Theme of the day – Talking about change is all well and good, but what actually motivates new behavior?
Personal Notes: So I’ve been writing about all these new things I want to do: I want to expand my business, I want to get out this product, I want to do this project, etc. But what have I actually done about it? Not a whole lot. Why is that? A few different reasons: lack of motivation, analysis paralysis, etc. etc… but when it comes down to it, I just haven’t committed enough time and motivation to the project. Motivation comes and goes, but time and schedule are things that I can control. I know that I’m most productive first thing in the morning and I have been wanting to shift my waking hours to get up earlier, but it is so darn hard to motivate myself to wake up before I actually have to wake up…. I have been trying for MONTHS and not been successful until…
Mindset: I am waking up earlier these days. Why? I GOT A DOG!!!! (what’s that you say?) Temporarily, that is. We’re pet sitting for an adorable 8 pound Coton-de-Tulear named Misha. Here’s the thing: She gets up at 7AM which means that we all get up at 7AM (I know… That’s not very early, but it’s earlier than I was getting up) The point is this: there’s another living thing in the house whose day depends on my actions. So I choose to wake up, brush my teeth, put on a bra, shoes, and a coat to take her outside for a walk. By then, I’m usually alert enough to continue on with my day: do a workout, shower, put on real clothes, then sit down for a bit of hustle before my day really begins. It’s a slight shift, but in the world of my mindset, it’s massive. It means that I have an hour or so of pre-day work out time during which I can spend time working on the activities that really move the needle.
The point isn’t the dog. The point is finding a motivation that actually works. We’re pet sitting for another 3 weeks, so by then I aim to have this habit fully ingrained in me. I’m hoping that the work and results will help me form a habit that sticks around. So yes, this external motivation will go away in a month or so. (Misha will eventually go back to her home…) I aim to have this “up early” habit ingrained by then. There will always be something else to adjust. My goal is to keep growing in the right direction.