1) Identify what's holding you back. We each have are own hurdles to jump and the first step to fighting inertia is realizing that only a temporary state of being and working actively to change it. Loosely translated you need to lose the pot and whatever other bad habits or attitudes that aren't moving you forward. Stagnation is your enemy. Fight it when you see it.
2)(a) Figure out what you like to do and are good at.
Hobbies, talents, team sports. If that means building rocking chairs or knitting doilies, do it. The easiest way to become productive is simply to do or make something. Bonus, if you're still not inclined to do your homework, it becomes all that more urgent that you hone up on any other marketable job skills you may possess.
b) Work it till you make something of it.
Work your talent until it is a finely developed artform. Become the Rembrandt of rocking chairs, the Donatello of Doilies. Whatever you do, be the best you can be and work to be better. Live in the moment. Know where you are right now and how far you've come and love yourself for it. But invest your pride into where you're going from here.
3) Get in the habit of not making any excuses. If you or your loved ones aren't sick or dead at the moment and direly needing your attention elsewhere, there is no excuse for not working ardently towards your goals.
4) Find what gets your fire going and set it ablaze. Take pleasure in the warmth of your successes and see your failures for what they are; kindling.
(a) Every once in a while, while climbing a mountain, it becomes necessary to stop and admire the scenery, or else, why the fvck are you climbing the mountain? The simple pride of being able to look at your handiwork and say," I did this." can be the greatest motivation to keep going.
(b) Edison had to try literally thousands of different fillaments before he satisfactorily produced a light-bulb. He worked on it day and night, and the simple fact that he was working on a lightbulb by candlelight or kerosene probably make his quest all the more urgent. Use your current circumstances to keep you motivated when you start to lag.
5) Failure is not an option, No is not an answer, and wines are for cheese and French people. (Sorry, couldn't resist
I'm still tickled pink about that whole Maginot line thing...)
I know all this seems harsh, hard-core, and maybe even a smidge like an over-reaction. I assure you its not. Remember, you are fighting a war here with yourself. Its simply too easy to take the easy road to no where. (Pook would call this the Dionesian path) If you've decided to take the high road from now on you'll have to fight your own inertia. It only gets easier once you've gotten some momentum going.
Now turn off your computer, look in your mirror, then go outside and take a deep breath because the world is yours for the taking.
Best of luck in life and love Brother...
-CyranoDeBergerac
