THE MYTH OF MOTIVATION (AND WHAT YOU NEED INSTEAD)

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  • murdy745
    murdy745 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks...right on time
  • Ryanmariem
    Ryanmariem Posts: 46 Member
    HOORAH! ;o)

    I totally agree. I hate hearing the whine, "I just need to get motivated." Umm a cattle prod "motivates" my cows to go where I want them to, and I would be happy to provide a similar service to a person. However, INTRINSIC desire and fortitude is not from extrinsic means. You just have to do it. Not find it, not buy it, just DO!


    LOL.... the cattle prod imagery made me laugh... and yes there are days I wish I had a cattle prod for myself or others around me... but as long as we keep moving forward then it is all good.

    Back to the article.... great post thanks for sharing! So very true I agree, it is all about replacing bad habbits w/good ones. Take it one habbit at a time, one day at a time, and you will get there. When you get thrown a curve ball, don't stop, adjust to the new circumstance and keep moving forward. =)
  • Lt_Starbuck
    Lt_Starbuck Posts: 576 Member
    A lot of truth in what you wrote.

    But...

    99% of dieters say that they break their diet because they are depressed, stressed or bored. Feelings, not lack of willpower, get in the way.

    So, in the long run these issues must be addressed. In this way, losing weight and keeping it off is very difficult. So, deciding to eat and exercise right is a great start. But dealing with depression, stress and boredom (or whatever it is that is keeping you from your goals) is hard but critical.

    It's not feelings getting in the way. It is a lack of emotional responsibility. (as far as stressed/bored/sad - clinical depression is not a feeling, it is a condition)

    you can't tell people what feelings that they can have Lt. That is the nature of feelings. The important part is how you deal with them.

    Nowhere did I say that you can or cant have certain feelings.

    Me: You have to be emotionally responsible.
    You. NAH AH!! It's all about how you deal with feelings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Me: .............
  • Lt_Starbuck
    Lt_Starbuck Posts: 576 Member
    A lot of truth in what you wrote.

    But...

    99% of dieters say that they break their diet because they are depressed, stressed or bored. Feelings, not lack of willpower, get in the way.

    So, in the long run these issues must be addressed. In this way, losing weight and keeping it off is very difficult. So, deciding to eat and exercise right is a great start. But dealing with depression, stress and boredom (or whatever it is that is keeping you from your goals) is hard but critical.

    Emotions are a piss poor excuse for lack of willpower. Emotional eating is a piss poor excuse for stuffing one's face with 8000 calories in a day. He's still spot on. People need to get control of their heads. This also includes their emotions. If they cannot control these, they will ultimately fail at almost anything that they try that results in elevated stress levels.

    they key is to learn to work with these emotions and how to handle them. That is really not a matter of willpower. If you use "willpower" to suppress your emotions eventually something will break. It is better to get in touch with them and find better ways of coping rather than eating. Meditation is one good way of doing that.

    He didn't say to use willpower to suppress feelings. he said that some people have no willpower and instead of admitting that and strengthening their willpower, they practice zero self-discipline instead. Disciplining how your emotions can or cannot control you is will power.

    It is not suppressing emotions.

    Im worried you are reading negative things into these responses that just are not there.

    No one is saying you cant have feeling, or that you have to swallow them and ignore them, or that feelings aren't real. What they are all saying is that learning to control your emotions so you can go where you claim you want to go and succeed at what you claim you want to succeed at.

    I cried all the way through my last two gym sessions. But I got that barbell up in the air and I didnt sabotage all my goals or lose my momentum or eat a chocolate cake. I channeled my legitimate emotions into fuel for doing whatever I could to make my current situation better.

    I felt those emotions, I acknowledged them, I allowed them to run their course - but doing those things has jack to do with eating or sleeping. I can am strong enough to feel things and lift things at the same time.
  • paprikas
    paprikas Posts: 118 Member
    Great post.
  • knight76306
    knight76306 Posts: 260 Member
    Just what I needed!
  • Fatguy2Fitguy
    Fatguy2Fitguy Posts: 129 Member
    Great post and so very true!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,449 Member
    Interesting post. I've certainly found that changing habits has been very helpful for me.
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,688 Member
    Wish I could make a profound comment to go along with that! Love the message, love the pictures with the message.
    I made the decision to be fit and healthy. In the past, my exercise has been eclectic put present, my diet has varied from "clean eating" to "low fat". I am more confident today than ever because I know that I am in control of my physique and it has never been more simple than just loving food, eating what I want to eat and making decisions that do indeed become easier with practice.
    "Stay strong!"
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,322 Member
    Thanks
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Well, if an old post is going to be revived, I'm happy it's this one. More deciding, less whining.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Bump.
  • translinda
    translinda Posts: 26 Member
    Bump
  • bdur76
    bdur76 Posts: 155 Member
    Bumping for Truth
  • SweetestLibby
    SweetestLibby Posts: 607 Member
    Love it!
    Danny, this is what makes you awesome. Sooo true. Thank you.

    ETA - the thing I always say when someone says "That had to be such hard work!" or some such comment - "Not really. Once I decided to do it, the rest was easy."

    and definitely love this. Both are so very true.
  • Wow... This is a total eye opener for me. New perspective. Thanks so much for sharing, Im going to be reading this whenever Im feeling lazy or when I start to complain about something being hard.
  • mybonniejean
    mybonniejean Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you! I needed this tonight.
  • Amen! I couldn't have said it better myself.....
  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
    the thing I always say when someone says "That had to be such hard work!" or some such comment - "Not really. Once I decided to do it, the rest was easy."

    yes, people keep saying this to me, as well, about how hard it must be etc. I almost feel guilty that they are holding me up as some kind of heroine when in fact it's as easy as falling off a log!
  • saktii2323
    saktii2323 Posts: 27 Member
    Thank you. I've been deeply searching my soul trying to figure out where my lack of motivation stems from, but this is correct. It's my lack of making firm decisions that's keeping me back.