Why Is It So Hard to Stay Motivated?

On many occasions, world-renowned drummer Travis Barker has considered drumming as his way of fighting the “suicide disease.” Some might look at this statement as a representation of his “edgy” demeanor but I think those words were carefully selected.

In fact, I think one of the most common factors in suicide is a lack of motivation. I don’t say that as a put-down to people who suffer from suicidal thoughts. I myself have had to face the suicide demon on a few occasions.

I say it as an honest understanding of what makes depression and anxiety so damn difficult to escape when we are at our lowest point. It’s what makes great therapy close to heaven-sent in some cases.

But what is “fighting the suicide demon?” I think it means doing things every day that are hard, but the things that keep us happy (and for content creators, motivated).

What is the Secret to Motivation?

I think the way we think of motivation is heavily skewed. Motivation is an emotional state we can achieve if we work at creating space for motivation to take hold.

In one of my favorite podcasts, Dr. K compared motivation to a bank. We can make deposits, and withdrawals, but ultimately we need to keep our balance of motivation above 0.

For example, playing video games takes a lot of emotional and mental energy and usually doesn’t reward that time investment. When you go to work, you might accomplish things or see progress in your skillset that can take the same mental and emotional energy.

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Does Caffeine Really help with Motivation?

To attempt to change the way our body rewards us, most of us consume caffeine. But the problem with caffeine is in the way it depletes your motivational bandwidth. Caffeine is a great way to become hyper-focused on singular tasks, but it tends to limit the broader way we think. We become fixated on a single task rather than letting our minds wander.

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And letting our minds wander is extremely important for the creative process. I don’t mean we should all quit coffee. I wouldn’t be able to function for months if I did. But our caffeine intake needs to be balanced to properly foster our natural creative spirit. If you are constantly trying to make up for excess mental wear with caffeine, you are going to burn out quickly.

By timing your caffeine intake with that “I have an idea, let’s make it real” emotion, you can really capitalize on your creativity. So how do I motivate myself to make more content? I would first start by taking a break from your content production.

Medication-Free Ways to Improve Focus

Yes, content creation is important, but your content actually suffers the more you try and force it out. So I highly encourage taking breaks. Take a walk, read a book for a minute, or do meditation if you can get away with it. Additionally, capitalize on motivation when it strikes.

For example, this article, I started writing it when I listened to a podcast that got me thinking about how I use motivation. Then when I got the idea written down, I took a break. Spent time with my wife, made dinner, and watched some TV. Later on, something reminded me of my motivation article and I hopped on my phone and continued writing until I hit a “block.”

All in all, I write my articles in 15-minute highly motivated splurges of focused energy. Sometimes they are fueled by caffeination but most of the time I capitalize on the emotion of motivation as it strikes.

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This technique has become extremely valuable to me because it represents a way for me to fight the suicide disease. I write to spur my creative juices, to work out my marketing muscles, and even to vent about frustrating work scenarios.

Regardless of your field, I recommend finding your own way of fighting the suicide disease.