This is a blog about hope and hopelessness, about change and stasis, and motivation and pre-motivated action.

I like the word ‘premeditated’. Premeditated is often used for a crime thought about (i.e., meditated upon) beforehand (i.e., pre). I don’t think your rescue is coming – nor is your rescuer. I don’t think the cavalry is coming in any way, shape, or form. I don’t think you’re going to have the luxury of saying, “Too little; too late.” I just don’t think the Universe is that into you… or into me. (Was that blasphemous?)

But this is good news. It means you can stop wasting time hoping for help and deliverance that is not coming. (Wait too long and the disappointment will eat at you and you will get old and bitter… like me.) No, instead, it means you can develop new hope, and do something about what matters to you. You can.

So, I’ve invented a new word: premotivated. It refers to the thoughts, feelings, and actions that happen ‘before motivation’.

Let’s have a reality check… or even a ‘Realty Check-In’.

Losing weight is hard. Getting fit is hard. Changing ANYTHING in your life is hard.

If you wait for the motivation to do this, you’ll probably need a crisis before you’ll take action. But here’s the thing: as soon as the pressure’s off, your motivation is most likely to magically disappear.

To really get your life moving in the direction you desire, you need premotivated action! This is the kind of action you know you could take but don’t feel like it. You are clever. You know what is good for you, but you’re probably waiting to feel like doing what is good for you.

You’re better than that. You’re the Captain of your own ship… and you may go down with it if you don’t take some premotivated action.

That’s the Universe’s message to me today, and, I hope, it resonates with you too: take action BEFORE you feel like it. Don’t wait for the feeling. There are at least three things you could do today that would make your life better. Let me be an example: 1) a short walk around the recreation field; 2) replacing every other glass of wine with a glass of water; 3) getting up 30 minutes earlier to listen to and study some personal development material.

Do I feel motivated to do any or all of these? I do not!

Do I have the capacity and strength to do any or all of these? I do!

Will I do them?

That’s up to me, isn’t it? It’s all doable. But if I wait for motivation to come calling, I’ll be waiting a long time…

Lex

A Moodscope member.