Motivating yourself

[Sponger.]

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Sponger,
Did he have any idea how much money you were making? 50 bucks a week as a ceiling for pay just wouldn't be worth it to run errands for me at least.

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His friend was a broke college student. Thats a very cushy/profitable job for a college kid IMO.

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Yeah if anything I was overpaying him. I had a few friends tell me they'd do the same job but for less money. The others were shocked that I was paying out that much to someone who wasn't really doing that much work.

Also, he did know how much money I was making.

[durron597]

miniupdate: one of my coworkers who goes to the gym a lot just got back from his honeymoon. a lot of people in this thread said they get motivation from working alongside other people so I'm going to try that with him starting this week.

lots of good stuff in this thread.

[tw0please]

These three things worked for me.

- Find a workout buddy who can maintain a similar schedule as you, and is highly motivated. Preferably someone more motivated than you so that you have something to aspire to.

- Set specific, attainable goals for each other

- Keep records on your progress.

Semi-related is the recent news report that obesity is like a virus within social networks, so don't hang out as much with lazy people.

[Shoe]

I've just recently started working out again. Hopefully I can actually stick with it this time. Here is what I am currently doing to motivate myself, and it has been working so far:

I consider working out to be investing in my future health. I am currenty working hard to build up a good savings that I can retire off of, and I want to retire early. I am well on track to achieve this goal. However, what good is a ton of money going to do me in 30+ years if I don't have the good health to go along with it? By working out, not only will I feel better now, but I will be allowing myself to have a much more enjoyable and healthy retirment (hopefully). That's if I don't destroy my liver first.

[durron597]

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I consider working out to be investing in my future health. I am currenty working hard to build up a good savings that I can retire off of, and I want to retire early. I am well on track to achieve this goal. However, what good is a ton of money going to do me in 30+ years if I don't have the good health to go along with it? By working out, not only will I feel better now, but I will be allowing myself to have a much more enjoyable and healthy retirment (hopefully). That's if I don't destroy my liver first.

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this is exactly the type of reasoning that only keeps me going for like 1 month tops [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Shoe]

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I consider working out to be investing in my future health. I am currenty working hard to build up a good savings that I can retire off of, and I want to retire early. I am well on track to achieve this goal. However, what good is a ton of money going to do me in 30+ years if I don't have the good health to go along with it? By working out, not only will I feel better now, but I will be allowing myself to have a much more enjoyable and healthy retirment (hopefully). That's if I don't destroy my liver first.

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this is exactly the type of reasoning that only keeps me going for like 1 month tops [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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I'm hoping it keeps me going. Things like I just dropped $X on a gym membership don't motivate me at all. The only thing I haven't tried is getting a good work out partner that can keep me motivated. But I've yet to find someone who can keep me motivated to work out with them.

If this doesn't work for me I don't know what will. Sorry to hear it didn't work for you.

[yad]

I think motivation comes in large part from the expectations you have of yourself, set by what you see of your peers immediately around you. This is why a huge part of the advantage to going to a good college is just the type of students that you'll associate with. If everyone you know is a total slacker, you feel like a stud for getting that job at Circuit City. If everyone you know is going to law or medical school, you will be motivated to do something where you can achieve at least a similar level of success.

[durron597]

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I think motivation comes in large part from the expectations you have of yourself, set by what you see of your peers immediately around you. This is why a huge part of the advantage to going to a good college is just the type of students that you'll associate with. If everyone you know is a total slacker, you feel like a stud for getting that job at Circuit City. If everyone you know is going to law or medical school, you will be motivated to do something where you can achieve at least a similar level of success.

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yeah, i went to an ivy league school, and no, that didn't help really

[JaredL]

I just got a dog. This has helped me in several ways.

For one, my schedule has to be a lot more regulated. She has to go out to pee every couple hours or so during the day (she's 6 months) and just keeping track of who's watching her when and so forth has forced me to be more organized with my time. The other morning I felt bad because I thought I was sleeping in while my wife was forced to watch the dog. I would have guessed it was 11:30 or so, which I wouldn't normally even consider sleeping in, and it was... 9:05. I would normally be pissed to wake up at 9:05. I've always been the go to bed late, wake up late type and have been going to bed at like 1 and waking up at 8 or 9.

Also, on the exercise front I'm getting at least some every day taking her for walks. We've been going to the park nearby (Frick for the Pittsburghers) and walking on the trails for an hour or so a day. Sometimes, such as today, I'll jog for significant parts of it and walk others. I'm in horrible shape and accustomed to basically getting no exercise other than walking to school (20-30 minute walk) a little under once a week or so.

It's obviously not a good move if it's your only reason for getting a dog. Having a dog is a lot more work than I thought before we got her. My grandparents, a couple aunts, and a lot of my wife's relatives have dogs and we had one when I was a kid so I was quite familiar but obviously it's so much more work when you have to do it. For me the dog seems to be working out nicely as a commitment device. We've only had her for a week but I'm overly realistic and analytical about these things generally and I don't see it going bad. I suspect that my sleep schedule will slide some, but the threat of having to deal with a 35 pound puppy that hasn't gotten any exercise all day is far worse than getting my fat ass outside to go for half-hour walk and jog.

[Howard Treesong]

Carrot and stick.

Part of it is fear: fear of physical breakdown, age, and death. Staying in shape and eating healthily can materially extend your life and makes you feel much better. I did not fully appreciate this point until my back surgery last year, where I was flat on the floor next to my bed for six weeks, either taking morphine or screaming in pain. The single best way to prevent a relapse is to stay in shape and go to physical therapy, about which I've been quite good. Being in shape feels much better than being a fat slug.

I fear professional embarrassment. I fear laying on my deathbed forty years from now, thinking [censored], I should have done more, experienced more, seen more, and been a better and father. Every day is precious. To not appreciate every one that's pain-free is a crime. You too will suffer someday; better take advantage of it while you can.

On the carrot side, I like the feeling of walking out of the courtroom and having some stranger walk up to me and say "that's the best argument I've ever heard. Can I have your card?" I like the feeling of pulling together with a team getting ready for a tough trial and everyone working like an idiot on common goals. And I like digging into a brief, understanding the underlying problem with the argument, and simplifying it, strengthening it, and making it ring. Doing things well for their own sake is simply fun. So too is seeing into the villian's soul and check-raising the turn for value.