"Success doesn't come to those who only get stuff done when they feel like it" - Anonymous
On a daily basis, we all have hundreds of things we want to accomplish. Some are prioritized and executed, but others fall by the wayside.
We see people like the Jacko Willink's and the Joe Rogan's always hustling, always making something out of their day, telling us to GET AFTER IT. Are they always just on fire and motivated?
No, theyre not.
So what gives? How do they get so much done?
To be honest I think its a combination of attendance and looking internally to figure out how to get yourself to do what you don't want to do in that moment.
I ask myself the following:
Am I being lazy or do I actually need a day off?
Sometimes, you really do need a day off. I know it, you know it, Jacko knows it. But it's important to identify when youre being lazy and making excuses, and when you actually need a day off. A trap I personally fall into is getting burnt out. I'll take a few days off, then I cant find the motivation to get going again. Ill come up with shit like, "Just one more day", "It's been a long week", "Ill start tomorrow". I personally think looking inward and being honest with yourself before you get burned out is a much more sustainable approach.
Why dont I want to do this?
This one I recently heard and it blew my mind. "Why am I putting this off, its been on my list for weeks"? And by now I've sold myself into believing its important. Well is it? If it was I would have done it, right? Maybe, I need to reanalyze my priorities. It's not that important anymore, or theres something getting in the way of me doing it, psychological, social or otherwise. Think about it next time you realize you keep putting the same things off on your list.
Now lets talk tools
A nice tool I like to use is the Pomodoro Technique. This technique is essentially a unit of focused work and a unit of total relaxation. The time split for focused work to rest is somewhere around 30min/10min. When I really dont want to get something done I fucking know I should, I tell myself:
"Just do 2 Pomodoros, and your done".
When you do this one of two things happen.
- You either get a burst of energy and creativity and keep going OR
- You still dont want to work but youve gotten an hour of focused work in.
Win win
"Lace up your damn shoes" - David Goggins
We all have days we dont want to train or go to the gym. David Goggin's, in a Joe Rogan podcast explained how when he doesnt want to go for a run he just tells himself to put his shoes on and he always gets it done. I suggest you do the same, it works for me 😃
So, the next time you see someone doing something you want to be doing, think of the sacrifices they make on a daily basis and the tools they use to get their shit done when they dont want to.
Go get after it and thanks for reading
Scott