Wanting It But Not Wanting To Do It

I’m a pretty motivated person and I’ve got a huge vision for the life I want to build for myself - An impactful business, extraordinary experiences, deep relationships, incredible health.

Yet sometimes I question my commitment to it because I don’t always feel on fire. There are times when I sense myself wanting to have a cheat day in my diet… Cut a workout short… Take it easy in my business development… And I judge myself for it. 

What’s wrong with me for not wanting to put in the work toward something I care so much about?

If I believe in myself and my future so much, why does my motivation fluctuate so much?

As I asked these questions of myself, I realized how human my experience was. And a sentence shot across my mind:

It’s perfectly normal to want something but not want to do what it takes to achieve it.

I promise you - Everyone has moments where they lack a natural sense of inspiration. Even the peppiest, happiest, most happening people need to push themselves into action. No one is immune to the reality that being human involves making yourself do hard things.

When I took the pressure off of myself and accepted the circumstances, I was able to see something new. This new way of approaching life and achieving my goals was healthier. It didn’t have the same needy energy to it - where I needed to prove myself and that I was capable - and instead got grounded in the task at hand.

Navigating life boldly takes a lot of effort, and if some of it is getting wasted managing your own self-image, then you make what’s already hard even harder. That’s why, ironically, taking it easier on yourself actually leads to a greater output. Why having fair expectations doesn’t dilute your ambition but gives you a better chance at succeeding with them.

It’s not a character flaw to have big dreams but not have the motivation to deliver on them. It’s human design. And hopefully I can give you the permission I gave to myself, so that you can start being a better teammate to yourself. 

It’s the kind of thing that’s easiest to call out in someone else but so hard to see in ourselves. Give yourself the same grace you’d give someone else. Protect your own self-worth the way you’d fight for someone else’s.  

You’re capable of great things even if you don’t always feel great. It’s perfectly normal to want something but not want to do what it takes to achieve it.

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