Everyone is born lazy. So how/why do some cast laziness aside while others don’t?

[The Backward OX]

Laziness has cost me numerous positions of paid employment, plus one marriage and other relationships.

A desire for money has never been effective as an incentive. Nor has a desire to be better than anyone else at anything.

I’d really like to know what it is about others that makes it possible for them to overcome laziness. If I can learn this, maybe I can apply it to myself.

[vladimirsan]

For me...part of it comes down to the "meaning of life"...let me explain myself...

I believe that the meaning of life is to be happy...I love RPG Games...I love playing and creating them..for me there isn't a greater source of joy than doing just that...and the "meca" of RPG game programming is japan (this i because I really love jRPG)...so I don't need any special "method" to overcome laziness in this area..just...realizing my current situation...realizing what I love... realizing what I want...and finally (but this is the most important thing) realizing that this is MY meaning in life...that's my source of joy...

But in life sometimes you are forced to do things that you...really don't want to do...or you may want to do them but...they are really uncomfortable...what I usually do is keep the #^#* eyes on the &@^@&$@& goal!! just think about what are you trying to achieve by doing this thing....later you may want to focus also on some things that you enjoy about the activity (for example running)....

Also...by doing meditation I learned that the mind is just like a baby/puppy...usually the the (unconscious) mind just seeks the most immediate form of pleasure... and we know just what gives us this don't we? . Fortunately is up to you to decide when are you going to listen to this primal desires..or when will you go after long term achievements that requires some temporary discomfort...

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

A desire for money has never been effective as an incentive. Nor has a desire to be better than anyone else at anything.

A realy good song called Aqua Times says this:

"You dont have to force your smiles for anyone..It's okay to smile for yourself"

Where I'm going with this...is that you usually don't need to look outside yourself for a reason to do something...think about what do you want FOR YOU...

You just need to ask yourself...do I want this?...do I really want this?...if the answer is yes...then just move your ass and DO IT...no excuses...just do it! It'll be hard (really hard) at first...but eventually It'll be easier...

hope this helps

[James81]

What do you mean by being lazy? And, what is it about laziness that cost you all those things?

[Sharlotta]

I think, lazy people - are people with low energy. Other people just have so much energy that they can't sit on the place. I'm lazy till I drink coffee

[Sharlotta]

Originally Posted by vladimirsan

You just need to ask yourself...do I want this?...do I really want this?...if the answer is yes...then just move your ass and DO IT...no excuses...just do it! It'll be hard (really hard) at first...but eventually It'll be easier...

hope this helps

There is something, that we must do.
I noticed, that I don't want to do something when I start to think, to choose variants: "to do or not to do?", "may be I could do something else?". When I stop these thoughts, I can do my work further.

[moonrambler]

Everyone is born lazy? Have you ever spent time with a little kid?

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by James81

What do you mean by being lazy? And, what is it about laziness that cost you all those things?

We have a 'no-fault' divorce code. Some years after my wife divorced me, I asked her why she’d done so.

“Because you never wanted to do anything,” was her reply.

[mindset]

Maybe you just lack the inspiration to be working so hard and not be lazy all the time. Have you thought of a point in your life wherein you had the most fun and loved to continue doing? Rediscover that thing and associate it with a work that can be very well your line of interest. You can start from there and work your way up to finding a partner who encourages you to do your best. People who inspire us and the things that we actually love doing are two most basic factors that would keep one to be on the roll and work hard. Just my two cents!

[James81]

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

We have a 'no-fault' divorce code. Some years after my wife divorced me, I asked her why she’d done so.

“Because you never wanted to do anything,” was her reply.

So, being lazy, to you, means that you just don't want to do anything? It's more about the desire than it is about the action itself?

[Federer]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

Everyone is born lazy? Have you ever spent time with a little kid?

Exactly, the OP will find kid is the best example of LOA. Kids can get anything they want.

I was happy and naughty kid. So i believe everyone is born RICH.

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

We have a 'no-fault' divorce code. Some years after my wife divorced me, I asked her why she’d done so.

This is interesting, that it took you "some years" to ask your wife why she divorced you. Most people would be asking as soon as the subject came up!

