When Motivation Takes a Vacation

“When I lose the sense of motivation and the sense to prove something as a basketball player, it’s time for me to move away from the game.” – Michael Jordan

For me, the best time of the day is 4 - 5am in the morning, when I become Will Smith in the film, I am Legend – no one exists and I’m alone with the world.

Noiseless, I move through the house with a fresh, strong cup of coffee and my sketchbook toward the back porch or my office, where I sink into my lone wolf, creative self for an hour or so.

Whether laying out a sketch for some new project or developing one I’d done days before, I use that time to create whatever comes to mind. My right-brain acts as the custodian to the left-brain, purging all the jumbled jargon of sleep to allow new, fresh ideas to move in.

I’m a night owl, by nature, going to sleep around midnight, but I don’t require much sleep. My brain is too restless to sleep. Once I wake, my right-brain clicks on and doesn’t stop.

However, there are often days when it doesn’t click on, at all, and I’m unable to find comfort in my body, wandering around unproductive and questioning the future or my purpose. Motivation has packed up and taken a vacation.

When this happens, my left-brain kicks in, like a backup generator, and I force myself to rely on these bits of self-advice to get back on track. I hope you find these helpful, too:

1. A Life is Too Short Reminder

Pretty obvious, but both true and very effective. We hear too often of people, some we know intimately, who pass away unexpectedly, leaving behind loved ones. I imagine those loved ones would give almost anything to spend just five more minutes with the ones they’ve lost. So, to remind oneself that “life is too short” can be a powerful motivator.  

2. We’re Living On Borrowed Time… So Don’t Waste It

Life is, indeed, short, but more importantly, it’s too short to waste on frivolous pursuits. My own mantra is, “if it doesn’t matter, skip it and get on with what does matter!” In my morning routine, it’s more important for me to embrace the alone time and be creative than to wash dishes, gather stray sneakers or backpacks, sweep the floor, or dredge laundry – those things matter far less to me than getting my head on straight. “The lazy-making stuff will be there.” *

* this line is from my song, Sunday Driving, which addresses this idea.

3. Putting the Pen to Paper

For me, the most valuable self-motivating tools are a pen and paper. A blank page presents endless opportunities to rid my brain of goop and create something useful:

  • list people in your life whom you’d like to know better.
  • list out the things you love about yourself or things you’d like to change.
  • write the first letter of a friend’s name, really big, and write a letter, to them, around it.
  • write down where you see yourself in the next 3-5 years.
  • draw something sitting in front of you or just doodle, freely (see the number 4 for this).

There’s a million things a pen and paper can be used for. Once you engage them, good stuff happens! I recommend coffee, hot chocolate, or tea as companions.

4. Draw On Your Creative Instincts

With the exception of one guy in 1964, history shows that no one has ever been fatally injured while doodling. But, seriously, even those with the worst drawing skills can find huge benefits from doodling. I used to teach my students, “doodling is exercise for your brain.” If you’re reluctant, here’s a really easy process to start:

  • Draw a circle, a box, or a blob shape.
  • Add another circle, box, or blob shape onto that.
  • Add another circle, box or blob shape onto that.
  • Add simple details: sun beams, eyes, a smile, a door.

What you’ll develop is a basic structure that will become a recognizable, interesting, and entertaining picture. The image above started this way, with a few random lines and shapes that I drew out into a scene. It doesn’t matter “what” you draw, but rather the idea “that” you drew it. And that will make your your spirit happy! 

5. Zen & The Art of Dopamine Addicton

GamerTherapist.com, WebMD.com, and PyschologyToday.com, discuss the effects of dopamine on the brain and video games. Solving a puzzle or reaching a new level releases a burst of dopamine into the brain, which is greater than a natural dose from routine activities, like work tasks, homework, bringing out the trash, a walk or run, or even sex. With gaming, though, that burst is constant, and may lead to what is known as, “gaming addiction.”

BrainBeFit.com reports that the brain needs a normal dose of dopamine, as a healthy reward system, to keep the body in check. Creative problem solving to tangible tasks sends a regulated dose to the brain, often putting us into a zen-state, where we become meditative and our sole focus is on a specific task, ignoring peripheral distractions.

The simple act of being creative or engaging a task requiring effort is a great way to motivate oneself into changing perspectives, attitudes, and outlooks.

6. Do Something Different with Someone Different

One of the most hindering obstacles to motivation is feeling locked into what we “think” we should be doing. To break that, it’s as simple as abandoning that thinking and doing something completely different. If I’m unable to draw, then I’ll go mow the lawn; if I’m stuck on a logo design, I’ll organize my office. 

I really enjoy meeting a friend for coffee and spending an hour being influenced and motivated by someone else. It’s okay to leverage the energy of others to inspire us and unblock those obstacles. 

When motivation is difficult to access, a jump start may be needed to get things flowing. Exploring options instead of sitting in frustration is the best way to get on with what’s most important in life.

Love & cheers!