What Do You Enjoy Just for Doing?

[Lifeisamazing]

A lot of us on this site are very ambitious and goal-driven. I hope you agree with me that working for a goal just for its sake is mostly pointless, we also have to enjoy the process of getting to the ultimate result. In other words, I wouldn't want to do something I don't like just because it helps me achieve something I do like, especially if it takes a long time.

What are some of the things you like to do for the immediate enjoyment it gives you but is also really good for your long-term goals?

[Rimuel]

The journey/destination paradigm is very much similar to intrinsic/extrinsic motivation.

My recommendation is to always start with something intrinsically motivating, and then find some ways that it could be extrinsically motivating. For example, I have always found solving mathematical questions satisfying, even if I spent hours solving only one question. I sometimes come across a problem in which the solution is not very obvious, and I would spend hours just to solve that problem using my own knowledge about math and my intuition.

I don't love every part of mathematics though. I am mostly interested in certain functions, general formulae, sequences and applied mathematics.

Virtually everything that I find myself intrinsically interested in turns out to have some ROI. Mostly, things that I read I somehow link to a future discussion.

There may be other people who are more motivated by extrinsic motives than intrinsic ones, and so for them, they should start with the external.

[AllTogetherNow]

playing music!!!!!!!

it's something i loved as a kid, i was always musically inclined and my parents nurtured and encouraged it.... i was good at it..... but then life happened while i was busy making other plans, and i left the whole world of music behind.

then i rediscovered it at age 44 - and it gave me such a shot of pure joy that it kicked my ass back to paying attention to this gift i was given. from that moment i've never ignored it again; instead i turned my whole life on a dime, and delved into it with huge passion. now 7 years later, I'm a professional musician. Playing the music, studying it, and learning more about it both on my own and as a member of a band, has now become my conscious path, in addition to being what i'm naturally drawn to - which means it's just so much FUN!, hehe, that I'm constantly motivated, inspired, and moved by the beauty of the music and the instrument. So it's a natural, effortless progression to constantly want to learn more, and i see all kinds of goals to work towards within that context, all the time.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have re-discovered my deepest childhood passion. Expanding upon it, and doing it mindfully/purposefully, gives me GREAT JOY and relaxation, and at the same time is a constant learning experience. Practice is meditation, being in a band is a constant life-lesson in communication, being 'in relationship' with others, teamwork, getting along in life with people who are completely different from oneself... and performing is pure joy.

for all those times i've heard "be the ball" (LOL, thanks chevy chase), "be in the moment", "be here now" - and didn't quite understand what the heck ppl were talking about........
i FINALLY 'get it'. while playing music, there is no room for any other moment but this one, now, and now, and now, and now. the second i let the mind wander, or allow the mind to start 'thinking', I mess up. and cause i love it, it's easy to keep full focus in the moment. it's a pleasure, effortlessly mindful, not some 'exercise' i have to force myself to do, it just is.

This is something i never fully got from any of the other paths i've explored or studied over the years. While I gained loads of excellent life-learning and experience, and many things resonated for me & became integrated into 'who i am', still, at some point i always kinda fizzled out with all of them.

but THIS thing occurs for me as endless, exponential, shining possibility. it's a fabulous lesson in living totally in the moment in joy; and at the same time, a context in which to keep growing, and achieving greater goals, and it all happens effortlessly, because it's something i love doing every moment I'm doing it. that in itself gives rise to natural forward movement in all areas, an endless number of goals, and things i want to acheive, just keep showing up.

i've heard 'do what you love' all my life but always heard it as a platitude, and invariably smdh and said "Yeah, right". I never knew it was actually possible. i truly never thought i'd have it like this. and it's awesome.

.

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by Rimuel

Virtually everything that I find myself intrinsically interested in turns out to have some ROI. Mostly, things that I read I somehow link to a future discussion.

That's awesome, but for most it's probably way different. From what I've understood, most people would like to party or talk about partying. How does one learn to enjoy studying?

[Lifeisamazing]

Originally Posted by AllTogetherNow

I feel incredibly fortunate to have re-discovered my deepest childhood passion.

Make sure that you don't let it slip away again and really further grow the passion.

Originally Posted by AllTogetherNow

for all those times i've heard "be the ball" (LOL, thanks chevy chase), "be in the moment", "be here now" - and didn't quite understand what the heck ppl were talking about........
i FINALLY 'get it'. while playing music, there is no room for any other moment but this one, now, and now, and now, and now. the second i let the mind wander, or allow the mind to start 'thinking', I mess up. and cause i love it, it's easy to keep full focus in the moment. it's a pleasure, effortlessly mindful, not some 'exercise' i have to force myself to do, it just is.

