I really do wonder how people have the will to carry out tasks

[Junkhead]

Granted, I am arguably ("arguably" because I actually enjoy doing housework) a very lazy person, but I know for sure that that isn't the reason for me not being able (not having the will) to carry out many important tasks that should benefit myself, wether it be school work or hitting the gym.

For example, the latter. I wonder why people go to the gym...even I don't know for sure why I do, hence why I have such poor consistency end up going at different paces. If I were to say it was for me, I'd be lying. I honestly find it hard to believe someone does things for one's own benefit...

[Naglfar94]

hmm thats a hard one for me to answer but I do wonder the same thing too

[Melonhead]

Initiative. Want to get a good grade on that project? Work. Want to get healthy and fit? Work. Want to eat that cookie across the room? Work. Want to graduate and get a nice, high paying job to better your life as a whole down the line? Work.

Of course some of these things may be more important to others than yourself, which would explain why you might not be as wanting to do the work to get the reward, as it is less important in your eyes. Not that that's a bad thing-priorities are what make people unique. If someone wants to be a cook, they don't go run 100 miles, they cook food.

I guess the idea of this is put into our heads from a young age: Most people (including me) learned to talk because they figured out if they talked (saying they wanted a banana or something) would get them what they wanted. So the thought or idea of doing work to reap a benefit is an instinct learned from our earlier years.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Melonhead

[Nobody]

I'm like that in every activity, except going to the gym, because I have self esteem issues and think I will get too thin if I stop going to it even once. The worst for me is studying, I'm just not able to do it, unless i'm having a test the next day and that is kind of fucking me in college.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Nobody

[RPG]

If you want to trace motivation back to a single source, generally we do things in our own self interest. Going to the gym helps with health, appearance and confidence, studying leads to better grades, working hard on a project will lead to recognition or another payoff, etc.

In cases such as housework, I'd say there are things that we are preconditioned to do by society or those around us. If you make housework a part of your routine, it becomes a task that should fit itself into whatever your schedule may be, and whatever reluctance you have in doing it should lessen. Creating a productive routine for yourself is one way to condition your brain into getting things done.

The idea of a routine also applies towards working towards a general good, or whatever you may believe to be good. If you're told that giving money to homeless people is a good thing to do and your mind accepts that idea, you'll be more inclined to do so. If people aren't doing things out of self interest, then they're generally doing them because they have accepted them as the "right" thing to do. There are other motivations such as rebellion and experimentation, but that's another conversation entirely.

[Zerker]

If I want something, I do what I have to in order to get it.

/end

[Disco]

When you want something bad enough, you do it. And when the reward is greater than what you put into it you're motivated to. I do housework because it bothers me to have a messy house and because I find the unpleasant aspect of doing housework preferable over having mold/bugs/dust/etc. I go to the gym because it makes me feel better and makes me look good, and taking that time out of my day is better than not going and feeling yucky. I go to work because I need money, which is preferable to having none and not being able to afford the life I want. Etc...

Edited July 4, 2013 by Disco

[Steampunk]

People either enjoy doing it or recognize the consequences of doing something. I know many people who enjoy thrashing themselves at the gym. Likewise, I know people who put up with shitty jobs because they know they need the income to pay bills. People work for good grades so they can be more competitive when looking for post-grad employment or grad school. Basically, people see the benefits of doing certain things.

[Wist]

Do you know how I used to motivate myself to go to the gym? I would leave my DS in the car. I only let myself play it if I were exercising, which motivated me to exercise but also to beat something because I'm awful at completing games.

If I wanted to play, for example, Fire Emblem, I'd bring my exercise clothes to the car, then heading to the gym was much easier because I was all prepared for it. I'd drive over and use back and leg machines until I completed a couple of turns, but that often turned into either beating the chapter or dying enough times that I didn't want to play anymore that day. Then I'd exercise my arms because it felt stupid not to at that point. My strength is now boundless and my speed unrivaled.

Turning tasks or chores into little steps that naturally push you forward helps a lot. Challenging oneself to do something for a couple of minutes, then a couple more minutes or what have you gets one started because the expectation is established that one will only work on the task for a short time. Once started it's much easier to will oneself to do a little more or to try to finish some arbitrary self set objective.

[Helios]

Though it depends on what we're talking about exactly, overall I just want to live my life with no regrets

[Espinosa]

Some people will go to the gym every day just because the membership cost a lot. So it can be a good thing to be a stingy person. Myself, I just enjoy the immediate outcome of beefing myself up. In the summer, I also like how I can go to the sauna, sunbathe and swim all in the same building (outside the building in the case of sunbathing), which makes me want to go to the gym even more.

[Steve Ballmer]

People do housework because it needs to be done. People go to the gym to feel and look better, either for themselves or for other people. We work to make money so we can spend it on bills and other dumb shit that we enjoy if we have any left after paying our bills. Being lazy is all well and good, but sometimes you have to be lazy while accomplishing stuff.

[Esau of Isaac]

Different people do different things for different reasons. Some people find little difficulty in performing several tasks in a shorter period of time, others have a tougher time doing so. I am notoriously lazy and find it terribly difficult to motivate myself to do anything. In general I generally force myself to do something through visualization. It can at times be fear-based. For example, I motivate myself to exercise by thinking of how I would look if I were like many of the morbidly obese customers I deal with, wheezing from simply walking around. I motivate myself to clean when necessary by imagining friends' homes covered in garbage.

Whatever it is, find something that you can think of that will help you move when you need to. You'd be surprised how well you can force yourself to do something by simply linking success with something you deeply care for.

[Djeets]

i usually make a list of targets/tasks to be done and only 1/2 of it goes fulfilled since i only do tasks that pleased me, the rest need a miracle to be fulfilled,,,

cept' for my own room, i just can't bear to witness any sign of untidy mess there,,