I keep a little file on my computer where I write notes to myself about things I’ll likely need to be reminded of at some point.
I check these notes any time I’m feeling unmotivated, psychologically down, physically sluggish, or in some other way not like myself.
The list is ever-evolving, but here’s what’s on it right now:
You feel better when you drink water regularly throughout the day.
You feel better when you workout periodically throughout the day.
You feel better when you sleep for at least 8 hours.
You feel better when you set goals and earn things, rather than just having those things.
You feel better (on multiple levels) when you keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.
You feel better when you use your body consciously and move with intention, even when you’re just walking from room to room.
You feel better when you put in a little bit of extra effort to do things right.
You generally feel more invigorated, productive, and accomplished when you front-load your work to the beginning of the day.
You feel more inspired and productive when you have several things going at once: different lessons, projects, even types of entertainment. Bonus points if these things are disconnected from each other, so each thing activates a different part of your brain and challenges you in a different way.
When you’re feeling stressed out: identify what’s causing the stress, figure out which pieces are actionable, and focus on those. Set aside the other stuff till it’s actionable, and remind yourself that you’re better off being healthy, happy, and ready to move forward than purposelessly fixating on something about which you can’t currently do anything.
Having some structure in place sometimes helps you enjoy unstructured pursuits.
Do you actually want that thing, or do you just like the idea of having it? Will you actually gain anything from it, or are you just bored or looking to spend money on something? What else could you buy with that same amount of money?
In general, it’s not a great opportunity if it means going against your convictions, promoting ideas you find abhorrent, or surrounding yourself with people you don’t like. There will be other opportunities, life is too short, and we are what we do.