiration in new places.
I hope your motivation returns to you soon.

Great!advice Derek thank you.This is something I learnt to do in lots of different professional roles.When you don't Feel like,do it!

The few times that I remember to do this turn out spectacularly well. It feels great just to have something done.

A trip to the middle of nowhere tends to cure this problem. Torrey UT.

I like this :)

When was the last time you felt motivated to do the something(s) that you don't want to do? Not obligated, but really motivated? What was the motivator?

Nice point view ! This my moment now : extremely un-motivated with work, politic and Brazil .... you work hard but the money dont back, the clients dont response, you dont sell and of course, dont have a money to do things that make you day happy ... Originally former in marketing, its a hard way to jobs here, but, SHIT ! Is this that I like do !!!! Im un-motivate with marketing business, need something to feel myself important, or create something new, but what ? Is this de point.

Derek, how do you do this? Every time you post, you completely make me rethink my opinion on something in fewer in 300 words! It's my first time commenting, but seriously. I am always impressed.

I used to keep a list of "micro tasks" for finishing in the odd moments of the day (I was following a very strict, David Allen-inspired, productivity system at the time). I found that I got a lot of those pieces of work done when I was waiting for something else.

I think in a sense this is similar. Perhaps I'm wrong. But it seems like at least in part, saving the tasks you don't want to do until a time when there's nothing else is related. The difference is, I've never thought of it as a strategy. Always as just a hack or a tip or an idea.

You've done it again--given me a new strategy for my life! Thanks. :)

Derek, I feel the same ways. I'm not motivated right now either. I've made a lot of changes in my life and enjoy the direction that I am now going, but I'm always taken back when I start feeling unmotivated. The hard part is that a state of being unmotivated is like quick sand. The more you fight it; the tighter is it's hold. So I like your approach and will implement it in my life. Thank you!

That is so true!

Well thanks a lot Derek. Now I've turned off the tv and started cleaning up my studio. Way to ruin my zombie state of mind.

Yep! Nothing like getting off your butt and doing something that makes you feel good about yourself.

Care to share your list?
No. Too boring. — Derek

LOVE THIS!!!

HI Derek,
I too have heard from many people this conventional peace of "wisdom" saying that we should start with the hardest thing. But this has always been a struggle for me and many years ago I stopped fighting with myself and just did what came more natural for me, meaning that just to get going, to get some momentum when I'm feeling lasy and/or lousy, I just start with the easiest thing to do and all I can say is that it has help me a lot getting more things done and feeling less guilty haha!

Loss of interests in activities that used to be interesting is a sign of depression. I can not afford to do "nothing". Life is 90% of doing not interesting things. Wake up, get kids ready for school, go to work, work 8 hours, drive home, kids, dinner, movie. Time for music. One am. Have to get up at 6 am. Feeling like a zombie in the morning. Carry on. Music takes the time allowed for rest- it is still fun to do but at a price of being late for work, because you can not get up at 6... Only realize that 24 hours per day has no compromise. If you push it in the evening, it catches up with you in the morning.

When facing procrastination, I always just speak to a friend and let him or her know I'm gonna do something I've been putting off for a long period of time. They'll always go silent for few seconds and continue with some other topics, because they know I just want a witness for my promise.

Then I'll get those things I never wanna do done.

To me, maybe the first important thing to do is to acknowledge the procrastination to a friend first.

What are those things?
Too boring to mention ☺ — Derek

I wonder how wealthy people are motivated to do things they don't have to or want to do. Most of us have to work to earn money, and we need to work around the house as well. Wealthy people don't have to do either of those things. They can goof off, watch TV, tour the world, play golf, etc. They can pay people to do the things that need to be done that they don't want to do.

I'm guessing that's what some wealthy people do. But then there are those that never rest on their laurels. They continue to work, continue to strive to move forward even though they don't have to. In your case, you've used your position in life to help and inspire others. I'm wondering what motivates you to do so many things you really don't have to do.
The need to feel useful — Derek

I think it's important to take such moods seriously. It's a warning from the body that something isn't right. Sometimes, when I feel unmotivated, I just go play the piano for awhile and often sing as well. Art can be a great help that way. Other times, I think about relatives I haven't seen for awhile and find out how things are going with them. It's a good time to do something nice for my spouse and imagine the surprise. Then, maybe the most important thing is to come up with a plan for making things better and start to put the plan into action. Meditation sometimes helps me come up with a plan.

People we love give us something we need that often can't be expressed in words. During times of low motivation, a little reassurance from loved ones can do lots of good. We should remember that when someone we love needs help.

