a little while back I was walking on my way from home from school to home when I
way from home from school to home when I
way from home from school to home when I suddenly realized that it had a 1000
suddenly realized that it had a 1000
suddenly realized that it had a 1000 word paper do the very next morning so
word paper do the very next morning so
word paper do the very next morning so in a panic I ran home I sat at my desk
in a panic I ran home I sat at my desk
in a panic I ran home I sat at my desk and I stared blankly at my computer
and I stared blankly at my computer
and I stared blankly at my computer screen to be perfectly honest I wished I
screen to be perfectly honest I wished I
screen to be perfectly honest I wished I could be anywhere but here doing
could be anywhere but here doing
could be anywhere but here doing anything but this so i sat there like a
anything but this so i sat there like a
anything but this so i sat there like a rock waiting for magic to happen waiting
rock waiting for magic to happen waiting
rock waiting for magic to happen waiting for inspiration to just hit me
for inspiration to just hit me
for inspiration to just hit me unsurprisingly it didn’t now as any
unsurprisingly it didn’t now as any
unsurprisingly it didn’t now as any reasonable person and my position would
reasonable person and my position would
reasonable person and my position would do I told myself you know what you
do I told myself you know what you
do I told myself you know what you should take a short five-minute break no
should take a short five-minute break no
should take a short five-minute break no less no longer before I knew it I was
less no longer before I knew it I was
less no longer before I knew it I was knee-deep into this and a whole lot of
knee-deep into this and a whole lot of
knee-deep into this and a whole lot of this
they say that optimism is telling
they say that optimism is telling yourself and managing to convince
yourself and managing to convince
yourself and managing to convince yourself that you can watch a full
yourself that you can watch a full
yourself that you can watch a full 20-minute episode of Netflix in less
20-minute episode of Netflix in less
20-minute episode of Netflix in less than five minutes well if that’s true
than five minutes well if that’s true
than five minutes well if that’s true that I’m quite an optimist but all
that I’m quite an optimist but all
that I’m quite an optimist but all seriousness I think this is a classic
seriousness I think this is a classic
seriousness I think this is a classic example of the trade-off between
example of the trade-off between
example of the trade-off between motivation and procrastination and it
motivation and procrastination and it
motivation and procrastination and it goes a little bit like this you keep
goes a little bit like this you keep
goes a little bit like this you keep procrastinating and procrastinating
procrastinating and procrastinating
procrastinating and procrastinating until one day something gives maybe you
until one day something gives maybe you
until one day something gives maybe you pull one too many all-nighters and then
pull one too many all-nighters and then
pull one too many all-nighters and then you suddenly realize that you just can’t
you suddenly realize that you just can’t
you suddenly realize that you just can’t afford to keep putting your work off to
afford to keep putting your work off to
afford to keep putting your work off to the last minute whatever it is you
the last minute whatever it is you
the last minute whatever it is you realize that your intent and your
realize that your intent and your
realize that your intent and your actions don’t meet so you make the
actions don’t meet so you make the
actions don’t meet so you make the resolution to commit to something new
resolution to commit to something new
resolution to commit to something new and it might work for a few days maybe a
and it might work for a few days maybe a
and it might work for a few days maybe a few weeks or maybe even a month if
few weeks or maybe even a month if
few weeks or maybe even a month if you’re lucky but chances are sooner or
you’re lucky but chances are sooner or
you’re lucky but chances are sooner or later you’ll end up relapsing and then
later you’ll end up relapsing and then
later you’ll end up relapsing and then the all-too-familiar feelings of guilt
the all-too-familiar feelings of guilt
the all-too-familiar feelings of guilt anxiety self-loathing will set in and
anxiety self-loathing will set in and
anxiety self-loathing will set in and what do you do you go back to your
what do you do you go back to your
what do you do you go back to your resolution and so the process repeats
resolution and so the process repeats
resolution and so the process repeats and it repeats you’re basically like
and it repeats you’re basically like
and it repeats you’re basically like Tarzan swinging from vine to vine from
Tarzan swinging from vine to vine from
Tarzan swinging from vine to vine from the person you used to be and the person
the person you used to be and the person
the person you used to be and the person you want to be so why is it so hard to
you want to be so why is it so hard to
you want to be so why is it so hard to stay resolute on a resolution well
stay resolute on a resolution well
stay resolute on a resolution well there’s a simple answer and a not so
there’s a simple answer and a not so
there’s a simple answer and a not so simple answer so start with a simpler
simple answer so start with a simpler
simple answer so start with a simpler answer simply put motivation is finite
answer simply put motivation is finite
