What's Your Motivation?

Why do you think you need to work harder, faster, better? What's your motivation?

You spend your time reading productivity websites (you're here, aren't you?) timetracking, lifehacking, GTD-ing, but why? Why do you think you need to get more done?

Is it because:

• You measure your worth in the world by the work you do
• you don't know what else to do
• you don't know why you keep dropping balls and not keeping commitments you've made
• You want to have more money for a new car, a boat, your kids' college

Connecting to why you want to be more productive can be really fruitful. Do you want to work so hard so you can get all that stuff off your plate and go to the Bahamas? Then taking on new projects, lucrative and ego-enhancing as it seems, isn't in your best interest.

You identify your motivation, and this might be something that takes a while. Just sit with it. You have a couple routes to try to reinforce your intention:

1. Make a "not to do" list. This is a list of bad habits you want to stop (like going to meetings without a clear agenda). This can be even more fruitful than a "to do list."
2. Write affirmations that reinforce beliefs about yourself that lead you towards your goals.
3. Create a vision board. For quotes for your vision board, check out the motivation quotes page.

Whatever it is, clarifying by letting the dust settle can help you bring your ideas into reality. And it might not be about being more "productive" but acting in a clear and focused way towards your goals.

For more resources on productivity, check out the main productivity page.