This is exactly what I was looking for with my topic. I've become very idealistic and future-oriented person. I'm pretty much always in the future. This obviously takes away from the enjoyment and makes me obsess over my improvement. I'm seriously trying to become perfect even though I know it's not possible.

How many things can help you achieve this state of mind? It's also called flow. I think music, sport, writing, and speaking to someone are the main things that people generally can achieve flow in. For other activities, it's very hard to be completely in the moment and think of nothing else. Do you have any other in mind?

[Cidwind]

Originally Posted by Lifeisamazing

A lot of us on this site are very ambitious and goal-driven. I hope you agree with me that working for a goal just for its sake is mostly pointless, we also have to enjoy the process of getting to the ultimate result. In other words, I wouldn't want to do something I don't like just because it helps me achieve something I do like, especially if it takes a long time.

What are some of the things you like to do for the immediate enjoyment it gives you but is also really good for your long-term goals?

Math. I know that sounds weird but I enjoy doing random calculations merely because "I'm curious" or "I wonder what"
Math hasn't helped me much in my job yet, but I plan on moving specializations a little so it will...bet you could guess my occupation lol

[Cidwind]

Originally Posted by Rimuel

The journey/destination paradigm is very much similar to intrinsic/extrinsic motivation.

My recommendation is to always start with something intrinsically motivating, and then find some ways that it could be extrinsically motivating. For example, I have always found solving mathematical questions satisfying, even if I spent hours solving only one question. I sometimes come across a problem in which the solution is not very obvious, and I would spend hours just to solve that problem using my own knowledge about math and my intuition.

I don't love every part of mathematics though. I am mostly interested in certain functions, general formulae, sequences and applied mathematics.

Virtually everything that I find myself intrinsically interested in turns out to have some ROI. Mostly, things that I read I somehow link to a future discussion.

There may be other people who are more motivated by extrinsic motives than intrinsic ones, and so for them, they should start with the external.

So I probably should have read your response before I answered...seems we share a passion...math. Glad to know I'm not alone

[Clint Cora]

This is easy! For me, the one thing that really comes into mind is either taking my two dogs out into the woods (which we do several times per week from spring to autumn) or just chilling out with them while I read or watch TV. It's high quality time spent with them that helps give me balance which is important for my long term goals and success. Having dogs in my life is one of the best decisions I've ever made. The return on investment as a pet owner is infinite!

[tevag]

Hi,

I totally understand your point. For me, the thing I love doing is fitness! I love especially cardio sports such us aerobic, step, jogging. Last year I accidentally discovered another activity that boost my energy...it is capoeira!

So, sports make me happy and doing some exercise gives me courage and motivation to do other things that I have to do! Off-course, fitness is also really good for your long-term goals!

[Rimuel]

@Lifeisamazing:

I don't think one can learn to intrinsically enjoy studying; it's very much like preferences and tastes in that you either enjoy it or you don't.

If you want to learn to enjoy studying a subject you don't like it'd be an even more daunting task.

If you like the subject but every time you want to study somehow it feels off, then it may be the approach which is incompatible with your personality. I cannot use formulae or concepts I don't understand; if I try to, sooner or later I will "break", psychologically. Therefore I include some steps in my studies to allow me to obtain sufficient understanding of the concepts.

I also dislike reading the same text over and over again. But from previous experiments, I know I need some repetition. I made sure to include enough repetition in my study plan but not enough to irritate me.

You may have to go out and experience difference things to find out what allows you to flow. Explore new contents (topics) and/or use difference approaches to the same content. You may find out something about yourself that way. You can also try the MBTI test to find out how you process information. From my own experience, activities that engage my dominant and auxilliary functions are the activities most likely to induce flow.

There's an activity that I'm embarrassed to reveal (cuz I'm not good at it) that induces flow easily. Singing to myself. When I sing to myself a song that I'm fond of, my mind becomes one with my voice. It's literally impossible for me to do something else when I'm in this mode.

Solving a mathematical conundrum that has practical relevance to myself also induces flow, though the feeling is different. I also enjoy following through plans that I set up. I enjoy reading text written in an old style (e.g. like the writings of philosophers). I find that those text have a rare beauty in them.