I've been thinking lately that what feels like a lack of motivation is actually a lack of organization. I get overwhelmed. Even by the prospect of setting up the systems and organization that I believe would get me out of overwhelm. Setting up organization, and maintaining it, are two of the boring routine tasks that are forever on the essential-things-to-do list. There was a time I was pretty consistent and did get an awful lot done. I've been a coward about the sense of overwhelm, and maybe a little lacking in hope.

Are you a Geminii? Anyway... It's good to make yourself take the bull by the horns and just start working on stuff. It wakes you up and keeps you from falling into depression. If you have ideas, work on them! Don't overthink the purpose.

Great post yet again. I believe that highly creative people underestimate the human brain and how a very high performer can drain parts of the brain that makes you feel "burned out" or "unmotivated". I was born with some physical challenges and have seen 26 physio therapists over the past 30 years. I have fought my way out of a wheelchair and back to playing hockey. I have flipped 7 houses in 7 years with my wife and 2 children. Started companies, some succeeded and some not so much. Both my wife and I have pushed our limits and dipped too far into the well and it took years to bounce back. I have learned not to push that far. Rest is not being lazy and not being motivated is ok, for a period of time. Sometimes you have to get up when you don't feel like it. Sometimes you need a break. I find it is best to stop and listen to what your body, mind and soul needs and do that.

Brilliant--a thought that I am going to put to practice.

Yes!!!

I think the globe is in a state of collective non motivation . Humanity has reached some sort of saturation point . Something is shattering and we all question why we do anything . Rewards seem less appealing and the task itself is probably the greatest pleasure . Spinning of the wheels is how it feels .. Maybe a song in there , the task , the completion , the reward .

I've never seen this exact notion written about, but I've often thought about my tendency to do boring yet necessary stuff at times when I'm not juiced about projects or being out in the world among the people. Sometimes I've identified it as misanthropy when feeling like I'm not sharing abilities, energy or compassion with others. Thanks for penning this, Mr Sivers :)

Hi Derek,

Appreciate the words of wisdom. It's focus, hard work, and creativity that are going to get me where I want to go.

Thanks,

Martin

Dear Derek,

I feel you; it is happening to me too. The way I overcome it is by going over my notes from Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art", acknowledging that The resistance is keeping me from doing my work gets me back on track.

Onwards,

I think its only natural to have up's and down's. We perform, we rest, we perform we rest.
Sadly its a trend here in Denmark, to make everything and everybody effective. This means we forget to rest and recharge both our body and mind. There is certainly one clear effect coming from this - burnout and stress.

There is no lazy people in the world, but i see a lot of people doubting in themselves and people who has so little self esteem, that they thing they cannot will themselves into create anything.

I can go for a period feeling totally worthless and like a dried out creative waterhole and then a few weeks later, i am on FIRE, writing, creating jewelry, thinking, coding... and i can go on till late in the night.
A few weeks it swings back again.. dread and despair :)
But now i know the pattern and i just sit back, relax and wait for the green light on the charger to turn on ;)

Allow yourself to be unproductive.. youre just recharging for the next burst :)

I used this tactic a few weeks ago when a project I was working on was temporarily out of my control - I used the time to reconnect with friends, etc. I still haven't tidied my desk, however, or replaced the bathroom floor. Looks like I need some more un-motivation.

I hope your motivation comes back! It will when it's time. Your brain is probably just recharging.

Also, motivation is a quixotic thing to rely on. It would be easier for you to get things done if you outsourced your motivation to an assistant, who could keep you accountable.

When I'm extremely unmotivated I tend to be unmotivated on all things - including year-old "should-do-tasks". For me maybe it's some kind of depressed state. Still: motivating post with great insight, that I try to follow when I remember :)

A person can be un-motivated for various reasons and I think its important to understand the cause of that feeling:

Frustration- a goal that keeps resisting our best efforts.

A lack of challenge - for a person highly creative this can lead to boredom.

A lack of meaning - the feeling that whatever we do is meaningless in the great scheme of things.

Feeling disconnected from others - this can lead to a feeling of not being useful.

An old perspective not adjusted to the new reality - that can lead to un-motivation through frustration.

Thinking to much about goals - that can undermine goal pursuit.

To achieve the goals - that can lead to feeling empty.


The good news (I think) is that a crisis does not have to be a negative thing. Its an opportunity to evolve to the next level.
Most times the motivation and inspiration comes back when we keep busy doing things for others.

Doing small things also helps because doesn't require a lot of effort, provides a break from over analysing the situation and gives some sense of positive satisfaction.

What would happen if you just didn't do those things?

