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Week 6 [20-26.11.17] Every Day we chase our dreams.

Every single day brings us new obstacles to overcome on our long road to success.
Each of those obstacles, like pebbles in a lake, add up to our past experiences until our goals are achieved. Whatever it is you're chasing after, i.e. a career, dreams or even the simplest task like next homework, we all encounter those obstacles, those pebbles on our roads we get sick off, stuck, distracted sometimes simply discouraged to push forward.

Some of us are prepared for the difficulties to come, to give up on different aspects of our lives. The unprepared struggle to continue their paths.
Whether you are the prepared or the unprepared one, we all have one thing in common: our motivation. We push forward because at the end of our road it’s what we strive for, the goal we choose for ourselves.

Watch this video by Duncan „Thoorin” Shields discussing struggle for success, inspired by the War of Art by Steven Pressfield.




Questions:

How do you keep yourself motivated?
Would you say that you are prepared to face difficulties in your life?
Have you given up on any of your dreams or projects if yes why?

Sources used :
Own thoughts.
War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Comments

It may sound shallow, but my main motivation is to be the best I can. Simple as that. As far as I know, nobody is perfect, that's why I always find something I can do better about myself.
It's hard to answer if am prepared to face difficulties in my life, because there were no any bigger problem in may life that I had to face. I mean real problem like death of someone you love or dangerous illness.
I think that I've never given up any of my serious dreams (I'm not counting children dreams like becoming Real Madrid's footballer).
It's quite sad how easily people tend to forget what they dreamed off. Sometimes people are lazy, other time they are too scared to take risk. The most popular scenario is getting safe job, posting family, taking debt, buying flat/house etc. Then suddenly you are 50 or 60 and some day you realize that's not how it supposed to be.
I don't want to sound like couch from YouTube, but it's really important to move your ass and stop waiting for miracle. If you want to be fit and have sixpack, you must go to the gym and don't eat junk food. Dreaming about money? Drop your safe work and try to do something on your own. Complex in simplicity ;)
To Be Simply The best :)

I wonder if you have any role models in what you are doing ?
Anyone who you are aspiring to be or beat, because they are considered the best right now ?
Unknown said…
I keep yourself motivated thanks to his family.
every day they believe in me and support. It's the best motivation
Would you say that you are prepared to face difficulties in your life?
I every day I face challenges, and thanks them now I'm not afraid of anything :)
I think that if you do something to achieve your dreams, you will achieve.
Anonymous said…
In my opinion to keep yourself motivated is to make up some small goals and when you achieve it, give yourself some kind of award. It really keeps motivation on high level.
I hope I'm prepared for any difficulties in my life, but on the other hand - life is life and no one knows what will happen.
I don;t think I've ever given up on any dream.
Unknown said…
The best thing to keep yourself motivated are small successes that by keeping you motivated may lead to big success. It sounds easy but when there is a situation that even small successes are difficult and unachievable there are often other ways. For example, helping other people makes me happy and motivated because I know that it is something always worth and often does not need some great skills but just being human.
In my opinion no one can say that is prepared to face difficulties in their life but I’m sure that I’m ready to get prepared and overcome any difficulty that will occur.
Of course that I’ve given up on some dreams or projects just because my mind told me that it may be too risky or harmful for example.
It is hard to stay motivated all the time, there are times when nothing works out. I try to split the problem on smaller, more simple parts, overcoming them motivates, because you go forward. Also doing sports clears my mind, and motivates me to work harder. At the moment I am doing fine with difficulties I encounter in my life. For me it is always time depended, if I will find time I will execute the project/dream.
Splitting problems and tasks onto smaller ones and completing those seems to be a trend around.

Don't you think that overcoming one huge problem or achieving one big goal brings in more satisfaction ?
Helping others a good thing to keep yourself motivated :)
Unknown said…
It is hard to stay motivated, but method of small steps is very helpful. Make a real, available goal - when you achieve it you'll be motivated enough to make another 'success'. It may be something small, but what is troublesome for you.
I've given a lot of plans and ideas, because of lack of motivations. It wasn't hard to find excuse, so it was always justified - lack of time, I was too tired, it was too complicated. Maybe diviosion for smaller parts would make it real, but I haven' try - I was too tired, too busy... and so on.
You should try dividing tasks into smaller parts.
That way not only you can organise your work/life but also estimate how long will it take.

