Always in Trouble!
I have been interested in motivation all of my life, right from the time I was in primary (elementary) school. Why? Because I was always in trouble for not getting my work done, or for daydreaming and not listening or for not being able to do the lesson because I had not been listening. I also felt guilty for procrastinating about chores or homework. I kept getting reminded to get things done but never got started on them. Probably the “reminding” was what kept me from getting started because the reminder usually came about the time I was going to start anyway and that rebellious streak hated to be told what to do.
I Preferred To …
… read a book
… play outside
… watch TV
even though my pleasure in those was spoiled because I knew the work would still need to be done later.
Over The Years ….
I have learned:
(1) Most jobs took much less time to do than I imagined and I spent more time moaning and feeling guilty than it would have taken to just do it. Nowadays, I tell myself to stop whining and just do it.
(2) You don’t actually have to “feel” motivated to do the job, you can do it without feeling motivated. That includes getting the dishes done, vacuuming the floor and leaving out the trash. I am never motivated to do them but I bribe myself using motivation charts. I get a tick for each job completed and the ticks add up to a small cash payout. I feel very happy when I have “earned” a big amount in my rewards jar.
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