Clear and simple. That is what goals should be. For someone chasing inspiration, it is a task in itself that must be accomplished before anything else — a task that we know isn’t entirely achievable - a chase after an elusive feeling.
When motivation becomes a prerequisite for most actions, it asks for a return to original enthusiasm for a project which is a naive process. This craving is a result of overly complex goals, excessive preconditions and lack of urgency.
Success is circular. It requires the outcome of a previous action to influence the next. This influence is best generated by the self and not outside forces.
Visualizing the Anatomy of Motivation
This is where we think motivation lies within a productive process: Create urgency, seek motivation, do tasks, success!
Thinking about the task is exciting, motivating even. You may accomplish the preliminary small goals in front of you with this initial adrenaline rush. The excitement will not disappear but inevitably fade and/or change over time. And here’s why.
“Tackle TO-DO” sits 3 steps into the process. Even if the task is seemingly pleasurable, putting it off long enough will create a mental deterrent that can transform an easy task into rocket science.
Urgency in this regard invites complex planning which is easy to fall into during a new-goal high. Extensive outlining, fancy presentations and months of scheduling feed the high. Put the calendars away, exit that excel sheet and limit yourself to one piece of notebook paper. Plan for tomorrow, not next month. Preparation needs to be limited. Just do it. Fair enough … but easier said than done.
This is where motivation should actually be placed in a productive process: Do tasks with urgency, success, motivation unlocked for next task!
Do tasks with urgency. What does this mean? I’m going to use writing a school thesis as an example.
Goal: Andrea wants to get an above average grade on her thesis paper.Time allowed: 8 months.
Small steps to completion:
Initial research and topic brainstorming
Prep interviews
Conduct interviews
Cross-reference research
Outline thesis
Draft #1
Peer review
Re-evaluate thesis
Draft #2
Office hours with professor
Re-evaluate thesis
Draft #3
Peer review
Final draft. (Not including possible re-writes that require a hard reset on the entire process)
Fourteen steps is rather daunting to visualize and 8 months can be misconstrued as an excessive timeframe for something that only takes 20–30 days to complete - if you never stop working, of course.
When I was in college I heard this a lot: I work better under pressure so I usually wait until the last minute. This isn’t a false statement. It’s proven to be true, in fact. People work better under pressure. Not sleeping properly isn’t good but having an urgent and strict deadline is hugely beneficial. Now, the real question is how do we harness this urgency without pulling the all-nighter or compromising health? This requires some trickery on the brain.
Here are a couple ways to create urgency that isn’t already there:
Do the opposite of a reward-based approach: Instead of rewarding yourself with a positive reinforcement, setup a not-so-fun “punishment” if the task is not completed. Don’t be too hard on yourself but make sure the outcome is annoying enough to want to avoid. For instance, offer your friend $100 if you do not complete the task.
Setup deadlines: Reasonable and smart deadlines are effective, but it isn’t easy as an entrepreneur to follow deadlines not imposed by some kind of authority figure. It is possible however to make this work. Try to get a feel of how long it takes to complete a particular action when time is not a concern. Now, cut back roughly 1/3rd of that time and create some urgency!
Practical Solutions To Get Things Done
The easiest way to approach daunting tasks is to make every action pleasurable. There are two ways to approach re-evaluation of difficult tasks.
Target the task: The preferred target
Make it a game: A popular approach that I used in school a lot. By the way, this is especially useful for students or individuals faced with repetitive and similar to-dos every week. You can get creative with it. The ground rules are simple. Pick an attainable data reference ie. time doing task, number of sales after task, number of paragraphs written in half an hour (or all of the above) — and try to either maintain or one up yourself going forward.
Reward-based: Another popular strategy especially for those prone to low mood. When a task is complete, get a reward. Remember, however, the reward you set should be something you really want (that’s not horribly unhealthy, of course). This approach requires some level of self-control which can improve focus.
Target the outcome: The secondary target
Make goals clear: Again, goals should be attainable and easy to understand. There should be no holes in the big picture. The smaller components of your goal, however, should be rather flexible. Keep in mind that the big picture may change as time progresses and that’s okay! Keep the changes in mind and keep re-evaluating. Is the goal still in-line with the original idea? If not, why is that? Have you lost touch with the big picture and strayed away? Is this creating problems or making way for better opportunities? It’s up to you to figure this out. For the most part, try to stay consistent and stick to a simple big picture that can withstand changes within it without altering the goal entirely.
Two Popular Causes And Solutions For Motivation Addiction
Unclear Goals: Goals, both short-term and long-term should be clear, simple and have achievable steps. This sounds fairly straight forward, but believe me, it’s easy to get caught up in a fantasy world during the brainstorming process. BE REALISTIC!
Goal setting is picking out the blank canvas. Every layer of paint is simply one-color-to-one-stroke. The colors mix and layers build over time into a one of a kind masterpiece. Let time mold your endeavor and be patient. Do not outline and proceed to play color by number. Give yourself room for failure and creative flexibility.
Solution:
Daily to-do list: Each task should be no more than 8 words with minimal prepositions (ie. Take out trash … Make healthy vegan dinner … Go to park with dogs … Finish train illustration … Update website). These daily goals can build to weekly goals set at the beginning of the week. Try not to plan more than 10 days in advance, and try to complete quick tasks first (under 3 minutes to complete).
Medium goal roadmap: I don’t suggest creating extensive roadmaps to achieve large goals because they are rather restrictive. If the goal requires some major sub-goals to achieve, however, get them on paper into something like a spider chart. Tackle each medium goal one at a time and try your best to avoid multi-tasking.
Poor Organization: Environment is important. If your environment is messy, desk is cluttered, dishes are not cleaned, important documents are scattered and notes are not neatly filed, tackling daunting tasks become more daunting.
Solution:
Set the scene: If product research is first on the to-do list tell yourself this: “I need a clean notebook on the table, a sharp pencil, a cup of coffee, a clean office and tabs ready on my browser before sitting down.” These preconditions are appropriate because they are relevant to the task.
Notepad: Always keep an easy-access handwritten notepad nearby. It is important to visualize everything. To-do list apps are great but don’t have the visual component that a physical pad provides.
Clean desktop: If distraction-free apps aren’t helpful due to what your work requires (ie. social media management), clean the files on your desktop at the very least. If you don’t already have a folder system, create one (ie. input, output, notes, corrections, inspo). Throw up a new desktop picture while you’re at it. Give yourself a clean slate and a new desktop to look at.