Staying motivated is hard
I’ve often fallen into the trap of believing I’ve ‘run out’ of things to motivate me. Like I’d somehow run the course of everything I could possibly be inspired by. Obviously, that’s not possible. We carry these ideas with us and give them such weight, but we’re the ones in control. It’s pretty counterintuitive if you ask me.
I’ve always been a sponge of sorts. Trying to soak up any knowledge I could on a given subject made me feel more comfortable with new things, and as I get older, has been a great benefit to my growth & development; personal, and professional. Fortunately for me, with that trait came a hunger to learn as much as I could about as much as I could.
Find your thing
It’s been said a million times, and for good reason. Keeping a book open, whether physical, digital, or audio, is a blessing in disguise. At any given moment, you have the ideas, thoughts, and/or experiences to pull from another human being who has lived a life much like your own. That in itself speaks volumes. The real kicker is exactly what you’re reading.
Personally, I like biographies. They’re straightforward, have a clear purpose, and most importantly for me: they’re real.
However, it’s easier said than done. Our lives get busy, things come up, and we forget to stay consistent.
Yeah fuck that.
I’m a big believer of 2 things:
- If it needs to get done, it’ll get done.
- It’s up to us to do it.
With that being said, maybe books aren’t your thing. If so, that’s fine. The key isn’t the book. The key is something to learn from. Maybe you inspect machines for fun, maybe you have a life coach or a mentor. Whatever it is, it’s up to you to make sure that you stay on track.
My dad says
My dad once told me at a very young age, “once you stop learning, you start dying.” That always stuck with me. Maybe that’s the reason I became spongy. Maybe he said that because he already saw the path I was on and wanted to encourage me.
I later learned that quote is widely attributed to Albert Einsten, whether he said it or not is another story. It’s no surprise that my dad is a major fan of Einstein and seems to have that same mindset. He doesn’t read much, but every time I talk to him he’s telling me about something new he’s learned.
What I know to be true
Anyway, to close this up I’ll say what I know to be true. There have been millions upon millions of people on this Earth before you and I. Upwards of 80% of the people who have ever lived are deceased.
For each of these people, there is a story. For each of these stories, there are lessons to be learned.
Every day we have decisions to make that will impact our futures forever. If there’s a single decision I recommend you stay far away from, it’s to stop learning.
Once you decide to stop, I’m not sure there’s any going back.
I’ll be moving right along if you need me.
Cheers,
Noah