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James Clear Readings
https://jamesclear.com/motivation
According to James Clear, motivation is essentially taking the path of least resistance.
"...at some point, it is easier to change than to stay the same."
This definition would mean that we never do hard things or choose the harder behavior. We will only do something difficult if not doing it is more difficult? It's like we do a cost-benefit analysis about what is more/less painful and always choose the least painful. I'm not sure that this is true. I can think of many examples where we choose the more painful option for a variety of reasons: pride
Motivation can begin after starting a new behavior.
"Once a task has begun, it is easier to continue moving it forward."
I agree with this to some extent, but it may be an overgeneralization . But do you have to restart that every time you start the activity again? I find that when a restart running after a break, my third run is always the hardes
- Schedule your motivation - remove decision making of when to do the task from the process of doing the task
- Build rituals - rituals help to create automaticity into the process of getting started
- Make Motivation a Habit:
Step 1: Pre-routine that is easy (ex getting coffee)
Step 2: Routine that moves towards the task (ex setting up screens with reading and notes)
Step 3: Repeat the routine
- Make sure that task is within Zone of PD (not what Clear uses, but for learning this works).
- Fading Motivation
- don't order yourself around, think about your options
- everything is temporary (I'm not sure how this is helpful for academic work. maybe for workouts.)
- thnk about how you will feel afterward
In sum, learn to enjoy the struggle it will help you be motivated.
Overall Clear has some interesting thoughts, but I personally don't get much out of blog posts like these because they don't provide me with the ability to discern the difference between empty pontification and well-founded theories or substantiated research principles. The lack of presented empirical evidence in works like these generally makes me shrug them off.
Lack of evidence aside, I find that the ritual ideas really prescient for my life. I often fall into busy schedules that are not always productive - meetings and obligations that distract me from work, thought, and enjoyment that I should be getting out of my experiences. Alternatively, if I think of my daily/weekly plan as a ritual or literacy meant to help me get the most out of my day/week, I find that I make better decisions about how to spend my time and enjoy the time much more.