Doing What You Don’t Feel Like Doing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRaLkBm2g-o

My school had a late start today, but I didn’t. While the majority of people were laying in bed, I was training and aiming to become .01% better at juggling. Though I don’t even play soccer anymore, I went to practice after school for sprint conditioning, and to maintain social momentum.

After a poor night of sleep last night, an early morning, and a significant amount of exercise I’m exhausted. I feel like calling it a night, but I know it’s too early to go to sleep without messing up my schedule. My brain feels like today has run circles around it, and I think I’m experiencing mild amnesia.

I don’t feel like doing anything. I tried reading a couple minutes ago, but I had trouble focusing, and I kept reading the same sentence over and over again. I could probably force myself to continue reading, but I chose not to as I can’t imagine I’d retain much.

15 minutes ago the last thing I felt like doing was writing this blog post. Yet here I am, 200 words in and continuing to barrel through it. Is this going to be the best post I’ve ever written? Probably not. Does writing this provide me with more instant gratification than vegetating and staring at my belly button? No.

But one of the biggest elements of success is doing things you don’t feel like doing, and if you put a gun to my head and asked me for the best use of the remainder of tonight it would be writing. Therefore I made the decision to write this post.

Doing What You Love Vs. Invoking Passion

There’s a big myth being passed around in the self-improvement industry these days. Simply do what you love and you’ll be successful. I’m calling BS.

I don’t love lifting weights, I don’t love writing blog posts when I’m on the brink of unconsciousness, and I don’t love studying Spanish flash cards. However, I consistently do all three of these, because I see that they contribute to the bigger picture.

While do what you love is better than most advice being passed around let’s make it even better. Do the things that invoke passion within you.

You have to understand that sometimes success requires not doing what you’d most enjoy in the moment. I’m going through an intense period of work right now, and I don’t get to socialize or date nearly as much as I’d like to.

Essentially, I’m not doing all that I love, or what would provide me the most pleasure today. I’m forcing myself to delay moderate comfort in the present for complete future freedom.

This doesn’t mean I’m not process oriented in my day to day life. I enjoy things like weightlifting for what I can, but let’s be honest, studying Spanish flashcards can’t touch being on a date with a cute chick.

The reason I’m able to flow, and be more energetically free compared to most people, however, is that while my todo list may be difficult and arduous, the things I do are done purposefully, and invoke passion within me.

Recognize that you aren’t always going to feel like doing what must be done. Sometimes success demands doing the things you don’t feel like doing, but by doing what must be done you’ll develop confidence, and a deep love for yourself far more gratifying than any form of instant-gratification.

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