Any of us could be knocked down by a car any day and these lists would be pointless. So then what?

Love this idea Derek.
I've not been motivated recently as I had a big build up to my wife's 40th birthday so all of my energies went into that. Now that it's happened, I'm feeling deflated and not sure what to do.

I'm going to hit my boring pile tonight and then I'm sure it'll get me motivated again.

In the world of Fuck Yes! or No! I've found myself in long periods of unmotivated meh. Nothing captured my interested well enough to justify the long investment of time to get lost in a project.

I've found this time to be useful to do those things I've been putting off or just trying random shenanigans for the fun of it.

Fighting boredom never seems to work. I prefer to lean in to the boredom, make it your own - own the shit out of your boredom.

Isolate oneself from the world until your almost dying to get out. meditate until you have the unbearable urge to run outside.

bask it the monotony of it all, so when that one project comes along. you're ready to put everything you got in to it, just to avoid being bored again.

Thoughtful post, Derek. It prompted me to think of the late Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) and his important vs. the urgent model on how we approach life.

When I'm unmotivated to take action or don't know what action I should take, I usually go for a walk or immerse myself in a mini-research project. I'm either getting my blood flowing or getting my neurons firing. These things tend to happen when I'm in that drift state and not attached to any particular need or desire. Perhaps it's that vacuum thing you're talking about. It seems like our brains are wired to always keep moving even when it's in a bad direction. But I definitely reject all the things that seem so important including all of those boring and necessary things. As usual, I appreciate your insights, even when I disagree ;)

I enjoy listening to a lot of Tony Robbins stuff, and one takeaway that always stands out in my mind is him saying that you need to turn your "should's" into "must's" if you want to make them happen. I try to remind myself of that everyday, especially with exercise. He also talks about changing your belief systems, to stop believing all the reasons you give yourself about why you can't do something and start focusing on how you can do it. And I've heard many people say that the best time to do something is when you really don't feel like doing it. It's in those moments that you raise your standards and start to build momentum. Sometimes it's just about cleaning up the clutter, getting the boring stuff out of the way so that you can feel refreshed. Always enjoy reading what's on your mind Derek!

got to keep moving ahead

When I'm bored/unmotivated/unhappy, I find via negativa to be the way to go. I cut out everything except the three things that I know make me happy no matter what's happening: cooking food, reading and playing soccer.

I'll do that for a day or two and im usually good to go.

What works for me when I am unmotivated, is to find something that will help someone else. Maybe a client, a coworker, a friend, or anyone really. That usually does the trick. For example, yesterday so found a good tutorial in YouTube, and I throughly others who don't speak English could benefit, so I decided to subtitle it. I will not make a penny out of this, but I feel motivated to do it because many others will benefit from my work.

I have such identification with this one!! Especially at a time where artists feel like what they do doesn't matter, or no one will listen or buy their music.
Putting one foot infront of the other is such a great idea and just taking it day by day.
making lists really helps. It reminds me, I have life to live and things to do. once the energy gets started it kind of starts to flow again.
Thank you Derek always for sharing your thoughts ideas, foibles and follies!

Tina Shafer
The New York Songwriters Circle

I wish I felt like writing a brilliantly, humorous and excitingly, interesting response to this inspiring article, but alas..... I must go and clean out my closet.... ;-)

Hey Derek,
I get some great ideas from the insightful topics you share, but I also get some inspiration from the mere fact that you proactively share things because it makes the world a better place. Thanks very much on both counts.

Good point. Doing something is better then doing nothing at all.

Thanks for sharing, Derek. I always think of you as a superman, so it gives me hope that you have human too. ;-) Whenever I get stuck, I use the pomodoro method. Set a kitchen timer or such to countdown 25 minutes. Say to yourself "Anyone can do this stuff I have to do for 25 minutes. Easy!" Then reward yourself with 5 minutes off. If you do 4 cycles of 25-5 in a row, reward your self with 30 minutes off. It works! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

Love it Derek,

Thanks for being you and doing what you do. This one resonates with me. Gotta clean and organize the basement. Let's see if I can get it done.

When you talk about the must-do mundane, boring stuff we all hate to do; what motivates me to start is knowing how good I feel when they're done.

I live by this philosophy Derek.
It saves me from the quicksand of depression on a daily basis.
Few things generate the satisfaction of accomplishments, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Wash the dishes. Sweep the floor. Make the bed.
Do them calmly and with focus. Connect.
Life brightens.

Exactly.... I use the same trick on my low-motivation days at work. Just reading through unread emails or clearing desk helps :)

Great timing Derek. Very comforting to know I'm not the only one there.

