Your warm bed begs for 10 more minutes of snoozing. The Netflix show ends on a cliff-hanger, so you decide to watch one more episode. Even when you know it would be better to hop out of bed and start your day or turn off the TV and get ready for sleep, indulgence is tempting.
Why do we give in to this temptation? Even when we have clear goals and plans, laziness often beckons. And we readily give in – at least, some of us do. Then there’s this other group of people, those who pick out their workout clothes the night before, set their alarm for 4:30 a.m., and start stretching before going for their run in the morning. What’s the difference between the two groups? Is one set of people more productive than the other? Is one side better?
The answers depend on several factors, with two of the key considerations being how we define productivity and the importance that we place on it. In our article on breaking the chains of laziness, we highlight how Western society holds productivity in high regard. What if we dared to challenge the definition of productivity, not as the mere absence of lethargy (also known as laziness) but instead as the enthusiastic pursuit of our passions? What would change?
How do you stop yourself from watching another Netflix show in favor of pursuing your ambitions, goals, and dreams? That’s what we’ll explore in this article. We’ll dive into the relationship between laziness and motivation and how personality traits, responsibilities, and distraction affect that relationship.
Ups and Downs of Motivation
When we feel motivated, we feel like we can conquer the world. No mountain is insurmountable, no task too big to tackle. Motivation is the driving force behind our actions, helping us work more efficiently, meet deadlines, and produce high-quality work. With motivation in our sails, we swiftly set course for our dreams.
However, for many of us, motivation seems to be as fickle as the wind, blowing hot and cold with no warning. One day, you wake up brimming with energy and enthusiasm. The next, you struggle just to get out of bed.
On top of that, what motivates one person might not motivate another, and vice versa. In our “Ambition” survey, we ask people how they feel about fighting impossible odds. We see that mostly Analyst personalities, but also some Diplomats and Explorers, like fighting impossible odds. Other personality types answer that they don’t really think about the chances of success or that they think it’s foolish to go ahead with the odds not in their favor. There does not seem to be a universal guideline that will serve all of us to ensure that the level of motivation that we feel is always in line with our plans.
“Passion” survey agree that being passionate about their job would make them more successful, only about a third report that they make a living from any of their passions. So being passionate is not always a recipe for (financial) success.
Passion, however, is an integral ingredient for motivation, and motivation, in turn, plays a significant role in career success. Motivation is the driving force that helps people set and achieve their career goals, after which they create new, loftier ones. When employees are motivated, they are more likely to meet deadlines, work efficiently, and produce high-quality work. But what if you’re on a career path that you are good at and even interested in, but you’re just not passionate about it? Fret not!
It is possible that feeling motivated in one area of life, such as when you’re pursuing a hobby, can positively impact other areas of life as well. This is what we call the spillover effect, or transfer of motivation. When you have decided to learn the piano and are motivated by the goal of playing a piece publicly in six months’ time, you find the motivation and dedication to sit down every day and practice. Adhering to this dedication and discipline creates a positive feeling of success and fulfillment, which can boost your overall sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and confidence. That boost might make it easier for you to take on smaller tasks or to get them out of the way more quickly and efficiently, so that you can focus on your main goal again. By pursuing a passion, even one that is unrelated to your work, you can inadvertently become more effective, efficient, and productive in your career.
As with almost all things, balance is important. While motivation can transfer, it is also entirely possible for that focus area to become highly time-consuming or exhausting, overpowering you and leaving you with less energy and motivation to tackle additional tasks in your life. This worry might be more prevalent for people with the Intuitive or Prospecting personality traits – in our “Passion” survey, they’re more likely to report that their passion can often get out of control.
Thinking trait in their personality type – Analyst personalities and Logisticians (ISTJ), Executives (ESTJ), Virtuosos (ISTP), and Entrepreneurs (ESTP) – will benefit from thinking through their interests to explore their passions and how they can integrate them into their daily life. In our “Passion” survey, we find that people with this trait usually say they experience their passions most intensely in their head (as opposed to their heart or their gut). They can analyze what these passions will bring them, what they will cost them, and how much time and resources they will have to allocate to them. By applying their Thinking trait to uncover which interests take priority and why, they can start to organize their daily life accordingly, befitting the intellectual way that these personalities experience passion.
Feeling trait in their personality type – Diplomat personalities and Defenders (ISFJ), Consuls (ESFJ), Adventurers (ISFP), and Entertainers (ESFP) – might want to take a different approach to exploring which topics interest them the most and how they can focus more on them. What makes their heart sing? What fills them up with positive feelings? If they were to create a list and meditate on it, what items would resonate the most? These personality types usually look inside their heart – instead of their head – to uncover their true passions.