Ever since I can remember, I’ve liked my music loud. Extremely loud. In fact, I once went to a concert, and couldn’t resist standing anywhere other than right beside the speaker. I had temporary hearing loss for 24 hours. But still. It was SO worth it. I love to feel the beat. Music moves my soul. And if you’ve ever been in a car with me…..or cooked with me…..or had a shower with me (ok, that’s a very short list of people, but still)….you know, I like it cranked the fuck up. My love of music is deeply ingrained. And I blame my father. When I was little, we would have Sunday morning dance parties, and he would turn the volume to the max on our 3 ft. high living room speakers. Robert Palmer. Phil Collins. Elton John. Aerosmith. The soundtrack of my childhood. Music is the ultimate form of expression for me. I make it. I move to it. And I listen to it to pump myself up, wind myself down……get myself in a hot-and-bothered mood, or to act as the catalyst for my tears. When I find a song I like, I listen to it 100 times over. Also? If you want to know the ultimate form of torture for me, it would be to force me to listen to a good song….then require me to not move a muscle. I like my music the way I like many things in my life. Extreme. But even so. I never start at max volume. You ever sit down in a car, turn it on, and get blasted by the unexpectedly loud tune-age? Ya. Not fun. And likely, it just made you pee in your pants just a little. Extreme is amazing. But it’s something you build up to. And sometimes, in life, we are so tempted to go extreme, right out of the gate. You ever have an epiphany? A sudden jolt? A realization that if you continue down the path you’re walking on….you’re never going to become the person you want to become? This place of dire-ness. Desperation. And critical clarity. It is the very birthplace of motivation. But it never lasts. Because that parched feeling. That need to change. It can be pushed down. And brushed aside. Especially when you’re tired. Or you’ve had a bad day. And Ben and Jerry’s just this once is what you deserve. You want motivation to last? Do this. Move forward. Then give it a chance. You know those kind of people who chase shiny objects? Ya. Don’t be one of them. In order to stay motivated, you’ve got to give yourself a chance. And I mean like…..6 months. Not just a couple of weeks. Stay the course. So many people dive in, realize how hard it is to keep going, then give up. Shit is hard. Yes it is. Pick your destination, then drive. Move. Go forward. No matter what. Don’t convince yourself that you need to “get your ducks in a row” first. Fuck the ducks. Take action, and keep moving. Turn up the volume. Slowly. Also don’t be one of those people who goes from zero to sixty right away…then burns out. Focus on building momentum. With any new endeavour, we all feel like we suck. There’s a huge amount of imposter syndrome. And there’s always a certain level of embarrassment with learning something new. But all experts started out as beginners. And you have to be willing to go through that learning curve. Don’t get all “full-costume, lights, camera, action” right away. Add new skills. One on top of the other. And build your confidence, one brick at a time. Be willing to “be the amateur.” And don’t expect perfection. Or overnight success. You want it? Put on your patience hat, missy. You’ll ride that bike down the hill. And guess what? You’ll get faster and faster the further you go. Have a (snow)ball. Motivation is a desire to do something. A desire. And if you’re waiting to like the thing that is hard to do….think again. Instead, allow yourself to fall in love with the results. And let that fuel your fire. In chasing every dream. Every goal. Every personal best. There comes a critical turning point, when you start experiencing success. You see little victories. And you start winning. THAT is when the snowball you are building really starts to form. Because then, and only then, will your motivation become self-fulfilling, and sustainable. But don’t make the mistake in thinking that once you make a snowball, you can stop pushing. That snowball has endless potential. And if you keep moving, it will keep getting bigger. There is no end. There is no finish. There is no done. So please. Feel free to live an extreme life. I’m in full support of going big, or going home. But ease into it. So that you don’t just do the “going home” part, and forget about the “big” part. Now, excuse me while I hit “post,” finish my coffee, and hop in the car. I’m in a fabulous mood. And I have some serious steering wheel drumming to get to. Yes I am that person. And I can’t wait to pull up next to you at a stoplight.
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