And having to tick off another part might be a small gratification after each one- as in good job another one done.
My method for beeing motivated is a diary- at the end of every day I (should) write all things that I did that day and every Sunday I (should) evaluate my week- I (should) compare what was my primary target that I wanted to achieve this week and what I actualy did. I used "(should)" in tekst because sometimes I have a problem with motivate myself to write day raports :D
But I recommend this method!
I would never told myself that I'm prepared for some difficult situations because I can't predict the future events. And sometimes we think that we know what does it mean to be in some difficult situation and then exactly this situation appears and our image of this situation turns out to be nothing more but funny illusion that we have created in order to feel safe and prepared for future.
Yes, I have given up a few plans because of lazyness ("the lack of time").
Unknown said…
I motivate myself like this: if I do something I get a reward. For example If I finish a project instead of going to the cinemaof when I do training, I dring a delicious coctail. I think that I will never be prepared for everything that will happen in my life. Unfortunately it is impossible. You can't foresee everything. The worst thing is when you don't have any motivation or dreams. Then your life and what you do has less meaning.
Great way of keeping track of done stuff and evaluating your productiveness. Just need to get motivated for that :)
Alicja said…
I find it hard to stay motivated when I already solve the most challenging part of a project and what is left is just a tedious, nitty-gritty part to complete it.

To get things done I follow an advice of an excellent technologists Julia Evans. I discovered her through her crazy programming videos on YouTube, but I later found nice tips on her blog. I recommend her videos if you are a coder and her blog post about getting things done: https://jvns.ca/blog/2016/09/19/getting-things-done/ Hope you enjoy it. She proposes to remember about a vision of what you are trying to accomplish, focusing on one thing at a time, breaking things down, trying to get something done every day and other, maybe obvious, but useful tips. The tip I like the most is talking to someone when you get stuck.

I have given up on many projects and dreams, but it was not due to my lack of motivation. The lack of motivation usually slows things down in my case, but I eventually complete what I started.
Unknown said…
It is hard to keep yourself motivated without going into asking questios like "what is purpouse of it" or "this is pointless, I can skip it", etc. The only thing the can overcome such state of mind is understanding that there are things you must to do or you will face the consequences, and they are not good. They are pretty nasty and sometimes even dangerous.

I can't say that I am prepared. But it is not an excuse. None of us is prepared, all who say otherwise are liars. Like really, if you are so prepared, are you ready to face your death? Life will always find how and where to strike you harder. All you need is to meet these difficulties face-to-face and beat them.

I can't say I gave up. I've become more realistic and some dreams start seeming not so good or not worthy enough. Those who left, are proved to be completed in the future.
Unknown said…
I was doing then same thing but then i found out that doing one whole task/solving the problem gives me more satisfaction, however it is harder for me to even start it.
To keep myself motivated i think about my future. Pretty simple but it works for me. I would say that I am prepared to face difficulties in my life. I mean, i think that my parents prepared me for that pretty well. Yes I abandoned many of my dream projets but not because of laziness, the reason why i left them is the fact that I get bored of them and deduced that they were pretty shitty after all.
Patryk Pohnke said…
When I decide to achieve something I get motivated to do it. The problem is you can't really stay motivated forever. There problems such as routine, boredom, physical issues which make you lazy or less motivated.
I would say that I am prepared. I don't want to face problems, but at some point you have to. That's why it is important to prepare yourself for such occasion, especially mentally.
Of course I did, because a lot of my dreams became outdated.
Yevhen Shymko said…
Actually the way I keep myself motivated is quite similar to what he's been saying. I figured out thet for me is better to do something new and interesting rather then following the usual loop you running in. For me it started with a book of "Rich Dad Poor Dad". Then I realize how you views on life can alter you behavior and change your life and if there is something you don't like you can change it but most of people do not like to get out of there comfort zone. For me the biggest fear in life is to live normal life. Normal life just appear so boring to me. So not to live boring life that is what motivate me the most.
The blog u mentioned in your comment - what a great read thanks for that!

