I wrote an article almost two years ago called I have many goals but little motivation to complete them, is there something wrong with me?.
In it I outlined some handy tips to consolidate your goals, find more motivation, and take action every day. Your run of the mill self-help/productivity piece you typically find on Medium.
I’m proud of the piece, but reading it now after 2 years of self-employment under my belt (and a year of being a work-from-home dad), something doesn’t feel right.
Does everything need to be goal-oriented?
Do I really need to take action every day?
If I don’t have motivation, is there an underlying issue I’m not addressing?
As I’ve planted my feet deeper and deeper into the quagmire of raising a family and building a business, I think I have a new outlook I’d like to address here.
Does everything need to be goal-oriented?
No.
I want my kids to grow up to be kind, self-reliant adults.
How do you measure progress of something like that?
“Tuesday, February 26th – Henry built 3 structures with his Lego, all by himself. Still didn’t eat salad. Said ‘Please’ 7 times.”
One of the hardest parts of being a parent is the ambiguity around “Am I doing a good job?”
I can remember the same ambiguity around my career. How do you really know you’re making progress? By setting goals and achieving them, right?
Having goals isn’t a bad thing. But when we have goals for the sake of having goals, we’re distracting ourselves from the ultimate goal, finding happiness.
Do I really need to take action every day?
No.
Happiness isn’t found in ticking off all the boxes for the day.
Sometimes happiness is found curled up next to your loved one at the end of the day.
Sometimes happiness is found on a long walk in the middle of the work day.
Sometimes happiness is saying “No” to an exciting opportunity.
If you take away anything from this: Don’t beat yourself up for not taking action. You aren’t falling behind. You don’t need to “Do” to be worthy.
If I don’t have motivation, is there an underlying issue I’m not addressing?
Maybe.
After 280 days of daily vlogging, I quit.
I originally thought I quit because I was bored and unmotivated by the process.
After taking a few weeks away, I noticed the doldrums presented itself in other areas of my life.
Depression? No, nothing that severe.
But poor mental health? Absolutely.
For far too long I failed to acknowledge my mental health was taking a huge hit by trying to do too much.
If you find yourself with a lack of motivation, don’t ask “How do I overcome this?” Ask “Why am I feeling this?”