[Angela]

Oxy, it's just a matter of distinguishing what inspires and motivates you, a process which can easily be done while lounging languidly on the sofa.

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by James81

So, being lazy, to you, means that you just don't want to do anything? It's more about the desire than it is about the action itself?

If one is active they're not lazy. Of course it's about the desire.

[James81]

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

If one is active they're not lazy. Of course it's about the desire.

What I meant was, it's not the actual "being lazy" (the doing nothing) part that you think of as lazy...but, rather, it's more of a lack of desire to do anything.

Do you see the difference in what I'm asking?

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by James81

What I meant was, it's not the actual "being lazy" (the doing nothing) part that you think of as lazy...but, rather, it's more of a lack of desire to do anything.

Do you see the difference in what I'm asking?

As William Shakespeare is supposed to have said, "That which we call a rose, by any other name smells sweet." It doesn't really matter which terminology is used, the fact remains that nothing is done. And that's what puzzles me. Why do some people want to be forever doing stuff? Or should that be, why are some people forever doing stuff?

[Savage]

Since my Mom drank 6 cups of coffee a day while I was in the womb, I was born caffeinated.

[Lena Carpenter]

Looking at my three-year-old, it's easy to lose this belief, that everyone is born lazy. He is constantly busy, from the moment he wakes up and until he passes out. He LOVES everything he does. If something is not inspiring to him, he finds something else to do. What a cool way to live!

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Since my Mom drank 6 cups of coffee a day while I was in the womb, I was born caffeinated.

Our Mother of Perpetual Motion!

[RomanHD]

Check out this Wikipedia entry, it lists a lot of possible causes:

Apathy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Brutha]

Looking at my three-year-old, it's easy to lose this belief, that everyone is born lazy. He is constantly busy, from the moment he wakes up and until he passes out. He LOVES everything he does. If something is not inspiring to him, he finds something else to do. What a cool way to live!

Yes, you have a hart time labeling three year olds as lazy.

A desire for money has never been effective as an incentive. Nor has a desire to be better than anyone else at anything.

Nobody is nearly motivated by either of those.
We are motivated by what gives us approval of others. Some men want to earn a lot of money to buy that expensive car to get approval from friends.

Another way to get motivated is to strive for a course that's bigger than yourself.

Thirdly, chemical stuff. If you don't have enough oxygen and water in your body than you likely won't have a lot of energy to do stuff.

[RomanHD]

Also: YouTube - RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

[Tim Brownson]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

this is interesting, that it took you "some years" to ask your wife why she divorced you. Most people would be asking as soon as the subject came up!

lmao!

[BeMeBetter]

I don't believe everyone is born lazy. I believe we learn to do/not to do things in life. It's always a matter of matching the right person with the right activity. Remember, Bill Gates dropped out of college because it bored him. Looks like he found something that motivated him!

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

Laziness has cost me numerous positions of paid employment, plus one marriage and other relationships.

A desire for money has never been effective as an incentive. Nor has a desire to be better than anyone else at anything.

I’d really like to know what it is about others that makes it possible for them to overcome laziness. If I can learn this, maybe I can apply it to myself.

Can I say something, and hope that it doesn't sound too un-PC?

Your demographics suggest that you are quite likely to have a rather .... laid-back .... attitude to life.

You are an Australian. Your age (I know your rough age) also indicates that you belong to that generation of Australians who definitely do take a very casual and easygoing attitude to life.

Furthermore you live in Queensland.

Time just moves differently in your society. It's easy to be lazy in your world. Put your feet up in the backyard, toss another slab of beef on the barbie, relax and watch the chooks and boomers pass by.

Australians have a strong disincentive to get motivated. Income tax rates are too high and the welfare benefits are too good. It often makes more sense to laze around the house and collect welfare, than to go to work, earn money and have the government tax away half of it.

After a while, it seeps into the general culture. Australia also has a lot of space; beautiful beaches; great waves for surfing; plenty of sunlight to bask in; vineyards with cheap good wine; and placid-looking sheep grazing langorously. It all contributes to the general atmosphere of time moving very slowly.