As for being motivated after the hardest part is done - i have problems with this as well especially because whats left seems easier but unnecessarily tedious most of the time.
Neglecting consequences - a trap that most people fall into.
Too many times ive seen people forget that most of the time they are a part of something bigger. Especially easy to see in group projects and office work.
Duncan Shields has also other pieces on his channel particularly in one of them he talks about workout routine and loosing weight where he pinpoints that each of us is different and what works for one might not be the best choice for the other. An i think that is the biggest problem instead of copying someones else routine,habits or methods we should each find our own way of doing things - just as you said you did to keep yourself motivated.
Foodocado said…
It's hard to be all the time motivated. Sometimes nothing works out. I keep myself motivated by rewarding myself after tasks.

I think I am ready to face the dificulties in future. I am not saying i will overcome every of them, but I am positive thinking. I believe my parents prepared me well to deal with the problems.

I resigned from many of dreams, but it wasn't because of the lack of motivation. All of them just became outdated.
Never thought about it. Usually it is really hard for me to stay motivated. For example take a look at gym. I've started training for like 4 time and everytime i lost my motivation becouse i can't see progress. But every next time i start it apears that i can lift more and i just feel better so im starting again and again. In every other tasks its the same, the biggest motivation for me are changes that i can see while doing something.
I resigned from many of my dreams some times becouse i forgot about them and it appears that it doesnt sounds as good as it was. So i can say that maybe i cannot dream properly...
Having family support in life matters a lot and we do underestimate the value of it. What are your current "updated" dreams?
Yes consistency is a key in both dieting and working out. Thoorin has a good piece on it it could interest you :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SSKjQoutT4.

Any current dreams you are trying to fulfil ?
Unknown said…
I think I keep myself motivated. I am doing this my telling myself that others also has to do the same thing as I am doing. I think I could say that I am prepared to face difficulties in my life. I had difficulties and some were avoided by me and some I faced, so I think I am prepared for new difficulties. I haven't given up on any projects. My project are rather little.
Nobody knows that Duncan is also cs:go analyst. And his mindset is so magnificent. He is not only talking about counter-strike like a game, but he criticize players by noticing such a small details, which can cause real problems. But in the other hand he motivates them, giving the reasons, how to improve their game.
When I was at 1-st year in PJATK we've had "information management" where I explored "pomodoro" for myself.
So now I do something similar to starting early. I start early as well, but the big thing I do is "Pomodoro" witch i explored. I break work into 20 minutes of work with 5-minute breaks. Just 20 minutes, then 5 minutes to do whatever. Then right back to it. Over. And over. And over. I've got so much done since starting it and as a software developer writing code all day, it makes huge features with thousands of lines of code really simple and tacklable.
Wojtek Protasik said…
I try to stay motivated by learning new things. Also I try things I haven't ever tried and I stay open. I'm not so motivated all the time and it gets harder and harder to catch something that will give me some more motivation.

