How do you motivate yourself and get ready?

Joan J.
Take a moment to meditate. Recognize that the feeling of not wanting to do something is a pattern of energy. Go through the motions of getting started and observe how it changes.

Don’t want to go for a run? Recognize that feeling. Instead of dreading the entire experience of exertion, resolve to simply take the first step, which might be to change into your running gear. From there, always know that you can either choose to abort or continue to the next small step, and that either option is OK – no pressure. If you choose to continue, the next step might be to put a bottle of water in the fridge for when you get back, or plan your route. From there, you can choose to abort or continue to the next small step…, etc. Break the preparation into as many small tasks as you need. There are an infinite amount of them.

It’s not the preparation that you dread, it’s what you’re preparing for. If you focus on the present moment during a time of low willpower, you’ll notice that you’ll get prepared for what must be done. Once you’re prepared, the activation energy to perform the task you were dreading has been significantly reduced.