Does Your Flesh Tomb Occasionally Refuse to Get Things Done?

Do you ever find yourself in an existensial quandary full of loathing and self doubt about the meaningless of existence and just can't seem to get out? Are all of your human friends succeeding at life while you sit around and eat cheetos? Have you ever wondered just how motivation works and how you can acquire some? Well, let your buddy Quantum sit you down and learn you a thing or two so you can go get shit done.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of Motivation

Is done using a bunch of really dry words that make total sense, but you already know what motivation is right? It's the reason why we make ourselves do stuff. But there are different types of motivation, ya see. Most people think motivation only comes into play when they have some big goal in mind, like writing a book, climbing Mt. Everest, or hand-washing the last two dishes that wouldn't fit in the dishwasher. In all reality, motivation can be looked at deterministically, as the sole reason you do ANYTHING. That said, let's break motivation down a bit into three subcategories that better describe WHY we do things. They each have their own special name, so let's get that settled real quick:

1. Intrinsic Motivation: Things you do because you want to. Things that you are intrinsically motivated to do you do so because you find some pleasure, interest, or satisfaction in just by doing them. The key here is that there is no external reward for your actions, no higher goal, you just like to do it. Examples may include watching TV, hobbies and crafts, and day drinking.

2. Extrinsic Motivation: Things you do because they serve a purpose. Extrinsic motivators are outside sources that provide a goal or reason to act, or a means to an end. Doing the dishes so that you can later cook dinner is a prime example here. You're motivated to do the dishes not because you enjoy doing it for the hell of it, but because you want clean pots and pans for cooking. In this case, the motivator is not the dishes, but the future chance to cook dinner.

3. Amotivation: Disruptive motivators linked to lack of understanding, control, or non-intended actions. Basically any type of motivator that completely lacks any extrinsic or intrinsic properties. This is a state of zero motivation, marked by feelings of failure or doing an activity without having any value attributed to the activity itself (intrinsic) or the outcome (extrinsic). Staring at the wall is your prime example here.

Ok, So Now You Know A Few New Words

But you want to know how to get more motivation! Where do you buy it and how much does it cost? Why did I just make you learn these words? Why is life so HAAAARD....

Well chill out, because these words are useful. Having a better understanding of what motivation IS can help you figure out how to get it. Alternatively, you can send me $499 per pound of raw unfiltered motivation. Please note that motivation is not a physical substance so to properly complete the transaction you'll have to meet me on on the fifth dimensional plane.

BUT BACK TO THE POINT!

You've been sitting around, waiting for motivation to strike so you can complete that big task. While you're waiting, you pass the time by watching TV, playing video games, pacing around the house, or surfing for some sweet memes on the 'net. It's worked in the past before, right? If you just wait around long enough, when the time and lighting are just right during a full moon while Mars is in retrograde you'll totally be motivated to do the thing! Well sure, you can do that, or you can realize that motivation can be gained through proper perception and task orientation.

Getting Some Sweet Gains

You don't need a protein shake or a personal trainer to work out your motivation. However, there are proper techniques that you can do.

1. Have an Extrinsic Goal
   Aren't you glad you know what that means now? Having an extrinsic goal gives you something to strive toward. This is usually the first thing that people do, and they stop here. Let's say my extrinsic goal is earning a thousand dollars on Steemit. Money is a great external motivator, and provides a means to an end. However, this goal is lofty, and there are a lot of ways to get there. Without constraints, I could theoretically earn 1 cent on a post and through the power of compound interest and inflation I could reach my goal years down the road with no further action. Instead, let's refine it a bit and see if we can motivate ourselves better.

1. Use an Intrinsic Constraint:
   We use constraints to narrow our scope of action down to things we know we can do. This is the "enjoying your job" bit. Narrow your goal down by identifying some part of it that you enjoy. In our case, I want to make money on Steemit by writing about things I enjoy, without pandering too much. I don't come to Steemit to read about Steemit, and I don't want to make money doing so either. I want to take pride in my work and reap the rewards of doing so. My intrinsic constraint will be writing about only things that I enjoy or am interested in. This still gives me a lot to choose from while also eliminating a vast number of posts.

2. Define Subgoals
   Break that shit down! That 1k goal is a bit big to start off with, so let's make some smaller goals in between here and there. This part is pretty simple. Take where you are, and where you want to be, then identify smaller and smaller goals that can help you get there. These subgoals should serve the extrinsic and intrinsic paths, but not reiterate them. In this sense, I won't set a sub-goal of 500 dollars. Instead, I will set a sub-goal of trying to post once a day.

3. Find The 10-Minute Task
   This is the real trick. You see, more often than not we aren't nearly as in control of our brains as we think we are, and this is most evident when trying to motivate yourself. My brain knows that healthy post could take an hour or two to write, and would much rather play video games in that time. Instead, find a 10-minute task that you can do that relates to your nearest subgoal. By doing this, you find something that you can trick your brain with a little hit of dopamine on a stick by offering it a task that is achievable in the near future. This will convince your brain that there's a low-effort, high reward task ahead. To continue this example, I have decided that I will feel satisfied writing ONE PARAGRAPH.

1. Do the 10-Minute Task
   You can spend 10 minutes doing something right? I mean it's a small sacrifice. And remember, there's a yummy brain treat at the end. Don't wait to be motivated. Do this task even if you hate it. Force yourself. Tell yourself that at the end, you'll reward yourself for doing it, even if it seems stupid.

2. Dont Cheat Your Brain
   Once you've accomplished the 10-minute task, take a moment and FEEL PROUD. This seems ridiculous, but take a moment and realize that you've done a small bit of work. Indulge in it. Don't demean yourself by saying "well it was just a small stupid thing." Instead, really tell yourself, out loud, "Hey, I just accomplished a step toward my goal! Go me!". I'm serious about this part. If you don't reward your brain with the dopamine hit you promised it, it will be harder to convince it that the 10-minute task is worth it later on down the road.

3. Rinse, Wash, Repeat
   The more 10-Minute goals you hit, the further you will work toward your goal. You may find that 30-minute and hour-long tasks become easier, and more rewarding. Reward yourself for every step on the way, let your ego be warmed by the fact that you are a self-starting, goal-oriented, task accomplishing MACHINE OF AWESOME.

Motivation is a Muscle - Treat it That Way!

Start with small workouts, and feel good about them. Work your way up by increasing the complexity and difficulty of the tasks, but don't forget to reward yourself for doing so. Don't talk down on yourself and stay positive. You are, after all, succeeding at things that you set yourself out to do! You are a successful being in this universe, and to see yourself that way you might have to adjust your perspective a little bit, but it's worth it, trust me.

There's a lot more to know about motivation, and Quantum's gonna give it to ya. Follow me and keep your eyes peeled for more! (eye peeling is not recommended for non-regenerative beings. Please don't damage your ocular sensors).