I admit it. I can be very lazy. I was the laziest person I know. My brain was lazy. My courage was weak, and physically I was not moving. I believe that all of us at one time are lazy or have been lazy.
I have heard crazy things like lazy is a mental health issue or it is hereditary. Yet, laziness is just a habit. In order to not be lazy, we need to change the habit. In order to change the habit, we need to condition ourselves to do so. The best way to do this is change our state. We need to move differently. Thus, we need to change our physiology. Changing your body can get you from a lethargic state to a high energy state in a heartbeat.
In addition to changing your state, here are other habits and methods I use to overcome laziness:
- Link massive pain to not taking action as opposed to taking action. An example of this is when we decide not to eat healthy. Think of the consequences of not eating healthy. How will your body feel?
- Have consequences of not following through as well as a reward system. For me, there is a tax for not achieving my weekly goals. I pay $10 to my mastermind group when I don’t take action and achieve my outcome for the week. If you are not in a mastermind group, you can make a bet with a friend that you will go to the gym for a certain number of days. If not, you need to pay your friend $20. Also a reward system can be motivating because what gets rewarded, gets repeated. If I go to work out four times in a week, I will take Saturday and make it a fun day. Otherwise, I will need to go to the gym on Saturday.
- Do you have compelling reasons? Do you have a why or a purpose? If so, you need to keep reminding yourself why you want to achieve a certain goal. You need to check in constantly on why you are doing it. Make sure that the why and purpose is meaningful and emotional that you will be moved deeply by it. Do not make your why shallow because you will not be motivated long term by it.
- Lastly who is important in your life? Who do you love? We will never follow through on a goal or outcome if we are doing it for ourselves alone. Why would one want to be healthy and fit? It could be they want to be around for their children and grandchildren and see both generations have a family of their own. Maybe you need to take that additional appointment on the weekend or need to make that additional call. It could mean taking that dream vacation with your significant other or sending your children to the best private school.
Thus if we are being lazy, we are squarely focusing on ourselves. Always remember if we are feeling unmotivated, change your state. Also remind yourself of your why, have consequences and a reward system, and focus on who you love and care for.