I had a counselor once tell me that “motivation typically comes from doing.” I guess most people say “motivation” when they mean “inspiration”
So what does “getting motivated in the morning” mean to you? What does that look like?
To me It looks like a nightly routine of positive self-talk while visualizing myself getting up the next morning to carry out my planned agenda as I first close my eyes. ‐I have more success at getting out of bed when I have already established a firm idea of what I’m getting up for.
To me It looks like a nightly routine of positive self-talk while visualizing myself getting up the next morning to carry out my planned agenda
All that visualization would have me excited to get started. I’d be up all night thinking about the plan, then be too exhausted to even get out of bed when it’s finally time to actually get started.
Man… I don’t.
I had a friend tell me a few days ago that they get up an hour and a half before they’re supposed to work to relax and read or shower or whatever. I can’t even picture that. I get up 30m before work and rush through coffee+oatmeal because if I slow down and think about how I have to work today it’ll make me depressed.
It’s better to catch me unawares so I don’t have time to ruminate before I’m expected to work. Then before I know it I’ll be working and too busy to think about how I’d rather be floating on a cloud while beautiful people feed me grapes off the vine.
Yeah I wake up, shower, eat, dress the kids, bring him to the daycare and start working as soon as I’m back home. My responsibilities keep me on my toes. But it’s not motivation.
I am trying both the ways nowadays. Sometimes I wake up early to avoid the rush and I feel so groggy waking up earlier than usual that I slow-mo the morning routine. Sometimes when I wake up little late, I’m fully wake from the get go that I manage to rush through the routine. In both cases I reach the end around similar times. I am not sure which one I prefer, maybe not sticking to one makes the morning a little less boring.
Coffee, morning sunlight, rituals with my dog like treat time. More coffee. Gotta love coffee.
I’ve got young kids. Waking up early is the best time for me to be productive and enjoy solitude.
Morning motivation routine? Oh, it’s a finely tuned process. First, I snort a casual 50mg of Adderall to wake up the brain cells. Then, I chug a can of monster, but not before I stir in a dash of crushed Euro Speed—gotta keep the heart rate interesting. Next, I sprinkle a 200mg crack rock into my morning coffee, because why not? And just before stepping out, I inject a solid 100mg of meth straight into the arm for that extra ‘let’s conquer the world’ vibe. All of this in under four minutes, and honestly, it’s not that bad. Life is beautiful… unless you eat 369 pills of Benadryl, then things get a bit weird.
Deadlines
I’m one of those weirdos who is a morning person. I wake up at 5:30am daily ready to GO. But I tap out at 3pm and go into goblin mode for the rest of the day. I guess my logic is that I want to get everything done for the day so I can just relax and enjoy my evening.
Goblin mode?
it’s a lie
discipline beats motivation. make it just something you do, not something to be considered and decided.
you don’t need a pep talk for every little thing.
What makes you able to do this?
I’m not who you asked, but for me it’s that I have a person and several animals who depend on me. I’d never succeed if I had to do it for myself.
Not to fully disagree here, because sometimes we all need to do things we don’t want, but I don’t want to live a life where everyday requires unyielding discipline just to get up.
Maybe you’re talking more about habits, than forcing yourself to live through another awful day.
I actually remind myself this is the worst moment of the day. It gets better and better.
I wake up with rather dark, pessimistic thoughts. They tend to fade toward mid-day.
So, again, I say “this is the literal worst moment of the entire day” (Its very rarely not true)
C+++
I put my alarm far enough away that I need to get up to turn it off. By then I’m already out of bed, which is otherwise the hardest part for me by far.
I used to do this but I learned to sleepwalk. I got an evening job and no longer need an alarm.
Wake up 15 minutes before I have to leave.
Motivation is a big word… I just get up at some point and follow my routine. Lying in bed for too long without sleeping feels like a waste of time to me.
Coffee. I mean, high quality Specialty Coffee. Grind the beans by yourself, feel that aroma, complete the ritual by sipping the black nectar of productivity. It will be the best moment of your entire day.
It doesn’t need to be coffee, or even high quality coffee, but I agree that having a routine you devote a small amount of time to every morning for a reward at the end is a great way to start the day. It combines meditation and achievement, which are both great boosts to your mental health. Like you, I do the coffee thing but I know other people like to start their day with a run or a workout which has additional health benefits and leaves them feeling more upbeat about the day ahead.
