What to know about MOTIVATION

Hey folks, Cynthia here!

I’m a sucker for self-help books.  I just love reading about ways to streamline my email, eat healthier, declutter my closets, unlock my past, understand my dreams…you name it, I’ve read it and tried to apply it!

But, if I’m honest, even if I have the BEST intentions to make a change, or start (or break) a habit, it often doesn’t stick.  So, I found a self-help book for that too!  😁

One of my favorite books I’ve read recently is Atomic Habits by James Clear.  I could share a hundred “favorite” quotes from that book with you, but today, I’m going to share this one:

"Motivation comes and goes.  If you want to do something consistently, then don’t pick a level of difficulty that requires great motivation.  Make it easy enough and simple enough that you’ll do it even when you don’t feel very motivated."

I work with so many actors and singers who have the best intentions to practice an hour every day, or to make one self-tape video each week, or to learn five new songs.  But then life gets in the way, things get busy, or they just lose the motivation to keep their goal.  And then they give up altogether, or get really down on themselves for not staying motivated.

But as James Clear says, sometimes setting a less-than-lofty goal is the best goal to set!  A goal that is easy enough and simple enough that you’ll do it even when you don’t feel very motivated.  Maybe that’s as simple as “I’m going to siren while I brush my teeth each morning.” Or “I’m going to do a 5-minute warm-up in my car on the way to work.”

Or maybe it’s joining a community like Broadway Vocal Coach.  Classes are there for you to sing, or if you are feeling less motivated, to simply observe!  Warm-ups are already made for you—all you need to do is press play and sing along.  Don’t feel like going to class?  Watch the replay later while lounging on your sofa.  

In other words, doing something is usually better than doing nothing.  And usually when we do something, it creates more motivation to do something more.

What would YOU like to do consistently?  How simple and easy can you make it?  And how can we help?

Try setting a simple and easy goal, and see how it goes!