Motivation and discipline
Motivation: It's often talked about as the key to change. In reality, motivation plays an important role in the initial phase of change, when the current state, though comfortable, offers a lower level of gratification than the desired state.
Motivation is important when we decide to change something and begin our journey towards a new habit that will serve as a tool for change. In the second phase, when new behaviors must be repeated to yield results, the real key to change comes into play: discipline.
Motivation: why do we lose it so quickly?
It works more or less like this: for some reason we experience something (a friend convinces us to follow him, a parent involves his children, we see an image that particularly affects us). This thing satisfies our need (probably even more than one), so we generate a series of habits related to our new interest. He spends time and interest begins to diminish. The thing that previously passionate about it now does not seem so tempting. Slowly and inexorably we move away from that specific context until the moment of complete abandonment.
Has it ever happened to you?
Well, you know, it's happened to everyone. There's a very specific reason why we cyclically become passionate about something and then abandon it. It's a question related to our nature. We humans, in fact, are born with virtually no ability or knowledge. Try to think of any animal born in nature. A specimen of any animal species becomes independent after birth much faster than humans. This is because each animal's genetic makeup contains a series of information that, thanks to instinct, allows the newborn to gain independence much sooner than a newborn human.
To overcome this disadvantage, nature has endowed us with an innate drive for innovation. This is why we discover a new pastime, become passionate about it, make it a fundamental part of our lives, and then abandon it in search of something different that will ignite the spark of passion within us.
In this way, nature ensures that humans expand their knowledge base as much as possible, given that, compared to other species, they are born with a disadvantage. In practice, the more we experience, the more we learn.
What can we do?
Now that you understand that looking for new stimuli continuously is part of human nature, let's see what we can do to maintain a sort of stability in the motivation that pushes to act. Of course, as you know, there is no secret or magical makeup. At the basis of everything there must be commitment and perseverance.
The great and bitter enemy of perseverance is boredom. When boredom kicks in, every passion fades, every motivation crumbles, every good resolution melts away. That's why, if you really want to make a difference, you have to make peace with boredom.
Not only that, you have to befriend boredom; in fact, I'll tell you more: you have to fall in love with boredom! Anyone who sets out on the path to excellence, sooner or later, finds themselves having to walk accompanied by boredom.
Behind the great results are hidden countless boring performances.
Accept boredom as a natural part of your journey of self-improvement. Whatever your passion, there will be ups and downs. During those "downs," remember that boredom is part of the game; it reminds us that we are human, that we are born with a blank slate and that we must, over the years, build our own experience.
Accept boredom, make friends and then fall in love with it. In this way you will have placed the solid foundations of your discipline, on which you can build your splendid future with motivation.
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