The Art of (self) Motivation

Pain - we don't look forward to it, and thankfully we can't remember it. We remember the effects of it, but our brains have a way of forgetting the actual pain. Thus was a discovery as I was running across the Ben Franklin bridge.

Why did I so intently look forward to this run every afternoon? I would predictably be out of breath by the first bridge 'post' (about 1/4 the way), my calves would start aching soon after, and the right side of my stomach would cramp up on my way back. A painful stabbing in my right gut making me cringe the whole way home.

How can this be a daily highlight? Our brains have a much easier time remembering the feeling of something pleasant. Over time we might forget the cause, but our bodies easily remember the sensations.

It's 3:25, I'm packing up to leave the office, and the only thing running through my head is running over the bridge in the early afternoon, still able to feel the sun on my skin, gusty wind whisking the sweat off my body...reaching the midpoint of the bridge, resting my elbows on the railing, catching my breath watching ships of every size below...but really, I'm a sucker for high wind. There is a consistent strong wind blowing over that bridge, and I can't wait to get out there and feel it. Cramps and all.

Something similar I realized with this sit-up routine I am trying out. To keep myself motivated, I kick iTunes off with some "high energy" songs during the workout - the same passion and energy that a band might put into performing said song on stage, I put into my sit-ups - and it works wonderfully! I now look forward to this sit-up routine.

Anyone can motivate themselves to push through something for a time, but in the end, that motivation fades. We seek out that which gives us pleasure, subconsciously steering our actions away from that which doesn't.

Associate something stimulating and gratifying with an unpleasant activity, and it will become a habit.