Messy & Purposeful Life

This mornings podcast:

WorkLife with Adam Grant

Redefining hustle culture with Robin Arzon

If you’re like me, then you frequently find yourself balancing the demands of your career, home life, relationships, and personal development/well-being. Miraculously, last night I got 8 hours and 7 minutes of sleep, so I was feeling energized and motivated to start my morning right. When I’m hiking, I enjoy nature’s sounds and love walking in silence. Occasionally, a walk around the neighborhood would call for a more meditative silence, but usually, I really enjoy a good podcast or Audible. The theme usually being something that is going to motivate me and give me a kick start for the rest of the day. Today my choice was “WorkLife with Adam Grant,” featuring a thought-provoking discussion with Robin Arzon on redefining hustle culture.

The conversation between Adam and Robin wasn’t just enlightening; it was transformative. The crux of their discussion focused on a simple, yet profound, shift in perspective: the leap from seeking perpetual motivation to generating momentum. How many of you are motivated all the time? Or even 50% of the time….me either. Turns out you only need a little bit of motivation, even to get you started and the MOMENTUM carries you.

This concept resonated so much for me. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve found myself ensnared in the “motivation trap,” where the desire to start or pursue a task feels like a distant dream. But here was a notion that cut through the noise, suggesting that perhaps what I needed wasn’t a surge of motivation but a nudge towards momentum. I can hear myself saying right now to my husband and myself, something like, “I just don’t have the motivation today,” before flopping myself down on the couch. In those moments I can see that I didn’t need to feel super motivated, I just needed momentum.

I can also think back to when momentum does work for me. I can remember times where I have felt little motivation to do anything, but Mitchell (my husband), is the driving force for us. That gives me just enough motivation, and then once I get started, I feel fantastic!

This podcast really made me re-think motivation vs momentum and I want to share some techniques that you can put into play in your own life to make it easier to find momentum even when you’re not motivated. For me, this usually means starting my day right! If I can start my day right, like I did today, then I can carry that positive energy with me throughout the day.

5 HABITS FOR A MORE SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE DAY:

1. Avoid the Snooze Button – you’ll end up waking up more groggy! It has to do with when you wake up during your REM cycle; in order to feel rested you need to have completed a REM cycle. If you snooze and go back into REM, you won’t have time to finish another cycle before your alarms starts yelling at you again in 10 minutes.
2. Get some sunlight! It helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Just a few minutes (5-10 minutes) under the gentle morning sun can recalibrate our internal clock, setting the stage for a day aligned with vitality and vigor.
3. Exercise/Move your Body! It might help to set out your workout clothes the night before or go to bed in them (as Robin suggested in the podcast). If you get this done first thing in the morning, you’ll feel more accomplished and be sure that you won’t make excuses later in the day.
4. Make your bed! You’ve probably heard this one before, but it actually works! After I make my bed, and I see how nice my room looks, I feel more motivated to continue completing tasks.
5. Plan your day! If you make a plan, and stick with it, then you won’t need motivation. This act of planning isn’t just about structure; it’s a declaration of intent, a blueprint for momentum that guides us even when motivation wanes.

Bonus tip: Listen to a podcast or audible in the morning! I usually opt for ones on personal development that help me start my day right. You can also follow me where I’ll try to share my favorite listens weekly 🙂

Your Turn: How do you build momentum in your day? Share your rituals, struggles, and successes. Together, let’s inspire a movement towards a more fulfilled and productive life.

Favorite quotes from today’s listen:

“So you need a little motivation to act. And then you’re right, the action as it creates momentum, as you have a sense of efficacy and progress, then your motivation rides with it.”

“I don’t wait for motivation. I just act.”

Find the podcast here: WorkLife with Adam Grant: Redefining hustle culture with Robin Arzon