answer simply put motivation is finite so when you’re saying when you say your
so when you’re saying when you say your
so when you’re saying when you say your goals way too high often times you run
goals way too high often times you run
goals way too high often times you run out of motivation too quickly so I’ll
out of motivation too quickly so I’ll
out of motivation too quickly so I’ll start with a personal example if I told
start with a personal example if I told
start with a personal example if I told myself that I wanted to wake up every
myself that I wanted to wake up every
myself that I wanted to wake up every morning at 4 a.m. and exercise for 45
morning at 4 a.m. and exercise for 45
morning at 4 a.m. and exercise for 45 minutes every day I may wake up bushy
minutes every day I may wake up bushy
minutes every day I may wake up bushy eyed every morning for two days but two
eyed every morning for two days but two
eyed every morning for two days but two weeks later we know that that motivation
weeks later we know that that motivation
weeks later we know that that motivation will be replaced by and I’ll do it later
will be replaced by and I’ll do it later
will be replaced by and I’ll do it later what’s the problem here I set my sights
what’s the problem here I set my sights
what’s the problem here I set my sights too high what you really need to do is
too high what you really need to do is
too high what you really need to do is tell yourself you know what I’ll wake up
tell yourself you know what I’ll wake up
tell yourself you know what I’ll wake up at 5:00 and I’ll exercise for 10 minutes
at 5:00 and I’ll exercise for 10 minutes
at 5:00 and I’ll exercise for 10 minutes every day and then you do that for a
every day and then you do that for a
every day and then you do that for a week once that habit is formed you make
week once that habit is formed you make
week once that habit is formed you make that into 15 min
that into 15 min
that into 15 min and then 20 minutes and so the habit is
and then 20 minutes and so the habit is
and then 20 minutes and so the habit is formed if you start small and work and
formed if you start small and work and
formed if you start small and work and form that habit and then you work your
form that habit and then you work your
form that habit and then you work your way up it’s a lot easier so I’ve given
way up it’s a lot easier so I’ve given
way up it’s a lot easier so I’ve given the simple answer so what’s the not so
the simple answer so what’s the not so
the simple answer so what’s the not so simple answer because the answer is not
simple answer because the answer is not
simple answer because the answer is not so simple I’ll take some help from a
so simple I’ll take some help from a
so simple I’ll take some help from a study that was conducted by professors
study that was conducted by professors
study that was conducted by professors from MIT Carnegie Mellon and the
from MIT Carnegie Mellon and the
from MIT Carnegie Mellon and the University of Chicago the study was
University of Chicago the study was
University of Chicago the study was quite interesting it looked at the
quite interesting it looked at the
quite interesting it looked at the effects of extrinsic rewards on
effects of extrinsic rewards on
effects of extrinsic rewards on individual performance what they found
individual performance what they found
individual performance what they found was that people completed tasks the best
was that people completed tasks the best
was that people completed tasks the best when they did them for their own sake
when they did them for their own sake
when they did them for their own sake when they did them because they enjoyed
when they did them because they enjoyed
when they did them because they enjoyed them not because they wanted an
them not because they wanted an
them not because they wanted an extrinsic reward now at the time this
extrinsic reward now at the time this
extrinsic reward now at the time this was groundbreaking because why do people
was groundbreaking because why do people
was groundbreaking because why do people exercise because they want to get fit
exercise because they want to get fit
exercise because they want to get fit and it’s that end goal which motivates
and it’s that end goal which motivates
and it’s that end goal which motivates them to exercise right or so we thought
them to exercise right or so we thought
them to exercise right or so we thought what this study tells us is that the
what this study tells us is that the
what this study tells us is that the most important thing to maintaining a
most important thing to maintaining a
most important thing to maintaining a habit is getting buy-in from yourself
habit is getting buy-in from yourself
habit is getting buy-in from yourself it’s not enough to just enjoy the
it’s not enough to just enjoy the
it’s not enough to just enjoy the outcome you have to enjoy the process
outcome you have to enjoy the process
outcome you have to enjoy the process and only then will the outcome follow
and only then will the outcome follow
and only then will the outcome follow think about it think about examples from
think about it think about examples from
think about it think about examples from your own personal life that time when
your own personal life that time when
your own personal life that time when you wrote that essay or you submitted
you wrote that essay or you submitted
you wrote that essay or you submitted that assignment that you were really
that assignment that you were really
that assignment that you were really proud of did you write it on the back of
proud of did you write it on the back of