I usually ask myself "What if this would be fun?" when I am not motivated. The most recent outcome of that was that I last week vacuumed-karaoke myself trough my shared apartment ^^

Love this technique. I call my personal version: Step Back and Breathe. You know one of the things I NEVER want to do? File stuff, or conversely, purge files or documents I no longer need. Ugh! So it just backs up on me.
When I get into UNmotivation-land, however, that pile calls to me. It's one of my go-to activities to just sit and do something mindless. The really COOL thing is that, once my mind has permission to switch off, it usually does exactly the opposite. It gyrates in the background, making new connections for fun, and so on . By the time I'm thru with a drawer or a box of filing/purging, I've got several new ways to view my project, and the motivation returns.

I'm going to try this b/c nothing else has worked. I'm praying it does.

Thanks, Derek. This falls in the category of "News You Can Use" for me. BTW you've inspired me to want to move to NZ.

When you have no more worlds to conquer, you shrivel up and die. That happens to people who find their pinnacle of success at too young of age. They have it all, riches and fame, what else is there to strive for? Those of beauty will see it fade year in and year out. If your best is behind you and you have nothing to reach for ahead of you, it can lead to dark questioning thoughts about living on. We must always have goals to strive for, help others reach their goals, very rewarding. A great sports hero may decide to coach to help other players reach for their dreams. Teachers have a goal and a duty to teach their knowledge to their students. To see them succeed gives great satisfaction and a purpose in life. To live on past glories is a mistake, being a role model for others to strive for, is fulfilling if you live life as it should be lived.

Cleaning, this is always the boring task that gets me going. Clean, tidy (especially my workspace) and I always end up in this position of, "might as well do some work now"
I'm curio, what your workspace is like Derek?
I don't have one, honestly. Just a laptop on my lap, sitting in whatever chair I haven't used in a while. No desk & no things. — Derek

Boy, you caught me right in my shiftless unmotivated wheelhouse. And I have a major music vid shoot coming up this month. I'm just going through the motions by getting other people involved, and scheduling dates & locations, and hope my mojo shows up when the collaborative juices kick in.

I have been feeling the same way lately. Things that used to excite me lost its luster now. Even my dress style has changed (according to my close family members).

Brilliant. Thank you!

This is a rather brilliant idea! I have bouts of unmotivatedness (is that the word?) quite often; they come and go with my moods.
I never realized that it's a perfect time to do the stuff I don't like anyway!

I have those moments too wherein I rely on "caffeine" to get through things! :D

Very good strategy, also helps strengthen ones resolve!

I also like the Pomodoro Technique, in that it is an external device to increase urgency without increasing anxiety. This is a free e-book to download: http://caps.ucsd.edu/Downloads/tx_forms/koch/pomodoro_handouts/ThePomodoroTechnique_v1-3.pdf

Sometimes we need motivation to come from outside ourselves, whether that happens naturally or has to be contrived to one degree or another.

I hate moving, even though I've minimized my belongings, but when my neighbor recently turned into a stalker, my motivation just skyrocketed :)

haha - loved this post! been feeling a bit less passionate about certain projects lately. perfect time to do some work around my apartment that i never seem to get around to. thanks!

I'm having a difficult time in this area. I'm struggling with motivation at 63 to try to go forward. I was in a small business for 31 years and closed it 2 yrs ago. I have failed to get anything going the last 2 years and even resorted to looking for a job. That doesn't work either as no one will hire anyone my age. I know it comes down to me reaching within myself but I'm not sure how to start. I have a difficult time making even the smallest decisions. It seems I have too many ideas and may be going thru paralysis analysis or I just can't find something I'm real passionate about. Without career or work life is bad for me. Any thought or comment you have would be appreciated.
Larry

I have been running a business, rather unsucessfully I might add, for the past 9 months or so, and the lack of motivation, constant rejection, and what feels like trying to climb up a mountain which which is currently experiencing a mudslide, has really destroyed my motivation. I think I will take your advice and simply do what excites me, which is not related to business at all. It's strange, we get stuck in a funk sometimes and the obvious thing just doesn't click until someone says something obvious.

Thanks for sharing your insights and keeping them succinct. This stuff is helping me get through a long period of "time out of mind" where nothing is obvious and dead ends abound. "The Tail End" was revelatory and i'm grateful for coming across it via Tim Ferriss and consequently being equipped with a richer perspective on the time i have left with my dad and kids.

