Stop clinging to motivation

Motivation is like a drug. 

At the beginning I love it.

I'm up super early, have tons of energy, work on lots of projects.

Then over time, I crash. 

Often with an accompanying feeling of defeat and despair. 

And a longing sense for the perception and expectation of success that wasn't fully tasted. 


So I regroup for a few days, a few weeks, a few months...

And get another dose to make headway again.

Only to find myself back in the loop of energetic crashing and existential loathe. 


Over time I started to reflect and contemplate the deeper culprit of this viscous cycle. 

I started to listen deeper to my inner voice whenever it would begin its excited talk.

I started to listen deeper to the nuance of other's words when they would speak about motivation.

I started to observe the root of the tree rather than the appearance of the fruit. 


And I found that, in my personal experience

and in the data gathered in my observation of other's, 

motivation is largely rooted in anxiety, scarcity, and fear. 

It's wanting to be there instead of fully being here.

Its obsession with an idealized future opposed to the truth of present reality. 

It's a discontent and frustration with now,

and attachment to, and fantasy about then. 


Motivation does have its place and it can be extremely helpful in situations where we need a short-term boost. 

The problem isn't really motivation itself, the problem is the root of ego that manifests itself as habitually living in state of panic-mode, stress-mode, and motivation-mode.

It's the illusion that that by over-exerting our energy every day we can keep anxiety at bay. 

When, ironically, that hyper motivational energy is actually the cause of much of our anxieties. 


There are times when we do need a dose of motivation to get our ass moving, but, 

the constant anxious action

disguised as positive motivation

will only keep us in fear, lack, and worry loops.

Again, you may need a dose of motivation as a temporary tool to get on the right path;

But once you're on the right path, you will not need motivation to sustain the actions of life.

You will live and move and have your being as natural expression:

As a tree is tree-ing, and fish is fish-ing, a you will be you-ing.  

Nature doesn't need motivated to be the full expression that it is; 

And neither will you when you get in tune with who you are beneath egoic anxiety and fear. 

You will experience effortless action, as described by Lao Tzu. 
 

Now, if you are (like me) tempted to compulsive anxious motivation, 

I'd invite you to consider and contemplate this:

"Who / what / why am I trying to escape HERE?"

Sit with that in meditation and see what comes up for you. 

You'll be surprised just how deep this can take you. 

If you do not do the healing work of inner reconciliation NOW,

you will never be present or content to experience the moment when THEN becomes now. 

Godliness (wholeness) with contentment (harmony) is great gain. 

When you reconcile the root of your Being you will transform the fruit of your doing. 

No motivation necessary: As a tree is tree-ing, you will simply be you-ing. 


- Luke 

P.S. If you are ready to learn more about 1:1 Spiritual Direction looks like, send me an email.