Have you ever had a day when you just didn't want to do anything?
You might have a great plan, but you don’t want to get off the couch today.
You might be working toward an awesome goal that truly excites you, and not want to do anything about it right now.
You might be so close to hitting your monthly numbers, and just decide that you’ll hit them next month.
I’ve had days when I just didn’t feel like doing something I knew I needed to do. We all do. It’s a part of being human. You are not always “on” and you don’t need to be! It’s important to know and accept that you will have days like this.
But while having days when you just want to tune everything out and take a break from all that goal chasing is healthy, if done too often, it can pull you off-track or even derail you completely. The key is to stay consistent in moving towards your goals; when you make a conscious choice to take a break, know how to get right back on the horse and ride again.
Sometimes, it helps to have built-in go-tos that get you back in the saddle quickly. Here are four that can move you to action.
Call an accountability buddy
Call a friend who is great at tough love and have them whip you into shape. This is a person who can firmly remind you that you need to stop listening to the part of your brain that’s trying to talk you out of doing something and telling you to be lazy. It's hard to do this for yourself, but having someone else you trust tell you to get up and start moving again can be a powerful motivator.
Understand the implications of your choice
You always have a choice. You can choose to not do something today and start fresh tomorrow. You can also choose to power through your inconsistent feeling and just get it done. The implications of those choices may determine whether you get the reward of your actions sooner, later, or never. Keep in mind, the more you “put something off,” the more will potentially get in the way. In the moment, you have more control; when you delay something to another time, you have little to no control over what else suddenly demands your time and attention. If you put it off once, chances are good it will continue to be put off again and again.
Ask yourself some questions (and answer them honestly)
What would someone you admire do in this situation? What would happen if an Olympic athlete skipped their training on the days when they didn’t feel like it? Think about who admires you. Will your kids be getting a good role model if they see that you decide you “just don’t feel like it” today? Thinking about these things can serve to jump-start your motivation and move you back into action.
Review your goals, vision, and your progress so far
You made your goals for a reason. You created a vision for a reason. You’ve poured time, energy, and money into those things for a reason. Are they really worth putting on the shelf because you don’t feel like getting results today? Instead of getting caught-up in how far you have to go, remind yourself of how far you’ve come. Revisiting all that you want to accomplish and what you’ve done to get there can often help to reinspire you.
Give yourself permission to recharge when you really need to, but be aware of how seductive taking too long a break can be. There will be days when action comes naturally and there will be days when it doesn’t seem to come at all. Knowing how to stay the course, no matter how you feel, is the price you pay for discipline to avoid the price you pay for regret. Discipline pays dividends, while regret will cost you.
