YOU MAY HEAR PEOPLE SAYING ALL THE TIME, “TAKE action!” “Do something!” “Do better!” We all know how difficult it can be to get someone to make a move, especially ourselves. But how do you get yourself—or anyone else—to do it?
Let me give you a hint: it’s definitely not a question of motivation. Why? Because motivation is a myth.
Believe me. You cannot motivate people to do any one thing. Even yourself. Never try to motivate yourself or anyone else to increase productivity. Instead, do the opposite:
Increase your productivity, then the motivation will follow.
We are always trying to get ourselves to find a better or more efficient way to do things instead of getting ourselves excited to do better. But when we actually do better, we get excited, and the cycle continues!
I always feel better after I do what I am supposed to do, not before. Beforehand, there is always a little bit of nervousness and hesitation, along with thoughts like, What are people going to say? and, Can I do this? But afterward, I always feel great. I’ve accomplished something.
Exercising is a prime example. I have never wanted to work out in my life—but I am always glad I did. What about being creative? I have a close friend who is a successful author. He says he hates to write—but he is always elated once he has written. Sound familiar?
We know what we are supposed to be doing, but when we wait for that motivation to come ahead of time, it never does. The reason is because we have it backward.
Psychologist William James believed that we don’t sing because we’re happy; we’re happy because we sing. I really love this idea. Believe it and sing! In the shower if you have to. Sing while you do something, and infuse it with joy. It beats waiting around for inspiration any day.