Hello everyone... probably I should post an introduction but this thread is so close to what I've been thinking about lately that I think I'll just dive in.
I know exactly what Eduard means and I can identify with his sig - though no way would I dream of using it! I could sleep, watch TV and read crummy novels all day - and yet I do have a powerful sense of my purpose in life (which doesn't involve self-administered anaesthesia with pap...).
Steve and Erin have both written/talked about how they jump out of bed in the small hours of the morning because their purpose is so strong they can't wait to get to work. But I think there must be more to it, because if that were all it took, I'd be doing the same. I'm not (yet).
Self-discipline as in pain and kicking myself don't work for long, either. And honestly, Eduard - again looking at your sig, doesn't that indicate that the being-your-own-slavedriver approach isn't working for you, either?
I have a couple of suggestions - one straightforward, one coming at this from a different angle.
One - some kind of daily practice of remembering your long-term goals and making the connection with what you're choosing to do that day. (Not 'what you have to do' - have to? says who? 'Have to' never helped me get anything done, and I'm trying to ban it.) Simpleology 101 (which is free, straightforward and good) taught me this one.
Two - having a powerful sense of purpose doesn't equate to having self-discipline and getting things done because it doesn't cure depression. It helps, but it's not the whole solution. If you're depressed, you don't enjoy anything except things that help you forget yourself. (Like watching movies, reading pap, playing computer games...) It messes with your memory and imagination, so the usual advice to concentrate on the emotions associated with achieving the goal probably won't get you far, either.
Sometimes it's necessary to find a way to change your emotional state first, before anything else can work.  |