(A repost from Feb 18, 2011)
Because of my current stage of life, mother to a small child, I’ve been devising different methods to find time to write. Right now, my best time is early in the morning before the day starts. The house is quiet and I have ample time for my brain synapses to fire their sparks. So now, after I spend time with Jesus, I turn on the laptop and start writing. After writing early in the morning, I feel like I’ve satisfied my creative itch, had ‘me’ time and can now face the daily life of being a SAHM with peace and confidence.
Getting up early can be uncomfotable. Every time the alarm goes off, I have to tell myself why I’m getting up so early. To motivate myself to do something I wouldn’t naturally do, I have to think far ahead into the future and see where my NOT performing the action today would lead. I’ve done that with exercise, cleaning the house, reading the Bible, prayer, writing, marriage and parenting. I keep these negative consequences in mind whenever I decide not to perform a beneficial activity.
I’m more motivated by the pain of regret than the pleasure of achievement. Funny huh?
If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do but never done, take some time out and perform this exercise. With a pad and pen write what could happen if you never performed that activity. What type of person would you be one year from now? Five years from now? Ten years from now? Twenty years from now? What things would you regret?
Then, with those potential consequences in mind, get started on your goal. Getting started could mean make a plan of action, making a phone call, gathering research or reading a book.
Also, anytime you decide not to do something towards your goal, think back to what you wrote about your potential regrets. That’s enough motivation to get you going!
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