I am very future-oriented myself. Some of the tips that may help you are:

- Just start the project and do what you can. Polish later.
- Half-glass full approach instead of half-glass empty. If you exercise 15 minutes a day, instead of saying "13 minutes left" say "it's 2 minutes already!"

@Cid:

I think there are many people who enjoy math, although they are overshadowed by the sheer number of people who hate them. I'd actually like to improve on the reputation of math among students. This is one of my future projects.

Solve this problem: Given two sets with numbers 1-10 each, you are to pair each number from one set with another number from the other set. Pair the numbers in such a way that the sum of the difference of the two numbers for the whole set is maximum. Derive a general formula to calculate this.

[AllTogetherNow]

I'm seriously trying to become perfect even though I know it's not possible.

How many things can help you achieve this state of mind? It's also called flow. I think music, sport, writing, and speaking to someone are the main things that people generally can achieve flow in. For other activities, it's very hard to be completely in the moment and think of nothing else. Do you have any other in mind?

imho there is no "perfect". For me, that's just a never-ending reinforcement of "not good enough". Seeking perfection dumps me out of the flow, and out of the 'now' - because, of course, 'now' is never good enough when one is always living in the expectation that some future moment will be the 'perfect' one. That means that 'now' isn't perfect, and therefore not OK.

so for me, good enough is good enough; i am happy, gratified, and satisfied regardless of perfection. And - bonus!! - sometimes things DO come out 'perfect'. When we're performing, sometimes this thing happens where the music is 'playing us' -- the humans and instruments 'gel' together in some combination that puts us on another plane altogether; merely as a conduit for some kind of undefinable energy that comes through --and the music comes out note-for-note perfect. we're high with no drugs; and when i come off the stage it's like i'm coming back from some out-of-body experience, some other time and place altogether, sometimes i can't even speak to people for a good 20 minutes til i come back into my body. most people can't get it at all when i say "wow that was better than sex!" lol. it's unexplainable but it's real.

i also think that it's not a matter of any specific 'activity' - it can be whatever makes one's own heart sing. for some it's music, sport, writing - for others it could be, say, giving speeches or presentations at work; solving math problems, being in nature, even doing housework can be a meditation; or singing to oneself for the person who mentioned that. Whether one is good at it or not is irrelevant. The point is, it takes you out of past or future and puts you in the NOW, now, and everything else disappears.

i also think chasing it, or trying to 'figure out' what activity is the 'right' one, won't get you there. It's a paradox - trying too hard for something inherently puts one outside of the flow, because you're always living in expectation of the future; as in; "if ONLY i could be/do/have 'xyz' that will fix everything" - and that, of course, is the opposite of 'going with the flow'.

so - imho, to be in the flow, one has to go with the flow. (i know that sounds airy-fairy - how do you do something when you're LOOKING for how to do that something??) -- what i mean by that is, if you live in the moment of now, relaxed and trusting the universe that where you are right now is where you're supposed to be right now, then it will just happen; at some moment you'll be aware of the activity that 'does it' for you. just being relaxed while living in the moment, and letting go of an attachment to one specific outcome as being the only acceptable 'perfect' result, can create the free and open atmosphere for it to manifest. I never 'intended' to rediscover music and make it my whole life - i was just living life and moving along, then when it occurred, it went "CLUNK" for me immediately and i just KNEW it was meant to be. it was like being reminded of some fundamental truth that i had always known but had forgotten. after that, nothing else mattered.

so i would say that instead of chasing perfection, maybe you could try on 'being here now'. Go through your days intending to stay relaxed, not looking for anything, just knowing (or even just declaring to yourself) that each moment, right now, is exactly right and exactly where you belong. That can bring calmness and mindfullness. As each moment of life unfolds before your eyes, many activities will come your way, and at some point, one of them will be the one that 'does it' for you.

[Brutha]

What are some of the things you like to do for the immediate enjoyment it gives you but is also really good for your long-term goals?

Dancing is an activity that quite fun and also great for my long term goals and in which I engage frequently on my own shedule.

Giving interviews to journalists is quite fun.

The Quantified Self Europe Conference in Amsterdam was a lot of fun, I made massive amount of personal growth and develop important connections.
As far as the personal growth goes my roommate said that I came back completely changed.

[Alice Hive]

Personally I'm trying to make money from my passions so any amount of time I invest in them isn't only enjoyable but also helps me with my long term goals.