First, let me point out to you that you’re NOT unmotivated. If you were, you wouldn’t be asking for help. In fact, it’s pretty clear that you’re a SUPER MOTIVATED (and clearly inventive) person who looks for answers in unexpected places.
So you’re inventive and conscientious, probably to the point of getting in your own way. You are so focused on the feeling/problem of being “unmotivated,” that it is distracting your attention away from a topic that clearly holds no interest for you.
It’s been a long time since I went to college, but even now there are plenty of assignments that require creative solutions from me, and I could very easily perceive that my reputation and career rests upon EVERY SINGLE TEST. Some of these assignments are work related. Some are just life.
Come to think of it, when I was your age, I looked at every one of these assignments as another chance to fail. Seriously. I started out with a “failure” mindset and had to fight my way back into the flow.
That’s it, right? You’re not flowing. You’ll notice that when you do something you enjoy, it seems effortless to you, as though you are running on autopilot and you can do no wrong. When you’re NOT flowing, all you can do is worry that you’re not flowing.
You feel as though you have a brain clamp. Do you have a brain clamp, my friend? I have mine up for sale on eBay if you want another one, but yours seems plenty tight on its own.
That aside, clearly you are smart enough and conscientious enough to tackle whatever the assignment is at hand, but your lack of interest is causing your mind to wander into places where you don’t seem to want it to go, thus causing your painful and distracting brain clamp.
You might be able to loosen the clamp by stepping away from the assignment, maybe meditating or getting some sleep, and coming back at it later. I know that whenever I have a brain clamp, sleep is all I need to set me free.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hoped to die at night just to get out of an assignment that I perceived myself as “not good enough” to get done. But now I recognize these feelings after a long day, and time has proven that if I simply drop the worry and “die in my sleep,” I wake up refreshed and good as new.
Perhaps you procrastinated to the point that you perceive that “time is up.” Perhaps TODAY is the day you’re being tested. Perhaps you STILL feel unprepared.
Again, let me remind you that this is ONLY ONE ASSIGNMENT and that your life will be filled with thousands, perhaps millions of them. Even if you fail miserably today, you have proven to me that you’re not the sort of person with whom failure will become a habit.
Not EVERY assignment will be this dull and uninteresting to you. Now you know PRECISELY which topic that you don’t want to base your career on.
This sounds really cliché, but I’m going to remind you anyway. You seem to be doing your best. Doing your best is ALL YOU CAN DO. You can’t do MORE than your best. It’s impossible. So WHATEVER you get for a grade, HOWEVER you feel people are judging you, NO MATTER HOW HARSHLY you judge yourself — at the end of the day, you cannot take the outcome personally.
Don’t harsh on yourself. You did ALL you could do. Let your parents yell at you, if that’s what you imagine. Let people believe you’re stupid. (You realize that NONE of these things are true, right? Things ALWAYS seem to work out in the end. Despite torturing yourself, you’re STILL probably at the head of the class.)
So whether you surprise yourself once again (this happens a lot to you, doesn’t it?) or whether you actually fail for once, it doesn’t matter in the long run.
So what’s the worst that can happen? I realize you see this one assignment as a cascading chain into homelessness and disappointment, but you forget that there are safety nets all around you. They’re there because you’ve built a reputation your whole life for trying hard and not wanting to disappoint anyone.
People around you know this and will no doubt support you no matter what happens, so long as you remember to “do your best,”
which is precisely what you’re doing. There might be some grumbling, but this is human nature.
Sorry I’m a day late in answering this. I hope your assignment goes better that your assessment of it yesterday. I hope my words are somewhat helpful to you as well. I did my best!
Good luck with everything.
Love.
Space Monkey
2/6
The Cosmic Journey of Motivation and Flow
In the vast cosmos of human experience, the struggle with perceived unmotivation and the pursuit of flow is like navigating through a nebula of uncertainty and self-discovery. Your reflection on the nature of motivation, the challenge of assignments, and the journey from a mindset of failure to one of flow, provides a profound insight into the human condition. Let’s explore this journey, the idea of the “brain clamp,” and the cosmic significance of doing your best.
Perceived Unmotivation as a Mask for Flow
The idea that being unmotivated is actually a sign of super motivation, but in a direction away from uninteresting tasks, is a powerful shift in perspective. It’s like realizing that a seemingly dormant star is actually bursting with energy, just not in the visible spectrum. Recognizing that lack of interest, rather than lack of motivation, is the real issue, can be a liberating revelation.
The Brain Clamp and the Power of Rest
The metaphor of a “brain clamp” as a symbol of mental constraint and the suggestion to loosen it through stepping away, meditating, or sleeping is akin to finding a way to navigate through the cosmic fog. Sleep and rest can be powerful tools for resetting and rejuvenating the mind, much like how the universe undergoes cycles of expansion and contraction.
The Cosmic Scale of Assignments and Failure
Your perspective that any assignment or perceived failure is just one small part of a much larger cosmic journey is a reminder of the vastness of experiences awaiting us. Just as the universe is filled with countless stars and planets, our lives are filled with numerous challenges and opportunities for growth. Each assignment, each task, is merely a single point in the grand constellation of our existence.
Doing Your Best as a Universal Maxim
The emphasis on doing your best as the utmost one can do resonates with the universal truth of giving all that we have to the present moment. In the cosmic dance, every effort, every attempt, is valuable, regardless of the outcome. Understanding that our best is all we can offer, and that it’s enough, aligns us with the natural flow of the universe.
The Support Systems and Safety Nets of Life
Recognizing the safety nets and support systems around us, built through a lifetime of effort and goodwill, is like acknowledging the gravitational forces that keep us anchored in our cosmic journey. These support systems provide stability and assurance, reminding us that we are not alone in our journey through the cosmos.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We are exploring the concepts of motivation, flow, and the ‘brain clamp’, understanding that perceived unmotivation may actually be a redirection of energy towards more compelling interests. We recognize the importance of rest and perspective in navigating life’s challenges and emphasize the significance of doing one’s best in alignment with the cosmic flow. We also acknowledge the support systems that provide stability in our journey through the cosmos.
Glossarium
- Nebula of Uncertainty: The unclear and confusing aspects of our mental and emotional states.
- Cosmic Fog of the Mind: The mental blockages that hinder our clarity and focus.
- Constellation of Existence: The myriad experiences and challenges that make up our life.
- Universal Truth of Effort: The understanding that giving our best is all that is required and is in alignment with the cosmic order.
- Gravitational Forces of Support: The people and systems that provide stability and support in our lives.
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the cosmos of our minds, where doubts swirl,
Perceived unmotivation, a hidden pearl.
In the journey of life, with its ebb and flow,
In our best efforts, our spirits glow.
The brain clamp of worry, tight and grim,
Loosened by rest, the light within.
Each task, a star in the cosmic night,
In the universe of effort, our guiding light.
Safety nets around, in the cosmic sea,
Supporting us, in our journey to be.
In the dance of life, where we find our way,
In our best efforts, we light the day.
We invite you to share your reflections on navigating the journey of motivation, flow, and doing your best in the grand cosmic dance of life.
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