Like most people, I struggle with getting motivated to do things, but I have found personal strategies of getting myself motivated and able to accomplish a lot. I developed this strategy with one of my favorite techniques. Look at my past. I made a list of things that required motivation that I actually took action on and did in the past. Then took those things and developed the “Join a league” way of creating a habit.

“Motivation often comes after starting, not before. Action produces momentum.” - James Clear.

I sat down and wrote out a list of times that I accomplished things. Like I was motived by school, jobs that I had, being in a bowling league, and hosting a weekly open mic. When I got tired of and stopped practicing golf, I joined a golf league, and there I was back practicing again. Nothing motivates me more than the possibility of public embarrassment. I have some level of competitiveness and strong drive to keep up. I hate nothing more than being the worst in the room at something. Nothing fuels my drive to work hard at something quite like being the worst one.

The first time I was in a bowling league, I joined it reluctantly, my partner at the time needed one more player to fill out his team. I was like fine, I can do a bowling league, whatever. But then I was the worst one on the team by a long shot, and boy oh boy did that not sit well with me. Some may call it a little unhealthy but I dove way into it. I read books about technique, bowling physics, and even the mental psychology of bowling. I was living in Las Vegas at the time so there were several 24 hour lanes. I started going in the morning and play a game or two with my coffee before work. I kept detailed notebooks on my scores and statistics. By the end of the summer I had taken my average from 80 up to 130. As well as become the most annoying person on my team, turning games into an unsolicited history lesson on bowling. I am just realizing that I have become my dad as I write this though for him its more geography and medicine, the behavior is the same. I did help take our team from last to second place my first the season. When I remembered this fuel, I had to figure out how to recreate it. I knew I could harness this in other areas of my life.

“Join a league” is setting myself up to do something where I need to show up once a week for a set period of time. I need that outside obligation and fear of letting down my friends. I made a promise that I would be there once a week at the same time each week. This is a great motivator for me, I usually am dragging my feet every time, but once I’m out there I’m like oh yeah this is awesome I’m so glad I’m here! When I first did a summer golf league, I resisted it every time, but I was like no you said you would be there everyone is counting on you to be there Bjorn, and every time, I would be at the 2nd or 3rd hole I would soak in the beautiful greens the fresh air my body moving. Like wow I am so happy I am here doing this.

This approach gets me to do the work I want to do. I am so distracted all the time I will not make time for things just on my own. I need the possibility of embarrassment to get me out there practicing. So when I am in a golf league, I practice putting. When I’m in a bowling league I practice my 7 pins. When I have a regular showcase, I write more jokes. I need it to stay on a path and get through the inevitable plateaus of comedy.

Joining a league in comedy for me has been:

Having a regular writing meeting with friends. Same time and place every week.

Hosting a regular weekly showcase.

Having a podcast that I record once a week and edit and post.

Hosting an open mic every week.

Writing a new Article here every week.

Co-Hosting Rumorz open mic with the hilarious Madeline Moore.

These are promises that I will be there every week that I can be. I think that my one mistake with this is I never set a clear end point and it eventually just led me to burn out. So Going forward I will be setting an end point to these.

This is all about just getting me started. The key for me is just getting me going, because most of the time my real motivation kicks in about 5 minutes after I start the damn thing. So what I have to look for are the things to get me rolling on it. It's easy for me to follow through once I am there, it’s about finding ways of getting me moving. I love the working out when I’m about 5 minutes in. So finding these outside obligations to get me to that 5 minute mark is very important.

The importance of the end point adds to me is like inviting someone over to my house. I can let my house get to a point that I am embarrassed to admit in the way of clutter and just gross. The best way to get me to get off my ass and clean up the place is to invite someone over or have someone come to stay with us. That little possibility of people knowing exactly how disgusting of a home I keep, gets me over that starting resistance. I will push past that point and clean my whole damn house. Side note, on this one specifically I find it a lot easier to clean in the morning than after work when I’m tired and have no more grit left in the tank. I also find this true of writing these articles, I tend to write better in the morning. It’s like riding a bike, the first couple pedals take the most energy but once moving it's easier to keep the pace than to stop and start again.

If my reading of endless self-help books has taught me anything it’s that there is no cure all perfect remedy for everyone. We are all different people with different backgrounds and experiences. This is just something that has worked for me in getting me motivated. I love to hear how people interpret it and how they get motivated. If there is something I want to work on, I join a league, so I do the work. I need a little competition and set myself up for the possibility of looking bad. If I can do that, I will move heaven and earth to get better.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with a friend and consider joining my email list for more articles like this. You are doing great.

Bjorn RG.

A Motivation Approach.