Why you don't really need motivation

What is motivation

Simply put, motivation is your desire to do something. This feeling has different degrees of intensity - from a slight interest to an irresistible urge to act.

When your desires are strong, it is easy to motivate yourself. But if motivation is lacking and you have to struggle with yourself, you will be ready to do anything, just not to get to work or go to the gym. You start to postpone unwanted actions, and procrastination takes over - until you feel the real agony of idleness.

At some point, the pain of doing nothing becomes stronger than the pain of doing.

Stephen Pressfield author of The War for Creativity

I love this quote because, I suspect, we have all experienced such painful moments - when it becomes more excruciating to stay on the couch than to get up, put on your sneakers and go do something useful.

What is the motivation

In his Drive: What Really Motivates Us, Daniel Pink divided motivation into two types: external and internal.

Extrinsic motivation comes from other people. It can be money, or praise and recognition, or approving glances from the opposite sex when you don't look awkward on the tennis court.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It is the desire to act when the process itself is the only reward.

Intrinsic motivation comes from the most honest and sincere reasons. For example, if you start your own business wanting to help people or solve significant problems, and not because you are blinded by a desire for fame or wealth.

Motivation can be harmful if you rely on it too much.

No matter how much you love what you do, there are times when you don't want to act. Maybe your task is too difficult and it seems impossible to complete it. Or, on the contrary, it is too boring. It is then that not motivation will help you, but a balanced strategy.

How to get things done without relying on motivation

1. Choose where to focus

Take me, for example. This year I have three work priorities:

Hire really qualified people for your company.
Write quality blog content.
Train our clients to be productive.

These three topics cover the entire spectrum of my activities. If a project or idea does not fit into one of these groups, I refuse it. Without being distracted by minor tasks, I can make progress on important things.

For example, I spend the first two hours of each workday writing down my thoughts. These can be ways of solving a problem, new ideas, or something else in this spirit. During this time, I do not make any appointments or reply to emails.

But when I come to work without much inspiration, I allow myself to do something else instead of taking notes. If this, of course, fits into my three main areas of activity. For example, I can read articles or books on topics I need, meet with my development team, or watch video lectures.

All these things provide me with a new surge of inspiration and interest. And once that happens, I'll be ready to generate ideas again. Thus, I get off the ground.

2. Remember that motivation is optional

In an article for The Cut, Melissa Dahl said:

The only motivational advice anyone might find useful is that you don't need the urge to do something to actually do it.

Melissa Dahl productivity writer, journalist, editor for New York Magazine

This is brilliant advice. Your actions don't have to match your feelings - especially when you need to move forward.

You may feel tired, but still put on your swimming goggles and go to the pool. You might rather be chained to a chair than reopening PowerPoint - but sit down and do this damn presentation anyway.

Melissa also cites Oliver Burkeman, author of Antidote. An antidote to an unhappy life”, which writes:

Where did you get the idea that in order to start acting, you need to wait until you feel like it? I believe the problem is not a lack of motivation, but the fact that you feel like you need it.

Oliver Burkeman

Make it a habit to conquer your feelings. You might want to watch a video of cats, but instead you sit down at your computer in the morning and open a new document. You write for hours on end and don't pay attention to your emotions. Finally, progress has begun. And then just repeat this process every day.

3. Delegate when possible

The other day, during my morning workout, I had a great idea. One of those that make you say "wow".

Unfortunately, it had nothing to do with my top three priorities that I mentioned earlier. What have I done? Created a note on my smartphone and asked my deputy to do it.

I was tempted to take matters into my own hands, but I couldn't afford to be distracted by anything else.

I understand that delegation is not always possible, especially if you are an employee yourself or you have a small company with a small number of staff. I know what it is like when you cannot afford to hire someone to do the dirty work for you. Because my company had periods when it had to save every penny.

But if delegation is possible, it pays off. It makes sense to unload yourself in two cases:

If you can save precious time, energy and concentration for more important things. These resources are invaluable; you don't need to waste them on trifles.
If someone else can do better than you. In my team there is almost always someone who has more highly specialized knowledge and skills than me. These people perform better in less time.

How to proceed in the long term

All of the above applies to everyday motivation. But how do you keep the will to act in the long run? This is an important question. The answers to it may differ from person to person. But in the end, we are all motivated by joy and a sense of meaning.

Oliver Burkeman introduced me to the Buddhist Susan Pivert. She was very tired of being “productive” and making daily to-do lists. Instead, Susan chose to focus on enjoying her job.

When I remember that the reason for my motivation is sincere curiosity, and my work completely coincides with my ideas about who I am and who I want to become, the office immediately turns from a labor camp to a playground.

Susan Pivert

Susan asks herself the question: what would she be interested in doing? And then she focuses on what she really likes. And in the end, the results of her work look like she has serious discipline, but at the same time Susan achieves them without much effort.

Discipline is very important. And, of course, there are things you need to do but don't feel like doing, like paying bills or cleaning a cat litter box. But I suggest that instead of pursuing your goals through “don’t want to,” try to find what truth brings you joy.

Susan Pivert

We are all going through difficult times, doing work we don't like, and tolerating all kinds of injustices. But if you try your best to enjoy what you do, you will find peace of mind. And your motivation will grow. And if not, you don't really need it anyway.