I try to do many home project when it comes to programming but some of them end up not even started because I figure out I don't really need to waste my time on them. Some of them I don't finish out of my laziness, which is a beautiful thing.
Unknown said…
Motivation is something I don't want to rely on. Motivation is here and now, today but tomorrow it may fade, flee, weaken. Of course day after tomorrow it may come back... or may not. It comes and goes.
Discipline is what makes things done. Discipline doesn't care that my toe is hurting and I've ran out of chocolate. Discipline grabs me by me face and kicks me in the nuts if necessary just to push me to do things. It's much harder to rely on discipline because you have to build it yourself, harden it, excercise it. But it pays off way more than mere motivation.
I've gone thorugh some rough times in my life, many that broke me beyond repair and will never be the same again but those places are either harder or gotten rid of, time passed and I just continue on. If being prepared to face difficulties in life is to face straight on any difficulty that may come then yes, I am perpared, but aren't we all? What other choice do we have? If I lose my home tomorrow do I sit and give up? Doesn't make sense.
Yes, I have given up on IT in the past. But I've come around and got back to it, I'm glad I did go back.
Vyvyan said…
I always find something that I don't like in the thing I've done. So I'm trying again and again until it will be done in the perfect way. I just can't give up if I started to do something I have to end it. Do the best I can.
I'm not ready for facing difficulties in my life. I'm overreacting because of depression. But I know that I must learn to deal with adversities.
Unknown said…
Honestly, I don't need any extra motivation to do something. Personally, I think if we like doing something we do not need motivation. No one forces us to do anything. I think we should do what we like. If we do what we like or love we will have no problems with any motivation. Am I prepared to face difficulties in my life? It Depends on what kind of difficulty it is. In my opinion, you have to expect good things and be prepared for the worst. In childhood, each of us has a dream to become someone, for example firefighter, soldier, policeman... Unfortunately most of these dreams are abandoned with age.
Unknown said…
When I’m looking at some people like Robert Gryn, who is my role model, I’m telling myself - why can not it be me? What do I need to be successful? On the other hand - what does successful mean to me? Is it well paid job, or maybe something different? I know that I want to be the best version of me and I’m trying to achieve it, that’s my biggest motivation and way to be successful.
Am I prepared to face difficulties? Hard to tell, cause sometimes we are not expecting any of them. You can be prepared for some of them, but you will never avoid life difficulties, because they may just happen.
Yes, I’ve given up some projects/dreams thanks to my common sense, which told me they can be not that good or even harmful experiences.
Marcin Górski said…
To keep myself motivated i think about my future. I know that hard working is the most important and that's why I want to be like my parents. I think that we have one life and we should make everything as good as we can. I hate spending my time for something which can stop my evolution.
I don't know what can happen tomorrow and that's why I can't say that I'm prepared for some difficult situations. I would like to be prepared but I think that is unreal.
Magdalena Popek said…
It's hard for me to stay motivated when I have to do something I don't like. I usually procrastinate and it has nothing to do with motivation. Basically I try to set a point in time and say "you can do it only until then". It usually works. If I do something I like I don't need motivation.
We are never prepared to face the difficulties as we can't forsee them. I perceive life as a process, as a way. Sometimes you just walk and it's fine. But sometimes you stumble. Sometimes you fall. If it happens frequently you have to stop and think why did it happen, why did you fall, draw conclusions. And continue walking. If you do so you know you most probably won't stumble for the same reason twice. And that's something.
I haven't given up on any of my dreams. If I can't make my dreams come true now, I just move it in time.
Unknown said…
I am thinking what will be after i archive something. It keeps me motivated, but of course not every time. You cant be motivated 24/7. Sometimes it is because of routine, sometimes I am just lazy. It is hard to tell that I am prepared for face difficulties, its unexpected. When I was young I had a lot of dreams, today I know that it will be hard to make all dreams come true but I hope that some of them will.
Zygmunt Z said…
I usually think about future to keep me motivated, what I can achieve or where I can be if I keep working hard. I also think how this particular thing that I work on can give me in return. I can’t say that I am prepared to face difficulties in my life, especially when they are unexpected, but what I can say is that when a problem appeared in the past in the end I was able to find the best possible solution. And no I haven’t given up on any of my dreams, I am young and I strongly believe that I am able to fulfil some of them. In the end some of us may think that it can be one of those reasons dedicate your life to.
I think in my case, I surround myself with positive people, also I stop worrying about things that are not within my control. Generally, often I dream about bright future and it keeps me in motivated.
I am not quite sure that I am fully ready to face all difficulties in my life. I am not insured against unexpected events, but I try to be strong to overcome them at any time.
I haven't given up on any of my dreams. I postpone some of them for the right time. Also, obviously, I outgrew several dreams from childhood and they are irrelevant for me.
Unknown said…
My motivation is quite simple - I either enjoy what I'm doing or I don't. But life isn't always just enjoying the things, so if feel the lack of motivation, I just try to find the arguments and reasons to do or achieve something. The best motivation is a balance between rationalism and passion. When I have decided to leave my past profession behind and started to study animation, I wasn't exactly motivated, it just seemed to be a cool idea and I regret nothing at all. People say, that we don't have to give up on the way to our dream, but I think that while we are growing up some dreams and goals just could be expired, and in this case we should find another ones without any sorrow. Because it is even worth - to spend the part of your life on a dream, that no longer has any sense, just to prove that you can do it one day..
And yes, I am prepared to face the difficulties, I even already have some skill in it:)
Unknown said…
I motivate myself by seeing my successful future. I know that I need to do a lot to achieve my goals. That's the only motivation. The only way to do something. It's maybe being an adult, but this how I can do it. Just understanding will help us.
I'm determined enough to keep myself motivated - it's always achieving smaller milestones on my way to end goal. I'd say that I am well prepared for anything awaiting for me, death included. As long as I'm enjoying what I'm doing, I don't need anything else, and if I don't, I ensure that it's temporary with fixed time when I'll be done with this :).
Having others around to keep you motivated and positive through hard times is a good thing. We would achieve nothing without help of others.
Having only long term goals might be difficult - what about short term do you set up any other small goals to keep you going day by day or you are all about big satisfactory rewards at the end ?
Duncan Shields - having won the Journalist of the Year E sport award- is well known to me as E sport Historian and desk analyst. His opinions are controversial enough for most people who skimp through surface or titles not to know him.
That's a nice way to achieve consistency! Do you have any problems with keeping yourself focused during those prolonged work sessions , while taking a break every 5 minutes might be good it also might get you easily distracted ?
While keeping up strict discipline is good it might easily burn you out if u are not motivated to do so! I believe that motivation has greater meaning to us and should not be overlooked when working/studying. Don't you think that without having motivation to do so you would not comeback to studying IT ?
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said…
To stay motivated I have my goals in mind and everyday I ask myself what should I do to be closer to them. Slowly but surely I'm making progress. The most important thing is not to compare yourself to others. There is always going to be someone that will be better at something.

