Struggling with Sustained Output

I originally wrote this post back in January of 2021.

It started as a New Year's resolution to figure out how to become more motivated.

At that time, I lacked motivation, which I thought was the number one roadblock to successfully creating my own business.

I am updating my blog because my thoughts about motivation have changed.

I often struggle with sustained motivation, focus, and concentration. The next meeting, the next task, going to the gun range, doing exercise, reading books, reading the Bible, and writing my blog are all examples of things that I struggle with getting done.

When I originally wrote this article, I thought it was all about motivation. I was in a constant search for motivation.

I always looked at the people online and got stuck because they all looked so motivated. I was convinced that to become successful, I had to feel as motivated as the people on YouTube looked. I am not sure a person can look motivated, but I thought that was what I saw. I thought I could not even get started unless I felt the same level of motivation my eyes were telling me I was seeing out in the industry.

What is Motivation?

I struggled to start my projects and business because I did not feel I had the motivation to get to where I needed to be. I was not confident that my motivation alone could sustain me to complete the journey.

At the start of 2021, I had convinced myself that motivation was mandatory to get started. I was convinced that without motivation, I did not have what I needed to start my blog.

Over the last few years, I have sought motivation to be the trigger to get started. The people I follow online always appear very motivated about their actions. I convinced myself that I had to be as motivated as them to succeed.

I spent a lot of time trying to define motivation. I referenced Webster's dictionary to get a precise definition.

What is motivation?

• The act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something: the act or process of motivating someone.

• The condition of being eager to act or work.

• A force or influence that causes someone to do something.

I then tried to figure out how my motivation fits into this definition. This is what I came up with:

• I want to get healthy to play with my kids.

• I want to start a business to become sovereign in my finances, time, and morals.

• I am always excited or interested in doing the work.

• I know how I feel after exercise and the benefits of exercise.

• I know what a successful business looks like and want to be in that situation myself.

This is a nice list, but none of it creates sustained motivation. It is a list of goals, not true sources of motivation. Hell, I was so pissed with my kids over the weekend that any motivation derived from them walked right out the door.

Joking aside, I gradually came to the following conclusions about motivation:

Motivation is fleeting – Motivation comes and goes however it wants. It might not last until the end of the week or even until the end of the day. It’s fleeting.

Motivation is situational – We often base our current situation on our motivation. How do you feel right now? You're off the hook if you don’t feel like doing the work you need to do. Motivation does not lock you into delivery, and it is situational.

The Transition from Motivation to Discipline

I am not sure what the trigger was, but I started to make a transition at some point.

I began to question whether motivation was the key to their success.  Is it motivation, or is it something else? Am I already motivated enough and just fooling myself, searching for a holy grail of inspiration that solves everything?

I have since come to understand that motivation is not a stable state of mind that you can depend on to support you through everything you need to do to become successful.

You must focus on discipline, not motivation, to maintain a sustained output level. This discipline and sustained output over time create the experience you need to become successful.

I also learned that there is no better time than the present to get started. Waiting for motivation is not a business plan. Getting started, maintaining discipline, and learning as we go are powerful tools most people lack.

This unpredictability and lack of control over motivation led me to seek other systems and options.

This can be hard because the mass market industry, which has brainwashed many, really promotes motivation as the solution to everything you want to accomplish.

• They tell us, "Get motivated to hit the gym and achieve your fitness goals!” However, you are better off being consistent and disciplined in following a workout routine, even when you don’t feel motivated, which leads to long-term fitness success.

• If you are trying to lose weight, you are often told, “Find motivation to stick to your diet and eat healthily!” It is better to put systems in place that help you become disciplined in making healthy food choices, and meal planning ensures sustained healthy eating habits.

• They tell you, “Stay motivated to study hard and ace your exams or get a dream job!" You are better off establishing disciplined study habits and a structured schedule, which is more effective than relying on fleeting motivation.

