Motivation is great. It can feel like a beautiful river of energy flowing through us, guiding us into action.
But what happens when we lose touch with that energy flow? Where does it go? And how do we get it back?
In this post, I explore the topic of motivation, and my experience with it over the years.
Motivation isn't always there, and that's okay.
Overall, motivation is not something to count on all the time. Instead, it's like a wave we can surf while it's here. Just like surfing a wave, we may have to wait a while before it shows up, and we know it won't last forever.
So what do we do in the meantime, while there are no waves of motivation?
For starters, we don't lament the fact that there's no motivation. We can still move forward with our lives, despite the lack of free flowing motivational energy.
But, I understand that's hard, and it doesn't feel good. That's okay.
For some, motivation can feel like a drug. You're either high off it, or low due to the lack of it. But remember who's aware of the motivation when it's there, and when it's not. That you is always there, always high, always peaceful.
There's nothing wrong with not achieving something in a given day.
For achievers like myself, this is a tough pill to swallow.
In fact, my best days are when I'm accomplishing things, moving forward, and getting things done. I feel happier when I'm making progress, when I go to bed having done a lot since I woke up.
But it's okay to not do things.
And I don't say this coming from a place of excuses. I'm not saying that it's okay to do nothing for five years while simultaneously having great ambitions. That math doesn't add up.
What I am saying, however, is that we don't need to accomplish something to feel good.
We can still be at peace with ourselves in between accomplishments. We can still feel love, joy, and a sense of gratitude while we're in a lull.
We can even appreciate the lull, knowing that pretty soon, creativity and motivation are going to run through us like a rapid river.
But until then, we're okay. We're already whole. We're already complete, with or without the motivation.
We still go about our days, cook our meals, sweep the floors, and work at our jobs.
And we do that without resistance. Not because we're so noble or great, but simply because it's what we're doing.
We do what we're doing with clear eyes, clear heart, and not an ounce of resistance.
The more we do that, the more the motivation will naturally spring up inside of us.
I've learned that it's not about demanding motivation and lamenting when it's gone, but rather about noticing, from a calm, centered place, the ebb and flow of its mysteriously beautiful energy.
Live with substance!
Gabe Orlowitz