I just moved to San Francisco after an extended road trip. Somedays it feels like you accomplish nothing when you're job searching. That can be pretty demotivating, even though I am motivated to get a job. I put this advice to use by registering our vehicle with expired tabs. It does feel good to get some things marked off the list and get some momentum going again!

fight against your own laziness ... no fight, no prize ... and remember that no one else can do it for you

I find this works in any project I'm working on too!
For example, when working on a (music) record, the 'fun stuff' is recording the tracks, playing with the sounds and tools and composing. The 'boring stuff' is the lever-tweaking, mixing, mastering. When I'm not inspired to get into the zone to lay down some tracks, I'll use the time set aside for that project to cram through the long list of tweaks and edits that need to get done.

I think the idea is this - there's always forward motion towards something, and you just need to ride out the ebbs & flows of engagement by just showing up for the work, every day.

reminds me of a post I landed on before arriving here today. the post offers a quick tip for motivation stimulated by a book by a Japanese brain researcher:

"A book by a Japanese brain researcher says there actually is a part of the brain that is responsible for making us feel motivated (nucleus accumbens – we’ll call it NA). If we want to be motivated, all we have to do is to activate it. .... So the only way to start feeling motivated is to actually start doing the work. “Of course you don’t feel like doing it…it’s because you haven’t begun it!” The author gives an example of cleaning your room – even though you don’t feel like cleaning at first, once you begin, you start to really “get into it” and before you know it your room is totally clean.

While it’s counterintuitive to think that motivation comes after beginning the work, it’s easy to experience the truth of this when you clean your room, wash your car, or work on a big project at work."

from: http://hniizato.com/quick-tip-for-motivation/

Here is an interesting way to look at doing the necessary. In this Freakonomics podcast, it is described as maintenance. Enjoy
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/in-praise-of-maintenance/

Cleaning and filing quell complacency. :)

He who makes an animal of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man...He who searches shall find only the question...He who ceases to exist gets rid of the pain of existence...

Great thoughts, Derek.
Some personal thoughts/experiences...
1. Gave up playing drums last November (after 38 years!) to apply my spare time to (a) my wife and young kids and (b) work on a business idea.
2. Gave up my 50-hours per week job in June this year to start said business.
3. Was kind of let down by business partner who committed in June, then 'de-committed' and permanently emigrated by August. Somewhat deflated. New client uptake dropped dramatically in August/September. Very deflated.
4. Motivation sagged and almost disappeared by end of September.
5. Started gym three times per week in September - spirits UP (!), but motivation still down....
6. Injured back (at home not gym) end of October. Agony. No gym for 5 weeks as a direct result. Motivation lower.
7. Potential second stream of income offered by a third party and 99% confirmed end of November - spirits UP again, but still no gym and no business motivation.
8. Potential earnings of second stream of income radically reduced by 60% two weeks ago, making it almost non-viable. Motivation on the floor.

NOW...:
9. 2nd stream potential raised slightly. Original business potential up slightly. Motivation climbing.
10.Most importantly, my 7 year old son's humour, energy, boyishness, handsome face and unconditional love, plus my 3 year old daughter's maturity, humour, energy, beautiful smile and unconditional love have dragged me back to reality from behind the Matrix.
Yes, we currently require money to pay the bills, I guess we all require certainty to some degree, some (like me) require feedback and reassurance, and most of us in the West seem to have a primal need to conform to the expectations of their tribe/peer group (keep up with the Jones's?!), however, whilst living with all this daily white noise, we often miss the big stuff, the essence of life, stressing over the small stuff. Two little smiles and the love of a good wife = re-motivation.
Cream on the top? I just found your site and and illuminating insights. Bookmarking now...
☺

I tend to feel this way during January when work is slow. I make a list everyday of things that need to be done, both personal and business, and then I get sidetracked with the things I enjoy doing. I usually get the list done but on some days it just takes longer because I'm just not motivated. Not sure if it's the winter blues?

I managed to do two extremely boring things almost at once by oscillating between them. Both of them were something so dull that I couldn't do more than a short while each. But changing between them worked since anything is better than the task at hand :D

May I share? Last night I suddenly had what Sir Winston Churchill called "the return of the black dog." It lingers.

At least I half-know the reason. Today I was hanging out with my usual gang, but I didn't tell them anything. I won't inflict my news on everyone here on this blog site, better to solely e-mail to Derek, or better yet, tell my gang tomorrow.... But, during my blackness, I just wanted to share that.

Loved reading this. I've used these moments. Though with a slight variation.

I do this when the day is crappy.
The weather's bad.
I haven't slept well.
Things have gone sideways with work, a colleague, whatever.

If my mood is really crappy, I aim to Get Even by doing all the chores I don't want to do anyway.

Suit the action to the mood.

Cheers,
Aaron