9 June 2008 367 views 6 Comments Print This Post  Email This Post

I am a foodie person by nature. I simply love eating all variety of food. The only type I can’t have is bland food. But consider, I am in a place where only bland food gets served. Not for a day or two, but for months and months. Initially, I don’t have food at all since it’s bland. Then I start having some since I am hungry and it’s necessary (I can’t help it!). And no prizes for guessing that over a period of time, I will be having bland food like normal food. What changed? A food variety which “demotivated” me from eating, a food variety which I would rather go hungry than have, has stopped demotivating me. How did this change happen? How did a person who dislikes eating bland food start eating it regularly?

In my school days, one subject that I really didn’t like was history. It was boring and simply I couldn’t remember stuff. I avoided it all year round with every possible and not possible reasons. But as exams came, I religiously opened my book and read and read and remembered everything. I still didn’t like history. But I studied history anyways. What happens to me the day before history exam? How does this change happen?

There are probably countless examples that I can give from my life where I find myself voluntarily doing activities I don’t like. And I am sure by now you too might have found something in your life which matches with this. But do you know what changes? What is common in all these changes?

I know what you are thinking … the only common thing is that you had no choice. You had to do it. For survival. For clearing exams. You couldn’t afford to think about what you like and whether you are in mood or motivated enough. The stakes were too high. When it is a matter of life and death (literally and figuratively), you don’t really have much choice. You have to do what you have to do.

And you are so right about this. The only question that now I have for you is - Can you re-create this “no choice” feeling/situation for whatever task you wish to do right now. Maybe you are taking up dieting and are finding yourself demotivated. Maybe you want to study further (without exams on head) and are not finding any motivation. Maybe you wish to work on your relationship… whatever you want to do and are here looking for motivation …. Ask yourself this - Can you really afford to leave it to motivation? Do you have the luxury to leave what you want to chance? Is what you want so trivial for you that you are in a way telling yourself - “Let’s see … if I get motivated enough, I will work on this. And hopefully get what I want”.

Fact is, if you want something, then you simply have to go for it and work for it. Like it or not. Are motivated or not. Nothing really matters. Because truth is, you really don’t have a choice. You want something, you have to take actions which lead you to that. We make a mistake of seeing choices when there are none.

You want to slim down, you don’t have a choice whether to exercise or not. You simply HAVE to exercise. You don’t have a choice whether to avoid unhealthy food or eat healthy food. You HAVE to eat healthy food. You are mistaken to think there is a choice in this anywhere. The choice lies in deciding what you want. You can choose whether to be thin or fat. Whether to be fit or unhealthy. But not in whether to work towards what you want.

So ask yourself again - What do you want? How much do you want this? Can you afford to leave what you want to motivation? And … Do you really have a choice??

Photo Courtesy of snarl

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