THE MYTH OF MOTIVATION (AND WHAT YOU NEED INSTEAD)

jdub660 · January 2014

Bump, because I need to remember this and make it habit

coopscoopc · January 2014

Bump: How do I add this link to my home page? I don't want to lose it because I think this should be ready every single time I fall of the motivation wagon.

Eleonora91 · January 2014

Ugh, I hated it.

"You are going to die. And neglecting your health and fitness is more likely to hasten your departure."

^ Whoever said that being a certain amount of kg over your healthy weight is going to kill you in advance? Not all overweight people are unhealthy, especially if they're not consistently overweight. Also, since my life is going to be that short, I might prefer to enjoy food rather than eating less most of my life, so this doesn't really work as a motivational/or/whatever speech.

Also,

"Enduring chemotherapy is hard.
Hitting a fast ball in the major leagues in hard.
Negotiating nuclear disarmament from a hostile nation is hard.
Saying goodbye to a loved one in the hospital or the veterinarian’s office for the last time is hard.
But putting down the cookies and picking up the spinach? That’s only as hard as the story we tell ourselves."

^ This is completely irrational. Someone is ALWAYS going to be suffering more than I am. Someone right now is suffering less than I am. Does this make anyone's suffering irrelevant? No, it doesn't. That's just not how things work. Nobody ever said starting a diet was as painful as going to war. Nobody ever even tried to make this comparision. So where's the need to make such a comparision? We're human beings, and I didn't know there was a measurable scale for feelings.

gigglybeth · January 2014

Awesome article! Thanks for posting and resurrecting.

SezxyStef · January 2014

Good post for the spirit of it...but...

Those men, soldiers standing in that down pour don't have a choice, it wasn't their decision...it was an order..

I know that from being ex military myself and doing centaph duty on rainy cold Novembers...no choice.

But I do feel movitvation is a myth..my profile says how I feel...you either want it bad enough or you don't....end of that quote is "it's a choice you make".

And I believe that.

uclaxtina · January 2014

Thanks for sharing. This really hits home and i'll come back to this as needed.

fitphoenix · January 2014

Bump. Important distinction, I think. There are some 4:45ams where I'm not feeling very motivated to get out of bed and work out--but discipline and habit carries me through. They're all words, of course, but it underlines that it's not a mythical external force that keeps us going. We need to continually decide to make the right choices.

Cayjominara · January 2014

That's a good post. Motivation can wane. It is touch and go, and largely based on feelings. When you make a DECISION to commit, that involves character. Decisions determine the mindset. The mindset dictates your actions. The actions reveal your character. It's all important for the DECISION to be made. But what's trly important is that the RIGHT DECISION be made. We all have a choice and each choice represents a decision. Just like the soldiers standing at the post in the torrential rain, we have to make a choice to stand by our commitments, regardless of what factors may try to sway us. And don't get it twisted, those soldiers do have a choice. It is true that they were given orders. But even the obeying of the order represents a choice...a decision. I tend to be a bit hardocre when it comes to stuff like this, so I'm going to close. But this was a good post. Our "motivation" needs to based on the internal workings of our character and it starts with the almighty DECISION! Thank you for sharing!

~Nathan

irishladyo · January 2014

Wow! Thank you!

chopper_pilot · January 2014

bump

Capt_Apollo · January 2014

Ugh, I hated it.

"You are going to die. And neglecting your health and fitness is more likely to hasten your departure."

^ Whoever said that being a certain amount of kg over your healthy weight is going to kill you in advance? Not all overweight people are unhealthy, especially if they're not consistently overweight. Also, since my life is going to be that short, I might prefer to enjoy food rather than eating less most of my life, so this doesn't really work as a motivational/or/whatever speech.

in no way does the original author speak that being overweight is unhealthy. he clearly states "neglecting your health and fitness is more likely to hasten your departure." it is not an absolute. it is a maybe statement.

Also,

"Enduring chemotherapy is hard.
Hitting a fast ball in the major leagues in hard.
Negotiating nuclear disarmament from a hostile nation is hard.
Saying goodbye to a loved one in the hospital or the veterinarian’s office for the last time is hard.
But putting down the cookies and picking up the spinach? That’s only as hard as the story we tell ourselves."