• If you are trying to start a new business, the get-rich-quick industry will tell you, “Get motivated to start your business and become an entrepreneur!” You need to develop discipline in executing business plans, managing time, and staying committed to long-term goals that are critical for entrepreneurial success.

There is a misconception that motivation is required to be successful.

You cannot win if you do not start!

Over the last couple of years, I have switched from a mental mindset of "Where is my motivation? I need motivation to be successful." to "How do I remain disciplined? How do I create content each day? What system can I implement to keep me focused on the important things to help me in my journey?"

I have also made a mental and actual leap from seeking the perfect start to just getting started and learning as I go. There is so much experience that cannot be obtained until you start execution.

Planning is good, but instead of just planning, you must start to execute.

Motivation can be a bonus and can act like a special booster on some days to help you through a new challenge or be more productive.

Motivation is really about feeling like you want to do something. Unfortunately, motivation is fleeting. When our motivation disappears, we often give up on what we try to accomplish.

We lose sight of our goals and become fixated on our sudden loss of motivation. We begin to lose confidence and second-guess ourselves.

Discipline helps where motivation does not. Discipline tells us to get off our butts and get the work done, even when we do not want to.

Jeff For me, discipline is consistently applying effort and adhering to principles, routines, or standards to achieve long-term goals, regardless of fluctuating motivation levels or external circumstances.

This is more predictable than depending on motivation to drive consistent execution.

Discipline involves self-control, perseverance, and the ability to prioritize actions that align with one’s objectives, even in the face of challenges, distractions, or lack of immediate rewards. 

Discipline is about making choices that support one’s growth and progress, committing to them, and maintaining that commitment over time, even when you do not feel like it.

The consistency of discipline is what makes it discipline. You go out and do it regularly. Discipline doesn’t just “happen.” It’s intentional, and it’s repeated. Every. Single. Day. Discipline doesn’t sound fun, but it’s how you see results.

My Mindset from December 2021 to January 2022.

I was looking for motivation in December of 2021.

I looked to motivation to help answer the following questions:

• How do I become motivated so I can exercise today?

• What motivates me to release a newsletter once a week?

• What motivates me to eat healthy food instead of "all-to-convenient" processed food?

• How do I motivate myself today to go outside and play with my kids?

Trying to use motivation alone to accomplish my goals led to false starts and long breaks in productive output.

This is what I wrote in that article two years ago.

"I started this note on December 15th, 2021. It is now January 1st. I have hit consistency and discipline in one area for 55 days in a row! That is closing my move rings on my Apple Watch. Is it a hard-core workout? No, it is not, but I had gotten it done for 55 days in a row, even when I had COVID the week between Christmas & New Year."

This streak died quickly.

In addition, I did not make any progress on thedaywarrior.com. I only wrote five to ten posts over a two-year period. I was stuck in a job I did not enjoy, and my career was stalled from a growth perspective. I was not saving as much as I wanted, and we were stuck in a rental, throwing money away each month.

June 2024 Update

I am still working on the items above. I wanted to post this article again as a newsletter because it would be helpful to many.

I need to show progress.

There were two fatal flaws I was making back in January 2022

1. I was giving too much credit to motivation. Being motivated is good, but we need the discipline to drive consistent execution. Some days, we will be motivated to produce more, but our focus on discipline often wins the day.

2. I was waiting for the perfect situation. Things progressed once I had just started. You have to start before you can win.

Since the original release of this blog in 2022, I have accomplished a lot.

Am I where I want to be?

No.

But. I am getting a little better every day.

1. I have released my blog since this original post, and I have been consistently writing and posting content for about two months now.

2. I have found a new career in Wichita, Kansas

3. I have constructed and moved into a new home

4. I currently sit at 490 days after closing all three rings on my Apple watch. That includes a 6-month average of 16,500 steps daily and a 1-year average of 15,800.

Keep working hard, everyone.

Try to make progress every day.

The Day Warrior