M O T I V A T I O N

Why doesn't it make sense?  Why isn't it easy to figure out?  Why isn't it easy to harness?  

Well, I'll tell you.  Because we are always thinking our answers have to be concrete and dichotomous.  We think in terms of "Good or Bad."  Or "Successful or Unsuccessful."  Or "Pass or Fail."  And that's just not how motivation works. 

I can say something like, "I really want to go for a run, also I really don't."  

There are 4 functions of behavior.  Attention, Tangible Items, Escape, and Automatic.  (If you've been to one of my workshops, you probably said them out loud, super fast. lol Bless y'all I love that)  I might want to go on my run because I'll feel good about myself (automatic) and I can text my accountability buddy that I got my six miles in (attention).  But if I stay home from my run I can lay in the air conditioning (escape) and read my book (tangible item).  I'm not NOT...

Good Afternoon Gang, 

I'm taking a second to bring up the hard stuff.  Because after school lets out, there's a very exciting season.  A season of fun, travel, excitement of not having to go to work.  

Then there seems to be a season of goal setting.  Of "I'm going to do these 3 projects while also Marie Kondoing my house, while also getting into perfect physical condition, and lastly being the perfect parent/friend/everything."  Everyone on Insta seems to be hitting these goals.  So why does it seem like it's impossible to decide what to do next?  And why does the idea of starting these goals seem so much more enticing than actually doing the entry level tasks - Picking a closet to start with, reading Marie Kondo's book (which is FABULOUS by the way), running that first mile, texting your friend about the best time to get coffee. 

I can tell you as a behavior analyst, when I want someone to INITIATE a task I follow certain...