The Motivation Myth
The question of motivation is an important one. Especially when it comes to creative work and side hustles.
How many times have we heard (or have we said) I’m not “motivated” to write (or draw, or practice the guitar, or write a poem).
The idea of motivation is that some sort of outside stimulus is necessary for me to do this thing. This could be negative or positive.
Positive:
If I show up to do this there will be a financial reward.
Negative:
If I don’t show up to do this I’ll get fired.
That’s how we do our jobs. We commit to an employer or a client. Accountability in place. We show up. I have a project due today. It doesn’t matter if I’m motivated to finish this thing, or not. I’ve made a commitment to a client. I’m going to show up. I’m going to do the work. How I feel is irrelevant.
Good work is not a matter of what you feel like. It’s a matter of what you’ve committed to.
Relying on motivation (outside stimuli) as a means to start or finish your creative work is weak.
There needs to be something deeper. Something internal. A reason why I am doing this thing (whatever “this thing” may be for you).
Here’s how to begin:
Start with a simple commitment to show up and find a way to hold yourself accountable.
