Chase Your Own Carrot
If you'll indulge me with a metaphor, most of us are akin to rabbits emerging out of their burrows to eagerly chow down on carrots growing in the field, since this is the most delicious option to gain nutrition and be satisfied with how we spend our time.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with this concept, there are quite a few of us who frequently forget the fact that not all carrots are cultivated by someone else or by external forces. The juiciest ones are often the ones that we plant and grow ourselves with our own hands... Paws? Okay, the point I'm trying to make with this roundabout train of thought is that it's important to value your intrinsic motivation as well as you do your extrinsic ones.
When your motivation is said to be intrinsic, you find yourself naturally driven to accomplish what you set out to do rather than depend upon a reward from someone else. Now, this is a combo that sounds too good to be true for most of us out there, because we're all too familiar with slacking with the work that we need to do because we simply can't summon the necessary energy to get it done with. Also, it's much more fulfilling when the goals that we set out to do grant us pleasure just for the sake of finishing them like an internal green tick that makes us feel all fuzzy inside.
Shouldn't motivation from within rationally be easier to draw upon than motivation from the outside world? It makes sense at a surface level, but the fact that most of us are social creatures and find it kind of difficult to discipline ourselves with activities that we're responsible to gauge ourselves makes this a hiccup. But this is not to say that we will forever be enslaved to the whims and wishes of the relationships and jobs that we find ourselves interacting with. Here are a few methods by which you can chase your own carrot.
Grant yourself positive feedback.
Let's face it: For all the praise and attention that other people can shower on you, you are the best critic in the world to reflect on what you've done. When you're catching your breath after you've done jogging or tilting your head after you've randomly taken a quiz online, just dwell on what you've learned or experienced because of it. Mentally tracking how much you've grown yourself is likely something that you do less often than worrying about what others think about you. Let it become a positive feedback loop.
Strengthen your identity.
One of the main reasons why we fail to produce any enthusiasm from within is because we possibly lack a strong sense of self. Contrary to social belief, being selfish isn't necessarily negative as long as it's not taken to the extreme. Develop your autonomy by remembering what makes you unique and sets you apart from the world, and this distinction will soon cause you to realise the significance of your own ambitions. You can hardly lend a hand to a greater group before making sure that you're okay first.
Prioritise your own needs.
Sounds like a non-brainer, but in the rush to complete the tasks assigned to us by our college or employers, we don't spare a lot of time to think about whether we're balancing this with doing what's best and healthy for ourselves. This leads to us essentially powering through tedious work and spending the remainder of our day on social media or whatever else gives us instant gratification. You can quite clearly notice the absence of any intrinsic drive. Make what encourages growth in yourself a priority and dedicate a few hours everyday for it. They deserve it, and so do you.
When your motivation is said to be intrinsic, you find yourself naturally driven to accomplish what you set out to do rather than depend upon a reward from someone else. Now, this is a combo that sounds too good to be true for most of us out there, because we're all too familiar with slacking with the work that we need to do because we simply can't summon the necessary energy to get it done with. Also, it's much more fulfilling when the goals that we set out to do grant us pleasure just for the sake of finishing them like an internal green tick that makes us feel all fuzzy inside.
Shouldn't motivation from within rationally be easier to draw upon than motivation from the outside world? It makes sense at a surface level, but the fact that most of us are social creatures and find it kind of difficult to discipline ourselves with activities that we're responsible to gauge ourselves makes this a hiccup. But this is not to say that we will forever be enslaved to the whims and wishes of the relationships and jobs that we find ourselves interacting with. Here are a few methods by which you can chase your own carrot.
Grant yourself positive feedback.
Let's face it: For all the praise and attention that other people can shower on you, you are the best critic in the world to reflect on what you've done. When you're catching your breath after you've done jogging or tilting your head after you've randomly taken a quiz online, just dwell on what you've learned or experienced because of it. Mentally tracking how much you've grown yourself is likely something that you do less often than worrying about what others think about you. Let it become a positive feedback loop.
Strengthen your identity.
One of the main reasons why we fail to produce any enthusiasm from within is because we possibly lack a strong sense of self. Contrary to social belief, being selfish isn't necessarily negative as long as it's not taken to the extreme. Develop your autonomy by remembering what makes you unique and sets you apart from the world, and this distinction will soon cause you to realise the significance of your own ambitions. You can hardly lend a hand to a greater group before making sure that you're okay first.
Prioritise your own needs.
Sounds like a non-brainer, but in the rush to complete the tasks assigned to us by our college or employers, we don't spare a lot of time to think about whether we're balancing this with doing what's best and healthy for ourselves. This leads to us essentially powering through tedious work and spending the remainder of our day on social media or whatever else gives us instant gratification. You can quite clearly notice the absence of any intrinsic drive. Make what encourages growth in yourself a priority and dedicate a few hours everyday for it. They deserve it, and so do you.
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