When Motivation “Experts” Get it Wrong
A scientific principle of motivation: Running away from a bad scenario is far more motivating than running towards a good one.
A fox in a field is running after a bunny. He runs into the path of a wolf. Now the wolf starts chasing the fox who immediately drop his hunt. The bunny is free. The fox becomes the wolf’s prey and his only focus is to get away.
The same idea is true for what motivates people. People act faster to avoid bad stimuli than they do to encourage good stimuli to happen.
So, imaging, visualizing, meditating on, what you want is only semi-motivating. Instead using your imagination to fast-forward into a hypothetical future you never want to experience but that could happen is far more effective.
That may not sound found but it works. It’s especially impactful to consider both scenarios in your mind. Amplify the best. Contrast it with the absolute worst. This is how you motivate yourself.
For instance, writing this post today might bring me that lovely home with the wrap-around porch I’d like to have.
On the other hand, not writing today might propel me into a future of “what ifs”, dreams that were never realized. I often visualize myself as a lonely, depressed catty spinster who drinks two bottles of Chardonnay every night (that she’s really embarrassed about by the way). I don’t like seeing this version of my possible future self.
These are the kinds of games I play with myself. These weird kinda twisted visualization games really work for success.
Gary Vee has said that he visualizes his funeral. He wants to have people coming there because he is such a genuinely great human being. It helps him be that awesome guy every day.
Think and Grow Rich Author Napolean Hill sat around a table with his fictional heroes hashing out what he should do next for clarity.
Tony Robbins used leverage to go from an overweight General Hospital watching couch potato to the world’s best performance coach.
These guys got it right. So anyone who espouses positive visualizations for motivation only are only halfway there. That’s only part of the process.
Pain is the ultimate motivator. It’s the leverage that thrusts you into action. So use it. And remember these are games in your head anyways. They’re not real.
Until they are.
