It’s a new year and you’ve likely set some new goals for yourself. Now you just need some motivation to work on them. So you read motivational quotes on Instagram, listen to a motivational podcaster yell at you for thirty minutes while you commute to work, and repeat affirmations about crushing it every morning and night.
You’re feeling motivated. Really motivated. You start to take some steps to accomplish your goals.
But then a few days later, you’re not feeling so motivated, and because you’re not feeling it, you stop working on those goals of yours. Then you start feeling guilty about not working on your goals, so you return to reading motivational quotes on Instagram to help pump yourself back up to get going.
Sound familiar?
If so, my guest today argues that you’ve likely fallen for the “motivation myth.” His name is Jeff Haden and his latest book is The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win. Today on the show, Jeff explains what the motivation myth is and why it’s so alluring. We then discuss the real secret to lasting motivation, and no, it’s not reading motivational quotes or listening to motivational speakers. Jeff then walks us through specific tactics you can start using today to tap into this genuine catalyst for achieving your goals.
If you’re a motivational junkie that doesn’t have a lot to show for all your inspired intentions, this episode is for you.
Show Highlights
- How Jeff got started researching motivation
- Myths about motivation, and why they’re so alluring
- How do you get into the virtuous loop of self-perpetuating motivation
- Why you shouldn’t necessarily tell people about your goals
- Why you need to find a pro, and not a coach
- Focusing on the process over the goals
- What to do on a day-to-day basis to follow those processes you’ve set up for yourself
- Why you need to have a why behind your goals and processes
- How and when to refine your processes
- “I can’t” vs. “I don’t”
- What keeps people going after achieving their goals?
- Becoming a serial achiever
- What Jeff means by “work your number”
- How Jeff did 100,000 pushups in one year
Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast
- Kirk Hammett
- Inspiration Is for Amateurs
- The World Belong to Those Who Hustle
- My podcast with Sean Young about creating habits that stick
- Jeff’s articles on Inc.com
- AoM series on willpower
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Shadow Work and the Rise of Middle-Class Serfdom
- My podcast with Noah Kagan about self-experimenting to find the best results
- Visions Over Goals
- How Venus Williams Became a Successful Entrepreneur
- Here’s What Happened When I Did 100,000 Push-Ups and 50,000 Sit-Ups
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Podcast Sponsors
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The post Podcast #367: The Motivation Myth appeared first on The Art of Manliness.
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