Write Out the Toxins
I recently interviewed a lady for a tutoring position. Besides the fact that I think she'll be a wonderful tutor, I wanted to share one of the great adages she recited during the interview:
It's not a complex series of life changes.
It's not a trite 10 easy steps to more motivation.
It's not tacky self-motivation poster.
It's a simple if-then statement: if action, then motivation.
I think we are too easily tempted by motivation. I know I often am. I've had so many desires founded almost solely on my lust for motivation. As you might expect, these various plans haven't gone anywhere.
However, lately, I've been reciting to myself "A little bit every day." That's the mantra I give to my students—it doesn't matter what subject. Whatever skill you practice a little bit every day will progress.
I decided to set most of my hobbies aside—or prioritize them less. I decided to focus on writing. At first, I didn't have much motivation. I wanted it, but there wasn't much. I only had my own nagging phrase: "A little bit every day." I can't stand when my students don't follow any of my directions, so I felt convicted about this adage.
For a couple months now—with very few skips—I've written a little bit every day. At first, it was pretty bleh. However—just like I've told my students—after writing bleh crap for a couple hundred pages, you start to bleed out the useless garbage and burrow down into words, thoughts, writing.
As with the fabled "runner's high," one can write out the toxins and begin to feel endorphins. Just like with our health, we have quite a lot of toxins to write out.
I often encourage people to write. I see so much greatness hidden underneath so many layers of hibernation. I encourage you to write. If you haven't yet made a habit of it, your writing is going to be crap for a good month.
But that's ok.
Start with scrap paper that you'll throw away so that even you don't have to read it. Maybe switch to a cheap notebook. Maybe start a blog or a journal or a diary.
Start writing. You won't notice the transition, but, eventually, your words will start to become beautiful.
Motivation follows action.I think most people know that principle, but I appreciated how succinctly she stated it.
It's not a complex series of life changes.
It's not a trite 10 easy steps to more motivation.
It's not tacky self-motivation poster.
It's a simple if-then statement: if action, then motivation.
I think we are too easily tempted by motivation. I know I often am. I've had so many desires founded almost solely on my lust for motivation. As you might expect, these various plans haven't gone anywhere.
However, lately, I've been reciting to myself "A little bit every day." That's the mantra I give to my students—it doesn't matter what subject. Whatever skill you practice a little bit every day will progress.
I decided to set most of my hobbies aside—or prioritize them less. I decided to focus on writing. At first, I didn't have much motivation. I wanted it, but there wasn't much. I only had my own nagging phrase: "A little bit every day." I can't stand when my students don't follow any of my directions, so I felt convicted about this adage.
For a couple months now—with very few skips—I've written a little bit every day. At first, it was pretty bleh. However—just like I've told my students—after writing bleh crap for a couple hundred pages, you start to bleed out the useless garbage and burrow down into words, thoughts, writing.
As with the fabled "runner's high," one can write out the toxins and begin to feel endorphins. Just like with our health, we have quite a lot of toxins to write out.
I often encourage people to write. I see so much greatness hidden underneath so many layers of hibernation. I encourage you to write. If you haven't yet made a habit of it, your writing is going to be crap for a good month.
But that's ok.
Start with scrap paper that you'll throw away so that even you don't have to read it. Maybe switch to a cheap notebook. Maybe start a blog or a journal or a diary.
Start writing. You won't notice the transition, but, eventually, your words will start to become beautiful.
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