motivation

“Every leader will hit a series of plateaus in their lives. The key is not to say there, because settling on a plateau can easily lead to an elongated season of comfort. Being comfortable is one of the leader’s worst enemies”
― Gary Rohrmayer

When you are first learning something new there is a tremendous growth curve, its new and exciting and you go from knowing nothing to so much in a short period of time. Then inevitably the momentum slows and you reach a plateau. If you are working out, learning to play a new sport, starting a new job, losing weight, your progress and excitement will slow. That alarm ringing at 5 am so you can get the early morning run in will want to get snoozed and the healthy feeling you have from eating better will become so normal that you will yearn for a hot fudge sundae or hot pizza or snickers bar just to see if its as good as you remember. The motivation that was so strong when you started may waver, and you may want to give up. But where does the motivation come from? Its a by-product of doing something. It is the benefit you get, the payout, for the work you put in. The only way to be motivated to get up early and work out or write or plan your week is to feel or anticipate the reward that comes when you are just doing it. You can think something to death and talk yourself out of any idea your imagination comes up with by waiting to feel motivated. Nike coined it just right with their “Just do it” catch-phrase.

The plateaus are gonna happen, and the true test is handling them when you reach them. I think of plateaus as the landings on the stairwells that we are climbing towards being the best version of ourselves. They present us with the perfect opportunity to turn around and look at the progress we have made thus far. Realize that although you are at the landing, you are still one floor or 5 floors or 20 floors up from the last plateau. Take a breath and remind yourself of why you started on the climb, celebrate your progress, and get moving.