^ This is completely irrational. Someone is ALWAYS going to be suffering more than I am. Someone right now is suffering less than I am. Does this make anyone's suffering irrelevant? No, it doesn't. That's just not how things work. Nobody ever said starting a diet was as painful as going to war. Nobody ever even tried to make this comparision. So where's the need to make such a comparision? We're human beings, and I didn't know there was a measurable scale for feelings.

yes, he talks about the suffering of a cancer patient, but also about the hardship of training to hit a 90 mph fastball, and the heartbreak of loss.

and if you don't think that people don't complain about how hard it is to eat right, you need to look at the forums more often.

but like he says, eating healthier is not hard.

RllyGudTweetr · January 2014

Ugh, I hated it.

"You are going to die. And neglecting your health and fitness is more likely to hasten your departure."

^ Whoever said that being a certain amount of kg over your healthy weight is going to kill you in advance? Not all overweight people are unhealthy, especially if they're not consistently overweight. Also, since my life is going to be that short, I might prefer to enjoy food rather than eating less most of my life, so this doesn't really work as a motivational/or/whatever speech.

in no way does the original author speak that being overweight is unhealthy. he clearly states "neglecting your health and fitness is more likely to hasten your departure." it is not an absolute. it is a maybe statement.

Also,

"Enduring chemotherapy is hard.
Hitting a fast ball in the major leagues in hard.
Negotiating nuclear disarmament from a hostile nation is hard.
Saying goodbye to a loved one in the hospital or the veterinarian’s office for the last time is hard.
But putting down the cookies and picking up the spinach? That’s only as hard as the story we tell ourselves."

^ This is completely irrational. Someone is ALWAYS going to be suffering more than I am. Someone right now is suffering less than I am. Does this make anyone's suffering irrelevant? No, it doesn't. That's just not how things work. Nobody ever said starting a diet was as painful as going to war. Nobody ever even tried to make this comparision. So where's the need to make such a comparision? We're human beings, and I didn't know there was a measurable scale for feelings.

yes, he talks about the suffering of a cancer patient, but also about the hardship of training to hit a 90 mph fastball, and the heartbreak of loss.

and if you don't think that people don't complain about how hard it is to eat right, you need to look at the forums more often.

but like he says, eating healthier is not hard.

I think lots of folks complain about eating right being hard, here on the forums. I think the "myth of motivation" from Vic Margay is telling them that they are both wrong for finding it hard, and whining for finding it hard. If you believe that he is not saying these things, you're certainly entitled to read it that way.

horsehelpnow · January 2014

Bump!

gguarnere · February 2014

Love this!

Bump!

Capt_Apollo · February 2014

Love this! Bump!

you're welcome

Kookyk9s · February 2014

Quote stole from another MFP member
"there is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in something, you do it only when it is convenient . When you are connitted to something, you accept no excuses, only results."

Kenneth Blanchard

jaxterbom · February 2014

I agree with the need for decision, and would add that successful dieting helps self-motivate for more successful dieting.

proudjmmom · February 2014

Love love love!!!!!!

Excellent read! Very true!

2Dozen · February 2014

Count it!!

Topsking2010 · February 2014

Bump

Mother_Superior · February 2014

Bump because, oh hell yeah!

fat2fabulous29 · February 2014

Great read! love it.

prattiger65 · February 2014

Timely resurrection.

Eleonora91 · February 2014

yes, he talks about the suffering of a cancer patient, but also about the hardship of training to hit a 90 mph fastball, and the heartbreak of loss.

and if you don't think that people don't complain about how hard it is to eat right, you need to look at the forums more often.

but like he says, eating healthier is not hard.

I don't think the idea is bad, it's just the way he wrote about it that's misleading. He's using examples that can't be compared to weightloss. It's way too easy to make such comparisions, but I don't think they work quite fine, it's just theatrical.

Donners185 · February 2014

Love this!!! I find more and more now that when I eat junk I get so annoyed with myself. Not because it will scupper my chances at my next weigh in or measurement but because I'm putting crap into my body. I still enjoy the odd treat and cheat meal but slowly and surely I am reprogramming myself to eat stuff that is good for me, stuff that will benefit my body. The mindset is slowly changing!!!

SunKissed1989 · February 2014

This reminds me of a quote in the Matrix Revolutions when Neo is in the final battle with Smith.
Smith can't understand why Neo doesn't just give up the fight.

"Why, why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Why, why why do you persist?"

Neo's response:

"Because I choose to." - as simple as that!

Of course this scene is specific to the plot of the Matrix but the idea of choice and having the ability to make a choice is something so powerful that it can change everything and really make a difference.