Topic Tuesday // Motivation // Tues 14 Aug, 7pm AEDT

[BlueBay]

@Former-Member How do you get motivated on your own and stay motivated. 

[CheerBear]

Hi @Former-Member and everyone ☺

Like you @Pepsimax, motivation to me means having some kind of drive to do what it is we want or need to do. I'm interested in tonight's topic Tuesday as I feel like I have a funny relationship with motivation. I find I can have lots of motivation but really struggle because I can't actually do what I want to do. It's then like I lose motivation when I try and seem to get nowhere.

[Gpro]

Motivation to me is wanting to do something, planning to do it and following through. I struggle with overcoming my mood-led behaviour which makes me out things off and even if I plan something I often cancel on the day

[Former-Member]

Welcome @BelJ! Thanks for your thoughts, 'energy' and 'enthusiasm' are great words when thinking about approaching motivation

[Adge]

Yes @Former-Member Having a supportive person.

Or someone who is already achieving what we want to achieve - can be very motivating.

That's not always available (or possible), so it can be a very long wait - if I'm looking to someone else to provide motivation.

Adge

[Former-Member]

Welcome @CheerBear and @Gpro - it's a tricky relationship indeed, our minds and motivation. It can even be hard to talk about so I am glad you have come along. @Gpro I like your awareness of your mood led behaviour - its good to notice this and try to work with the moods as we go through getting motivated. We will cover this more as we go tonight 👍

[Former-Member]

I like everyone's insight into what motivation means to them! Moving along:

‘Motivation is a force within us that can inspire and energize. Motivation can also be the opposite; it can be an unreachable concept that zaps and deflates’ – quote from thehealthyplace 

There is a lot of internal (and sometimes external) monologue that happens that adds to the obstacle of facing a project, task or day. This monologue can really bog down the mind in negative thinking and a lot of self stigma emerges. Thoughts and words like ‘lazy, you are not even trying, you are a failure’ can sometimes come from within ourselves or unfortunately a misinformed person in our life.

When it is a time to be kind to yourself about your struggles, we can often do the opposite and be much harsher. The outcome of this is feeling even less motivated than we were before!

Does anyone relate to this feeling? Have you felt somewhat stigmatised (self or other) when it comes to having a lack of motivation even though you are wanting to be motivated?

[Gpro]

I have trouble trying to get inspired to do something by looking at others. Doing that just usually means I feel worse that I can’t get going.

[Former-Member]

@Gpro thats interesting - when you say look at others do you mean others achieving things you would like to? What kind of self stigma or negative self talk happens for you then? 

[BlueBay]

Yes I can relate @Former-Member

sometimes I want to go fir a walk. I feel motivated then I don’t go and feel so bad about myself. Feel bad and lazy that I didn’t go. And then do go again.