How to Motivate yourself to do anything

Have things you need to do... but need some motivation? This post is exactly what you need! I talked to Thyton today on how he motivates himself to create avalanches of art and get RX+ at the Cross Fit Gym every single day and am sharing the answers with you below.

Thyton's Guide on how to motivate yourself to do anything

#1 Visualize

You need to see yourself doing the thing in your head. Yup, close your eyes and see yourself doing it. Even if you have to lie to yourself about how it will feel. Imagine yourself completing it and how you feel when it is done.

#2 listen to music... that you don't want to listen to

WHAT!? "Sounds so crazy it might just work." Put on some music that you are just not in the mood for. Maybe something you have heard a million times in the past.

#3 Talk to yourself

Yup, just like Peter Parker from Spider Man... do an out loud play-by-play of what you are doing and are about to do next. "OK, here we go... just pick up the pencil and start making lines on the paper. Aha! There we go... ok, now time to draw the body. Hmmm, you need a bow tie. Bow ties are cool you know. Next you are going to draw the face."

#4 Hold the Pencil Differently

Metaphorically speaking... you can "do anything differently." There was an exercise Thyton used to do where they made him draw with his other hand. Sometimes they would make him hold his pencil funny. Turns out that just changing up how you are doing something... even adding a little challenge, can change your mindset. Maybe what you are doing is too easy and you need to turn the dial up to HARD MODE.

"Because it is uncomfortable to feel uncomfortable... the best way to become comfortable with being uncomfortable is to intentionally do things while you are uncomfortable." - Thyton. Uh, translated: "Embace the suck"

"Face it, when we look back on the worst and most challenging moments, they tend to be the ones we remember the fondest." - Thyton

#5 Complete another task immediately

Say you want to draw or paint but you cannot seem to put it on the paper... or are having a problem starting. Thyton says immediately do SOMETHING productive that you can finish immediately. For example, he will cut the grass or do the dishes. Whlie doing these things he thinks about his drawing projects... and lets himself get mad that he is doing the dishes or mowing the lawn instead of drawing. Also, if you do something for someone else... then it is a win/win. (Game Translation: Anti Wife-Aggro)

"Because, you know, everything is hard until it becomes easy. So, you know... start with the hard." - Thyton

#6 Resting is an option... Quitting is not

It is OK to take a break and let your ideas marinate. Go for a walk, grab a drink, or take a power nap.

"But NEVER negotiate with weakness!" - Thyton

#7 Force yourself to do something you want to do even less

If you are staring at a white page and cannot get yourself to draw.... DRAW SOMETHING YOU DO NOT WANT TO. Drawing anything else will get the creative momentum going. Do not teach yourself to be motivated... because you will spend all your time looking for motivation. Instead, train yourself in discipline.

"Whenever I find myself scared of doing something good, I make it a MUST to do that thing." - Thyton

#8 Put on "themed" background noise

Sometimes you just need to get in the mood. Thyton calls it, "the groove." Put on some themes background noise, set your computer wallpaper to randomly show images of the type of thing you are doing, or even turn on a TV show in the background the matches the theme of what you are doing.

NOTE: All Artix Entertainment artists at the Lab seem to continuously have game art and digital paintings randomly changing as their desktop wallpaper every 5 minutes. That kind of stimulation helps keep them focused.

#9 Feeling Good is the Key to Everything

Did you ever notice it is just hard to do anything when you are in a bad mood? Especially when you are focus on the negative parts of what you are doing. This is no excuse... but knowing that this is holding you back can help! Do something to get yourself in a good mood. Call a friend, workout at the gym, or play with a puppy. But NOOOOOO, do not play a video game. Not until AFTER you finish your work :D

#10 Stop reading this and go do it! NOW!

You are done reading. It is time for action. Battle on!

I remember back when Magic Johnson was speaking to this freethrow player. He said, "Shoot it when you feel it." That has always stuck with me. A doodle on a piece of paper is better than a blank sheet of paper.