proud of did you write it on the back of a napkin in the five minutes before the
a napkin in the five minutes before the
a napkin in the five minutes before the deadline just because you want it to get
deadline just because you want it to get
deadline just because you want it to get it over with
it over with
it over with or did you work tirelessly at it did you
or did you work tirelessly at it did you
or did you work tirelessly at it did you work so hard that you didn’t even notice
work so hard that you didn’t even notice
work so hard that you didn’t even notice the time going by that is what
the time going by that is what
the time going by that is what motivation is when you’re so emotionally
motivation is when you’re so emotionally
motivation is when you’re so emotionally invested in the process that the outcome
invested in the process that the outcome
invested in the process that the outcome ceases to become important if you look
ceases to become important if you look
ceases to become important if you look at people who are truly motivated they
at people who are truly motivated they
at people who are truly motivated they don’t need to force themselves out of
don’t need to force themselves out of
don’t need to force themselves out of bed every morning to do work they just
bed every morning to do work they just
bed every morning to do work they just work and it just comes to that but you
work and it just comes to that but you
work and it just comes to that but you might be asking sure it may come to
might be asking sure it may come to
might be asking sure it may come to certain people but what if I’m not one
certain people but what if I’m not one
certain people but what if I’m not one of those people well here’s the thing
of those people well here’s the thing
of those people well here’s the thing right motivation is a skill and like any
right motivation is a skill and like any
right motivation is a skill and like any skill it can be taught and it can be
skill it can be taught and it can be
skill it can be taught and it can be learned what this study told us is that
learned what this study told us is that
learned what this study told us is that the key secrets to motivation is
the key secrets to motivation is
the key secrets to motivation is changing a little thing about the task
changing a little thing about the task
changing a little thing about the task or assignment that you
or assignment that you
or assignment that you given so that it becomes a little less
given so that it becomes a little less
given so that it becomes a little less tiresome a little bit more enjoyable
tiresome a little bit more enjoyable
tiresome a little bit more enjoyable here are a few examples if you want to
here are a few examples if you want to
here are a few examples if you want to exercise skip the treadmill maybe go
exercise skip the treadmill maybe go
exercise skip the treadmill maybe go outside for a run and that’ll make it a
outside for a run and that’ll make it a
outside for a run and that’ll make it a little less hard for you to exercise
little less hard for you to exercise
little less hard for you to exercise every morning if you want to get that
every morning if you want to get that
every morning if you want to get that homework or that assignment done on time
homework or that assignment done on time
homework or that assignment done on time don’t lock yourself in a room and do it
don’t lock yourself in a room and do it
don’t lock yourself in a room and do it alone at a desk maybe find a group of
alone at a desk maybe find a group of
alone at a desk maybe find a group of friends and do it with them or do it do
friends and do it with them or do it do
friends and do it with them or do it do your homework in a different location so
your homework in a different location so
your homework in a different location so that your work is a little bit less
that your work is a little bit less
that your work is a little bit less monotonous and look I don’t profess to
monotonous and look I don’t profess to
monotonous and look I don’t profess to be a master of the art of self
be a master of the art of self
be a master of the art of self motivation I like any other person
motivation I like any other person
motivation I like any other person watch my fair share of cat videos and
watch my fair share of cat videos and
watch my fair share of cat videos and I’m still trying to find the perfect
I’m still trying to find the perfect
I’m still trying to find the perfect balance but what’s the message here the
balance but what’s the message here the
balance but what’s the message here the message here is that self motivation
message here is that self motivation
message here is that self motivation when done right can be truly
when done right can be truly
when done right can be truly transformative because it enables us to
transformative because it enables us to
transformative because it enables us to find that inner spark so that we enjoy
find that inner spark so that we enjoy
find that inner spark so that we enjoy every little thing we do in our lives
every little thing we do in our lives
every little thing we do in our lives I’ll leave you all with a quote from
I’ll leave you all with a quote from
I’ll leave you all with a quote from Carl Jung one of the world’s leading
Carl Jung one of the world’s leading
Carl Jung one of the world’s leading psychologists he who looks outside
psychologists he who looks outside
psychologists he who looks outside dreams he who looks inside awakes thank
dreams he who looks inside awakes thank
dreams he who looks inside awakes thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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