Motivation

Here is another post that was hanging out in my draft folder forever.

How is it that some people are just so naturally motivated while others seem to struggle with everyday pressures placed on each and every one of us? Where does ones motivation come from? How can we improve our level or intensity of motivation? Do you find that you are a motivated person or do you find yourself struggling the way many North Americans do each and everyday.

After living and interacting with people for 27 years, I believe that I am a fairly motivated individual. I raise the questions above because I am not too sure why certain peoples motivation level seems to be so high, while others come across as lacking. I can understand as far as my climbing is concerned because I just love it so much and have such a passion for the activity. But it seems that motivation spills into other parts of my life as well. For example, when completing projects around the house. Its true, I do procrastinate the final finishing details on allot of my projects (not sure why that is either). However, for the most part I get an idea in my head and just go for it.

Motivation is a funny thing. It come and it goes. Does it have a direct correlation with your environmental surrounding? Does it reflect you eating habits? Other habits? Is it influenced by those around you? Im sure it is each of the above to certain extents. Can one change their motivation level? Does having a passion for something in life (ie. climbing for me) provide a source for this motivation? These are the questions that I just dont have a grasp on the answers too.

I can only speak from personal experience when I say that most of my motivation comes from spending time with myself. What does this mean? Setting aside time each and everyday to think. Spend some time in your own head and figure things out. Sort out all of the worlds craziness. I believe that people require a certain connection to the natural world as well. I am sure that, in today's society, there are people that do not require this connection due to generations of adaptation to the city scape. However, I feel that most people are so far disconnected from where we came from (ie the world around us) that there is a major slice of the pie missing. I find that spending time trail running, XC skiing, snowshoeing, walking the dog, etc.... allows you to spend some time with yourself and truly be a part of the "real" world. The world as, I believe, it was truly meant to be.

Once one has the time to organize thoughts and reassess life's goals and ones current path of life, the motivation to push forward in whatever you choose should just come naturally.

Maybe its the fact that there are simply too many distractions from simplicity in today's world (Internet, TV, media, restaurants, advertising, magazines, movies). All of those things have shaped and "brain washed" us, as humans, to think and behave in very particular ways. Un-natural ways. I can understand why it is so difficult for some people to find motivation through all of this complication. Maybe the true path to motivation does lie in simplicity and a quite mind.

Hmmmmm....thoughts.