[AlphaTravel]

I've been struggling to get motivated these past few days too, post Thailand blues aren't helping. I'm supposed to be working on various online projects and so far haven't done much. I'm loosing focus too easily and doing tiny little bits of work then getting distracted by forums, tv or Fifa. I need to make a move or I too will have to look for a real job.

[pitt]

I have never seen so many interesting answers in one thread. Thanks guys, really interesting stuff.

[trey]

(06-08-2012 03:27 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  

if I don't get moving soon, it means back to a day job....which would be fucking miserable.

set your alarm for 7 am and visualize for 5 minutes what it would be like to go to a normal job everyday at this time. that should be enough.

[AlphaTravel]

(06-08-2012 07:53 PM)trey Wrote:  

set your alarm for 7 am and visualize for 5 minutes what it would be like to go to a normal job everyday at this time. that should be enough.

Good idea. Should be enough to put anyone off.

[WesternCancer]

I have a problem with procrastination too. Sometimes I don't want to go to the gym. I try to tell myself "I'm tired, its too far, I don't feel good" Then I ask myself "What else am I going to be doing sitting on the computer, FUCK YOUUIUUUUUUUU (to my hamster), why not do it." and just go.

[tallglassofmilk]

i believe study hacks is the blog you are looking for:

http://calnewport.com/blog/

it is more geared towards people in academia (students and aspiring professors) but it has some good advice. The premise of the blog is about analyzing the habits of successful people.

[RichieP]

A great book from a guy who's spent his life fixing procrastination for his clients:

The Now Habit

If you want to get into the psychology of it, I think this pretty much nails it.
http://www.personal-growth-programs.com/...nation.pdf

[el mechanico]

I should've been reading this thread but I've been procrastinating about it. I'm a huge slacker at work with office shit. If I won the lotto and they sent me the forms for the taxes they would sit on my desk for weeks. I check my mailbox once a month and the mail sits in my car for a week after then I throw it in the garbage. I finally opened a tax bill for some land I have and it's 3 years behind. I pay my power bill the same day they say it's going to get shut off etc etc etc..I'm a little burned out. A trip to the mailbox means 2 days on the phone with insurance companies. I give the important stuff to my bookeeper she knows I wont do it. On the bright side she said she's going to file a claim against BP for me. Everyone in town has been gettin' paid
[attachment=6477]
I'm going to get a McCullough twin go-kart with the cash

[babelfish669]

(06-08-2012 02:24 PM)Hades Wrote:  

Shit dude, did you read that somewhere? Where?

7+ years of working for myself. I've seen many friends become multimillionaires (and some do it, go broke, and do it again) while others completely lost it mentally to the point they would be in an insane asylum if the US still had them.

[Andy_B]

I used to struggle with work ethic problems, to the point that it almost became a sort of crisis. Used to fuck around too much on the job and get fired.

I have no easy answers, but I will say that for me, the solution came when I lined up my work with my interests.

Take that for what you will.

[WanderingSoul]

(06-08-2012 01:51 PM)babelfish669 Wrote:  

Your motivational issues are related to your feedback loop. Think of it as some guy who has never gotten laid trying to go pick up chicks. Until his first success, all his motivation is completely internal and fake. Once he gets laid, his brain relates that to a positive outcome and a feedback loop is established. If he then keeps trying hard for another year, doesn't get laid, that feedback loop becomes a negative feedback loop, and he's going to have to return to that earlier state effectively "running on fumes."

Throw the fucking books, tools, audio books, all that crap out the window. This shit is the same as jerking off to porn to pick up chicks.

The most important thing you can do is establish a positive feedback loop. You do that by making your first sale, or whatever it is to bring money in to your business.

Great advice! When I started my first website I almost quit because just before launch I found 2 direct competitors that I didn't know about, making my idea not original like I thought. I launched it anyways and half heartidly added some posts. I made a sale after like 3-4 days. The commission was only $8, but it was like I won the lottery. I was fucking PUMPED! So I plugged away and was soon making ~$1,000. Literally within a few months, not long at all.

Had I not made that one $8 commission I quite possibly would have ditched the project, written off making money online completely, and who knows what I would be doing. Probably back up in Northern California growing weed and trying not to get busted.

I think creating a positive feedback loop for my new business will light a fire under my ass.

Thanks man!

[kbell]

Is that tool available for firefox?

[rlongo924]

(06-08-2012 05:37 PM)Big Nilla Wrote:  

Rio, have a doable (measurable) goal that you can accomplish in a week. Tell someone if you don't accomplish it, you have to give him $100 or whatever. Make him hold you accountable to paying him. Works for me usually. Making a ton of money doesn't motivate me much, but losing $100-200 sure does.

I also get a lot done by staying up all night and working. I usually do this when I want to close out a project. I'm too undisciplined during the day. Too many distractions.

I agree with the second part of what you said. I get a lot more done at night than during the day. Easier to focus.

