Blaugust2025. I’m a couple of days late for the weeks topic. Staying Motivated. If it wasn’t for the last minute…
What tricks do you use to keep yourself motivated when something feels impossible?
Motivation is a rare commodity. For me it is anyway. If I waited to feel motivated I’d never get anything done. I do lots of things without feeling especially motivated. I like nothing more that sitting around being distracted by one thing after another after another. Living like time is for losers. Put off, avoid, neglect, shirk. What ever other term that fits lounging about with not a care in the world.
Motivation is for doing stuff I do not want to do. I don’t need to feel motivated to do the stuff I want to do. I just do that. I am deliberately ignoring standard definitions of motivation.
Given it’s a topic suggested for Blaugust2025 I’m inferring the question links to how to keep blogging every day throughout the month. To extrapolate this inquiry into other areas of life. That’s what I’m doing anyway.
So going on the premise of not feeling motivated how do I get anything done at all? A few things come to mind. Maybe more will come later. You can counter what follows with what ever you like about the nature of motivation.
- I get things done because I’m bored or feeling stuck. With whatever it is that I am already doing. I do so many things as a means of distraction.
- I get things done as a favour for my future self.
- I get things done because I am inspired to. Admiration, appreciation and sometimes the notion that I’d quite like to be the type of person that does that thing too.
- I get things done because I have made a decision to do that thing. It may not, is often not, a well thought out decision, but nevertheless when I decide to do something I keep going until I’ve done it. I think that’s something to do with some notion of personal integrity. Once again, that notion is probably not very well thought through. Mental heuristics are both a super power and weakness of mine.
- I get things done because I have to. Because of need. A lack of imagination. Being risk averse. I work to earn money. I earn money to take care of my family. You get the idea.
- I get things done to meet contractual expectations. Employment, finance, familial, societal obligations and so on.
I am lazy and aimless by default. In a conservation of energy and free spirit kind way. I don’t need to be motivated to get things done. I just get on and do stuff regardless.
When thing’s feel impossible? If something feels impossible I’m not even going to try. If I decide to have a go and do something I’ll leave it to others to pontificate over whether me doing that thing is possible or not. I will find a way. I will adapt. I’ll use my imagination. I will take a different approach. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Self belief goes a long way.
What are your blogging goals? Do you think participating in Blaugust is getting you closer to where you want be?
I have no blogging goals. I am where I want to be. This is a work in progress. Think of it like age. There is no special age I want to be. I am the age I am. No other age could be better.
I do not use any analytics. I do not write for others. I would not know where to start. Second guessing is a fools errand, a commercial pursuit or a savants gift. Whatever it may be I’ve never been any good at it anyway. I’m quite happy just blogging for myself. It’s gratifying when someone comments on a post. I’m grateful for that. It’s nice to be noticed but it’s not something I seek. Blogging is not a means to an end. It’s an end in itself.
I do not blog consistently. Some years I’ve not blogged at all. That’s okay with me. No regrets. I was distracted by other things at the time.
When I do blog it’s because I like the distraction of doing so at the time. Because I am enjoying the process. The thinking it generates. The inputs and outputs. These are all outcomes not goals.
Taking part in Blaugust is an exercise in seeing something through to the end. That’s a good thing to do in my books, whatever the endeavor may be. Blaugust just happens to be the vehicle at this point in time.
What do you think you’ll get out of completing your Blaugust goals?
There are no Blaugust goals. There is only the decision to take part. To publish a post each day since choosing to do so. The experience of taking part. That’s not a goal either. Think journey not destination.
What drives you to blog?
It’s a choice. However, it would be obtuse to pretend that choice just popped into being out of the blue. Nothing is exempt from cause and effect. Did someone at the back mutter something about free will? I may come to that some other time. For now allow me to refer you back a previous replies - admiration, appreciation and sometimes the notion that I’d quite like to be the type of person that does that thing too.
Are you happy with your Blaugust so far? If so, why? If not, why not?
The only thing that makes me happy or otherwise is myself. I experience the world. What I make of that is a choice. Why would I choose to be unhappy? If I was not happy with my Blaugust so far I guess I would be unhappy. That makes no sense to me at all.
How important is goal setting & reaching your goals to you overall?
I think of goals as beneficial rather than important. I can’t think of anything right now that’s important in and of itself. Importance for me is derived from perceived value. If I can derive some benefit of pursuing a goal that’s good enough. There is value in that. Reaching a goal is not the be all and end all. It’s a bonus. The value is in the pursuit. The practice. The exercise. The experience. Back to journey not destination.
Did you read any posts during Blaugust (or before) that you found particularly inspirational? Share them!
I enjoyed discovering and keeping up to date with a good few blogs that were new to me. This is not the same as being inspired. To me inspired means prompted to take action, or at a push, being given an idea to act on. I was prompted to take action by four blogs. In no particular order -
- skryblans The writing makes me laugh. I get self deferential notes in the posts. I also like the design.
- hi, this is ava Pretty sure Ava is something of a big fish in the small pool of indiebloggers I have recently found myself in. I very much suspect Ava would disagree. As it goes I don’t subscribe to Ava’s take on a lot of the stuff she writes about. I do not share her interests. I do admire her unapologetic honesty. Her authenticity. The confidence to have and hold a position, and the humility and foresight to reserve the right to change that position should new information come to light that persuades her to do so.
- prickly oxheart I am captivated by anything that prompts me to take stock and reflect on the everyday. To question personal norms. To reconsider what I take for granted, and to see what seems mundane through a new prism. prickly oxheart’s writing does that for me.
- V.H Belvadi I really admire and appreciate everything I find here. The aesthetics of the site. The way content is organised. The quality of writing. Generosity of spirit. The photos shared. Top notch.