The market has been very mean to me. My strategy has not been fruitful for the past week, not to mention the body ache from traveling is not helping either. It is one of those days when the odds are all against me, and I am caught on my bed, trying to figure out my next move. As I lay longer, it starts to get heavier each day to get out of bed and motivate myself. This feeling comes by once in a while, and dealing with it is a challenge.
For some reason, this time around i reached rock bottom and coming back up is a lot harder than before. The lack of motivation and endless procrastination has been going on since the beginning of 2020. Adjusting to COVID makes it worse.
I went on the internet trying to find like-minded people with the same problems. It is not hard to find questions thrown on online forums seeking answers on how to increase motivation and interest. While various factors could cause a lack of motivation, one should first understand the severity of the factors causing it. One should know that this is a regular cycle, getting off-track and the journey to get back on it again. The difference is that those who understand how to get back on it will have a shorter time off-track.
So how do I plan to get off-track?
- Say goodbye to the guilt bubble – It is too easy to lose yourself in this bubble. I was chasing for answers with the same questions on repeat. The problem that I have on repeat is, “Why don’t I have the same motivation as before?”. And no matter how hard I try to find the answer, I will always end up in a rabbit hole.
- Focus on rewiring mindset – This step is critical to implement points 1 and 3. One’s mindset is hard to change after a while. It was a lot easier when we were younger; however, these days, it is an exercise to rewire the mindset. To unlearned those that we have learned and create the capacity to learn new things. Simple things such as understanding vulnerability as a strength rather than weakness.
- Push away excuses – To be honest, as we get older, it seems a lot easier to rationalize everything. That’s why there’s a saying if you plan to do something, do it before your brain talks you out of doing it. The mind is designed for us not to do difficult things; hence it is easier to watch Netflix than solve complex algebra questions. Instant gratification caused by improved internet speed has a direct impact on our attention span. While the speed of information is the new currency, the brain takes the toll with an overload of a continuous dopamine rush.
- Make a new plan – When climbing out of a deep hole, it is better not to take extreme measures unprepared. This action will only lead to quick failure. The idea is to climb slow & steady out of the hole. One article I read suggested to do dopamine fast once every month. Dopamine fast is when you restrict yourself from food, phone, music, internet, substances, hanging out, watching videos, talking to people, and reading books. The only things allowed are water, walk, meditate, light exercise, and write. The idea is to reset the dopamine intake allowing clarity for the brain to become extremely productive again.
In conclusion, tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Getting back up is part of the process hence the saying “never give up.”
Stay safe and looking forward to making more dough next week!!