Dear Debolina:

Yesterday you were engaged in your classes, lab and lecture, and “was feeling pretty happy”. Later your motivation dropped to 50%, cut in half. You asked yourself why and came up with a possible answer: “I might be tired”.

Soon afterwards, your motivation dropped significantly, “which just hit me with no reason”, and you didn’t feel like studying for a test that takes place  today. You then learned that you got a poor grade in your math homework and your motivation dropped to 0% and you “just want to lie on (your) bed and do  nothing”.

Our feelings/ emotions don’t stay the same. They are like the weather. At the beginning of yesterday, it was sunny and the sky was clear. Later some clouds appeared, blocking the sun. Later it started to rain.

When we have a job to  do, be it as a student or an employee or a parent, we have to practice self discipline so to do a good job no matter how we feel, to do  a job well  in winter, spring, summer and fall.When you practice self discipline successfully, that will make you feel better.

When you gave up on doing your job yesterday (studying for the test), you called yourself lazy (“Now I feel like crying, whether I am just lazy”). If you studied for the test regardless of zero motivation, you would have felt an appreciation and respect for yourself. You would have thought something like: I am hard working, I worked and did a good job with no motivation, impressive!

How are you feeling today and will you practice self discipline today (as well as reward yourself for a good job done)?

anita