Summary - it's very easy to become lazy in Australia.

[ZephyrusX]

Have you ruled out medical and dietary reasons for your lack of inactivity? I lived with anaemia for several years before I finally went to the doctor about it. I just thought my lack of energy was ‘normal‘ for the longest time until it got really bad. There are multiple medical and dietary reasons why a person may not have the energy to do anything.

Besides that, I would recommend evaluating what your idea of laziness is and how it differs from living a slow and relaxed life. In my teens and early twenties, I lived up the cultural ideal of keeping ‘busy’ because I felt pressured to do so. I’ve only recently started stripping away the things in my life I don’t actually want and finding the things that actually give me an internal sense of motivation and validation. Sometimes I just take a day off to simply doze in the sun and listen to music or the birds because that is honestly all I want to do. I don’t see it as laziness though. I just like living a relaxed, slow paced life at the present moment and I can get away with it financially. So why not?

[Lioness]

Hopefully, the OP hasn't simply posted and abandoned this thread, as he has not responded in more than 24 hours.

Anyhoo, I think everyone is born with different levels of energy, but human nature is to avoid the things we don't want to do, even if we know that they would be beneficial to us. Some people are more inclined whether by nature, or by nurture, to exercise self-discipline and override the impulse to avoid unpleasant tasks and do what needs to be done, while others are more inclined to give in to procrastination.

I would want to know from Backward Ox, was he just a total lump that did not not want to do ANYTHING, even fun things, such as going to the beach, vacation travel, go to restaurants/movies/entertainment venues, play sports, party with friends, other hobbies, or was he just unmotivated to do chores, aim for promotion at work. and be "responsible". Not wanting to do ANYTHING, speaks to depression and /or lack of purpose. Refusing to do anything not fun or exciting, speaks to a lack of self-discipline. There is a difference.

[supertom]

Originally Posted by James81

What do you mean by being lazy? And, what is it about laziness that cost you all those things?

Actually I never of this. I think I would say - Lack of effort associated with your desires". But than you could go on and say something fear or no passion will produce similar results. Im gonna say lack of effort to what society or others demand of you

Im proud to be lazy.

[rickrock]

Steve! We have found the root to your wisdom!!

I think that !maybe! most laziness is stemmed from lack of independance. When things are taken care of for you, you have no reason to cast those manners aside.

[The Backward OX]

Originally Posted by Lioness

Hopefully, the OP hasn't simply posted and abandoned this thread, as he has not responded in more than 24 hours.

Anyhoo, I think everyone is born with different levels of energy, but human nature is to avoid the things we don't want to do, even if we know that they would be beneficial to us. Some people are more inclined whether by nature, or by nurture, to exercise self-discipline and override the impulse to avoid unpleasant tasks and do what needs to be done, while others are more inclined to give in to procrastination.

I would want to know from Backward Ox, was he just a total lump that did not not want to do ANYTHING, even fun things, such as going to the beach, vacation travel, go to restaurants/movies/entertainment venues, play sports, party with friends, other hobbies, or was he just unmotivated to do chores, aim for promotion at work. and be "responsible". Not wanting to do ANYTHING, speaks to depression and /or lack of purpose. Refusing to do anything not fun or exciting, speaks to a lack of self-discipline. There is a difference.

15.5 hours to when you posted, more like. You possibly live in a different time zone, and people do have to sleep. Plus visit the optometrist, and post on a few other sites, and play with the cat, and, you know…

Okay, the fun things: I’d do them for a time then lose interest.

The not-fun things: there is a school of thought that when we die, all we can take with us is knowledge and that therefore there isn’t much point in all the material striving. I’m not saying I subscribe to that school of thought, I’m just saying. But anyway, I’ve been sacked from about nine or ten jobs, I’ve walked off from as many more, and in all cases loss of interest was what caused the change. So I lack self-discipline. I was born lazy. Like I said in the beginning. And I’m just a bit curious about why some don’t have that problem.

[MISTIK]

personally when I have something to do and thoughts like: it's not urgent, you can do it later,I'm tired I need to have some rest... start running through my mind I stop thinking and start doing it.