I can say I'm well prepared to face difficulties. Fortunately, I also have a lot of luck in my life (don't know why) and this helps me a lot in solving problems etc.
Its is good to have a role model for yourself but as Thoorin mentions its also good to find your own way, being someones"copy" might turn out to not be what you desired. In the end you might loose yourself.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
Everyday I'm trying to keep happy, I'm not focusing on politics or everyday problems like most people do but just trying to do my job the best I can and and the end of the day do the hobbies I like and spend time with people I like or love. Like someone said - life is just a combination of good and bad memories - keep the first one going up and you will live it good.

Would you say that you are prepared to face difficulties in your life?
No one is prepared for what life has for us - like Rocky Balboa said it's about how many times you will get punched up in the head and still get up. That's what makes a man.

Have you given up on any of your dreams or projects if yes why?
Still fighting but completed many of them.
Unknown said…
I'm usually motivated when I have a strict deadline for something important- those two conditions are necessary for me to keep me working on something. If I know "nothing bad will happen if I'll skip a few days", my mind will put it on "infinite hold", the same applies if something is not important for me, even if the deadline is strict- why should I care about that?
I can't say I'm prepared for difficulties, as no one really is- It depends on the size of it. Usually, you just have to move on.
I don't remember giving up on anything bigger, maybe some little projects I never really had the time to continue and just forgot about them after all...
Greatest things in our life come unannounced we should size opportunities! Its great that your idea of studying animation had worked out for you and brought you joy :)
Being prepared for death its not something most of us would say! That's intriguing how did you prepared yourself for such thing ?
Do you have any dreams that became outdated due to world changing and missing opportunities ?
KamilG said…
I’m asking same question all the time: „what is the purpose of it?”. When I answer the question with a positive answer, I keep motivate myself. Difficulties in my life are inevitable, so I have to overcome them in the best way, but I wouldn’t say that I’m prepared for them. They come in the least expected moment. For example when I was realising my dreams, suddenly I understood that I have no enough money to do that and I abandoned my ideas.
Unknown said…
If I really want to achieve something, I don't lose motivation. I am person who aim at realise my plans neck or nothing and I have still a motivation, because I do what I really want to do.
I have a difficulties every day, but only fight with it lets us be above it. I try to find the best solution and do everything to do it.
I have never given up. Sometimes the net results are a bit different than I supposed, but I still that I am a winner!

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