I’m reading The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman.  It’s a pragmatic view on how to achieve peace of mind.  I’m only on chapter 3, so I can’t review the book yet, but I’m enjoying it so far.

I’ve been mulling over one of the lines from the book:

“Who says you need to wait until you ‘feel like’ doing something in order to start doing it?”

When I’m “battling” Resistance, it’s because I’m not feeling motivated.  I just don’t feel like it… 

Usually, when I overcome the Resistance, it’s because I decide to do it in spite of not “feeling” like it. 

I set my timer for 15 minutes and get to work.  Whatever the “work” of the moment may be.  Writing a blog post.  Working on a script.  Doing my taxes.

I want to be in the mood to write.  It would be wonderful to be in the mood whenever I wrote.   But if I am serious about writing, I have to write whether I’m in the mood or not. 

It’s the same for anything.  Most of the time, we aren’t going to be in the mood to do the things we want to get done.

That’s why having a routine is so important.  A routine removes the need to assess how you feel right now.  You do it because that’s what you do. 

Now, stop waiting to “feel like” doing it. Go do it!

© 2021 Peter Gruner