Some days I feel like crap. I question everything I’m doing from the business I started, how I’m spending my time, and even the things I write about on this blog.
photo by alex
I can feel the self-doubt, indecision, and paralysis setting in and it seems everything I do to get back on track doesn’t work. My feelings want to overrun my day and keep me from getting anything productive accomplished.
However, if I force myself to sit down in my chair and get to work or grab my guitar and head out to teach, things always turn around.
I have learned you can’t always trust your feelings. Sometimes you have to completely ignore them and just start working. Then the paralysis and self-doubt melt away.
We must discipline ourselves and decide how to act. When we do this, the feelings will follow.
Question: Have you ever had to tell your feelings to shut-up and get in line?
All the time Michael.
Every.Single.Day.
Most
people wait for motivation before taking action:
* “I’ll get in shape when I’m
motivated.”
* “I don’t feel like
finishing this project right now, I’ll wait until I have more energy.”
This equation is
backward! Energy is a result of
action, not vice-versa. Setting and pursuing goals is the forward, proactive movement of (1) deciding what is
important and (2) planning out how to achieve what is important before motivation exists. Once goals are
established, energy builds.
Counterintuitive!
Great advice, Kent! Yeah, procrastination killed my dreams for far too long!
Yes. Every morning when I wake up, I force myself into the bathroom to turn of my alarm, I drink water, then I immediately get in the shower. This is my way of shutting up those “just another 30 minutes’ thoughts, so that I can wake up, and get things done.
Nice post man! It’s helpful to differentiate from battling feelings of resistance to those times when it’s best to follow our gut feeling. In this example, it has nothing to do with gut feeling.
Totally, Matt. Finished listening to The War of Art over the weekend. Now I’m listening to it again. It’s that good. Thanks again!
Wow man, that’s awesome! You’re a fast reader. The book is so good, I remember reading it in one sitting too. Since then, I now look at Resistance in much different way.
He just launched his latest book, “Turning Pro”. I’ll let you know when I get my hands on it !
Yea,
I owe you a huge thanks as well Matt! Lovin “War of Art” as well- rough, raw and in your face. Glad someone is saying what most never do!
You are very welcome 🙂 I love to share great resources with people! Feels like the timing on this was great. Can’t believe you guys have gone through it so quick !
Getting a men’s small group going at church AND creating a blog to go along with it scares me.
On top of that I want this new site to be [mostly] story type blog posts (characters with dialog). That scares me to death. This will stretch me VERY far.
Like I said on the facebook page. The only way to know you have a bad idea is to try real hard at it till you crash and burn.
Imagine the things you will learn!
So true, James. Failing isn’t fun, but it sure is helpful!
That’s a neat twist with blogging. Makes me think of Andy Andrews and how he uses stories to get his message across.
I just got out of a meeting with our newly hired associate pastor. My ManDurance idea is now the official name for our men’s ministry.
I was shocked! Didn’t see that one coming!
That’s awesome, James! Now you have support and accountability for this. Sweet!
If we run our lives by feelings most times we would get very little accomplished. They are fickle; one day you are climbing the mountain and feel like superman (or superwoman) and the next you question everything you are doing and whether it’s even making a difference. I’m constantly telling my feelings, when they are in the defeated mode they need to move out of the way. I then do something I know will produce life and bring me to a place of wellness again.
Awesome, Cindy! Yeah, put those darn feelings in their place when they’re out of line! 🙂
Absolutely… I have a couple phrases that sit at the top of my goal sheet, and one of them is “Sit, Walk, Do –> Straight Up with Purpose”…
For some reason that little phrase rekindles the fire and I’m back on it… Focused, alert, and the other stuff melts away…
Love your enthusiasm, Rob. Keep it up!
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Thanks Ann!
it’s true! Our one speaker in YWAM loved to use the line “fake it till you make it”. He used in the same context you just spoke of.
Sometimes you just have to turn off thoughts and emotions and move forward, then when your on the other side, you realize it actually wasn’t that bad!
Crystal,
Fake it till you make it. I like it! I know we had to do that sometimes during our engagement (in a good way!).
It was good seeing you and Andrew the other night! I enjoyed hearing of Andrew’s motorcycle adventures.