You Will Never Be Lazy Again After Reading This | How To Rewire Your Brain To Do Hard Things
Written by Michelle Ong | August 3, 2024 | Productivity
Transform laziness into productivity with the power of effort. Learn how you can rewire your brain to conquer challenges and achieve your goals for a fulfilling life.
In a world often enticed by shortcuts and instant gratification, the notion of putting in effort to achieve our goals can sometimes feel daunting. Yet, it’s through embracing effort that we can truly unlock our potential and reshape our lives.
In this article, we’ll delve into the power of making effort work for you, rewiring your mindset to tackle challenges head-on rather than succumbing to laziness.
1. Motivation
“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
Jordan Belfort
Having a compelling reason for taking action serves as a powerful motivator, countering negative thoughts and temptations. A strong ‘why’ strengthens your resolve, keeps you focused, and helps you overcome obstacles to achieve your goals.
To tackle challenging tasks effectively, align your actions with the identity you aspire to embody and view laziness as a hurdle to overcome, not an accepted norm.
Developing discipline is key to success, so embrace mindsets and methods that help you stay focused and committed to your goals. While firm rules are important for self-discipline, don’t push yourself to the point of exhaustion. Instead, enjoy the process and embrace the journey.
By focusing on the task at hand, you’ll find satisfaction in hard work and its rewards. Perseverance helps you overcome self-doubt, gain confidence, and acquire new skills.
2. Cultivate Abundance
To adopt an abundance mindset, start by recognizing the wealth of opportunities, resources, and possibilities available to you. Embrace challenges as chances to learn and grow, rather than seeing them as threats. Remember, hard doesn’t mean impossible.
Think of your mind like an empty cup, ready to be filled with new knowledge and ideas. Cultivate a beginner’s mindset, or shoshin in Japanese philosophy, which involves approaching tasks with openness and curiosity. This fosters creativity.
Develop self-awareness by challenging assumptions and questioning whether perceived difficulties are based on reality or hearsay. Reflect on your motivations and seek inspiration from success stories of others who have overcome similar challenges.
By adopting an abundance mindset and staying open to new knowledge and experiences, you’ll discover creative solutions and opportunities for growth.
3. Lower The Barrier
To tackle a hard task, start by researching and gathering information to strengthen your motivation and lower the barriers. Learn from others who have succeeded in similar endeavors by reading books, listening to podcasts, and talking to people. Use their experiences to create a method that works for you, strategize your approach, and plan your steps to minimize doubt and fear.
Break the task down into manageable steps, set achievable goals, and make it so easy that failure isn’t an option. Making it easier to stay focused and disciplined is key to overcoming fear and tackling hard tasks. When you do the hard task a second time, it boosts your confidence and creates momentum. Then let the Zeigarnik effect drive you forward, pushing you to finish what you started.
Developing relevant skills and applying consistent effort is another effective strategy. Skill plus effort equals expertise. This winning formula helps you surpass average performance and reach an expert level. Focus on continuous improvement and achieving mastery, prioritizing the quality of practice over quantity.
Taking a smart approach means simplifying the hard task. Like adopting the 5-second rule to make it easier to take the first step. Try habit bunching, where you pair new habits with existing ones. For example, if drinking coffee is your existing habit and reading is the new one you want to develop, make a rule to read whenever you drink coffee. This lowers the barrier and makes the new task easier to do.
4. Take Small Steps: Kaizen
Trying to do everything at once can overwhelm you, leading to exhaustion and demotivation. Instead, adopt the kaizen philosophy of making incremental progress through small steps each day to achieve significant results and boost productivity.
Strengthen your motivation with a compelling reason and remember that taking one small step is a low-risk investment with high potential rewards.
Embrace the wisdom of wabi-sabi by accepting imperfection as a natural part of life and focusing on progress, not perfection. Believe in yourself and your abilities; failure is just a stepping stone to success. Each small step builds momentum for the next.
Avoid fixating solely on end goals. Acknowledge the positive steps you’ve taken to prevent procrastination. Even small progress is valuable, so reflect on the impact of your actions and make smart choices to keep moving forward.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Nike’s famous slogan, “Just Do It,” captures the essence of tackling hard tasks. Manage your fears and doubts, and muster the courage to take that first step.
5. Sustainable Habits
To make doing hard stuff an ingrained habit, commit to putting in the effort, as it’s the fuel for progress. Be consistent by prioritizing and repeating difficult tasks to form lasting habits. Cultivate persistence by viewing setbacks as opportunities to try again—progress often comes with challenges, so keep pushing forward.
Hold yourself accountable by finding supportive people to track your progress and encourage you. Use systems like calendars and routines to structure your efforts and reduce friction. Celebrate your achievements and reward yourself to stay motivated. With time and dedication, tackling hard tasks will become second nature.
6. Adopt Self-Care Routines
Getting enough sleep, eating healthily, and staying active are crucial for brain health. When you take care of your body, you’re better equipped to handle challenges and stay motivated.
A good night’s sleep refreshes your mind and boosts your energy, making it easier to focus and tackle tasks. Nutritious foods provide your brain with the fuel it needs to function optimally, while regular exercise releases endorphins that improve your mood and sharpen your cognitive abilities.
Check out the Pinterest pins below for more productivity ideas.
Are You Ready To Transform?
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Rewire your brain to embrace challenges and pursue goals with enthusiasm using these strategies. Overcome laziness and stay motivated for a more fulfilling life! Remember, change takes time and effort, so be patient and enjoy the journey rather than rushing to the finish line.
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