[46.]

Also- Remember... TECHNOLOGY IS NOT YOUR FRIEND! Just because you're on a computer or mobile device doesn't mean you're getting productivity out of it. Usually its the opposite! Remember, most stuff is purposefully designed to waste your time. Don't let it. Speaking of that, I need to throw my $500 state of the art phone off a f--ing cliff.

At some point, the famous Brando Godfather Quote, "Women and children can be careless, but not men" will be updated to "Women and children can f--- around on I phones, but not men." The biggest ballers I know are hi tech/low tech at the same time.

[AlphaTravel]

I installed the plug in for google chrome that limits how much time I can spend on facebook and other sites and forums earlier today but have just realised now I'm on here using internet explorer. Need to remember to always use chrome. Again today hardly done any work.

[Enfant_Terrible]

Definitely recommend "The Now Habit" as posted earlier.

The positive self-talk chapter and writing down your procrastinating habits (and your feelings behind it) helps a lot.

I got things done or am more willing to do things in the last few days.

I had a very important thing that I've been putting off for more than a year and I've just rekindled interest in doing it again.

[tallglassofmilk]

(06-14-2012 05:27 PM)46. Wrote:  

Also- Remember... TECHNOLOGY IS NOT YOUR FRIEND! Just because you're on a computer or mobile device doesn't mean you're getting productivity out of it. Usually its the opposite! Remember, most stuff is purposefully designed to waste your time. Don't let it. Speaking of that, I need to throw my $500 state of the art phone off a f--ing cliff.

At some point, the famous Brando Godfather Quote, "Women and children can be careless, but not men" will be updated to "Women and children can f--- around on I phones, but not men." The biggest ballers I know are hi tech/low tech at the same time.

Yea, I leave my computer at work during the week, which limits me to Friday nights to dick around on the Internets.

[assman]

(06-08-2012 04:29 AM)Rah Wrote:  

Some days I just suck and I only get like 2-4 pomodoros done. But I track how many I do on the wall so I feel like shit on those days and at least know full well I wasted a day, which helps with not fucking around the next day.

I use a pomodoro app on my android phone. But I like the idea of tracking them on a wall.

I find the pomodoro method helps me get started on things I've been putting off - instead of viewing the task as a herculean project that will take hours, you just need to psyche yourself up to spend 25min on it. And I find that once I get the ball rolling, I'll spend a few consecutive pomodoros on the task.

(06-14-2012 10:13 AM)kbell Wrote:  

Is that tool available for firefox?

I use leechblock in firefox to do the same thing. It re-routes the page to my todo list once my time limit for specified sites is up.

[hoops330]

Get some Adderall. I could read the encylopedia and dictionary in about 5 hrs on a few pills.

[travolta]

Pomodoro technique
http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes, work, take a 5 minute break. Repeat. 25 minutes on 5 minutes off.

Edit: just noticed that someone else already mentioned this.

[Kitsune]

(06-16-2012 12:00 AM)assman Wrote:  

(06-08-2012 04:29 AM)Rah Wrote:  

Some days I just suck and I only get like 2-4 pomodoros done. But I track how many I do on the wall so I feel like shit on those days and at least know full well I wasted a day, which helps with not fucking around the next day.

I use a pomodoro app on my android phone. But I like the idea of tracking them on a wall.

I find the pomodoro method helps me get started on things I've been putting off - instead of viewing the task as a herculean project that will take hours, you just need to psyche yourself up to spend 25min on it. And I find that once I get the ball rolling, I'll spend a few consecutive pomodoros on the task.

(06-14-2012 10:13 AM)kbell Wrote:  

Is that tool available for firefox?

I use leechblock in firefox to do the same thing. It re-routes the page to my todo list once my time limit for specified sites is up.

Leechblock saved my life. (Well, not quite.)

Give yourself an hour internet time. Block the options once the time limit is up.

I spend about two hours a day online now and I run some internet businesses. Before it was more like ten.

[themaxx]

Check out "The War of Art" and "Turning Pro" by Steven Pressfield

[AlphaTravel]

Today I blocked all the sites taking up too much of my time, turned the TV off, went into the dining room and sat at the table and cracked on with some projects I wanted to get up and running. Didn't take long and I semi-launched 2 new projects to test the waters. Done more in a couple hours today than the last 3 weeks.

[WanderingSoul]

A HUGE difference maker for me is to get out of my apartment and go to a coffee shop to work. If I am in my apartment it doesn't feel like time to work, I just fuck off. However, just going to a coffee shop switches my brain over to work mode.

I think a winning combination for me will be to leave my house and work at a coffee shop, block all of my time waster sites (RooshV being #1 lol) to only 15-20 minutes a day, and start using the Pomodoro technique again. These coupled with getting my first sale on my new business I think will really kick me in the ass.

[pitt]

Good one Rio Nomad. I probably also need to hit the coffee shop or my local library because at home i dont work that much.