Motivation

[Deridaburi]

How do you motivate yourself? Do you ever discover that what you want to do and how you want to live are different from what you end up doing? How do we as humans make decisions? How can we as humans improve the way we make decisions?

 

[Da Blob]

How do you motivate yourself?

http://www.intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=11453

Do you ever discover that what you want to do and how you want to live
are different from what you end up doing?
Not intentionally...

How do we as humans make decisions?
By exercising our free will in an attempt to predict the Future. That is to say we base our decisions upon the imagined consequences of various optional actions by our Self or Others..

How can we as humans improve the way we make decisions?

It is a matter of making disciplined decisions via a problem-solving algorithm, instead of responding without thought, thereby making that response a Determined response (Determined = predetermined), One engages a dynamic system that defines the problem by the identification, analysis and prioritizing of all of the variables followed by the manipulation of selected variables (if feasible)

Or one can simply use the 'quick and dirty' operating system that provides the success for OODA loops...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop


EDIT: this can be useful re: Multi-faceted Motivation; the 16 basic desires by Stephen Reiss

 

[Words]

I basically experience two of what I call 'modes of motivation.' The first one I named "Naturalist" because it's a type of lifestyle where I primarily engage things that I am motivated to do in-the-moment and I feel that this meaning is close to the term 'natural.' The second one is predominantly about realizing the ideals I have for myself and I refer to this as "Interventionist." I prefer the latter. Maybe it's sort of J vs P, but I feel that its more specific.

Do you ever discover that what you want to do and how you want to live are different from what you end up doing?

I look at it differently. If I'm not doing what I want, then either I actually don't want to live that way or that I haven't tried hard enough.

How do we as humans make decisions? How can we as humans improve the way we make decisions?

A lot of people fear trying new things out... I think it's a very crucial point of learning.

 

[EditorOne]

"It is a matter of making disciplined decisions via a problem-solving algorithm, instead of responding without thought, thereby making that response a Determined response (Determined = predetermined), One engages a dynamic system that defines the problem by the identification, analysis and prioritizing of all of the variables followed by the manipulation of selected variables (if feasible)"

You need one more step.

Answer the riddle:

Six frogs are sitting on a lily pad. One decides to jump off. How many frogs are then on the lily pad?

The answer is six. The frog only decided. He didn't act. Decisions without actions are the INTP's doom. We tend to be satisfied with having figured out what to do; actually doing it requires what everyone is calling motivation.

Motivation usually involves wanting the outcome that will result if action is taken, as opposed to not experiencing the outcome because no action is taken. Since wanting engages a lot of emotions and not much thinking, we tend to be found sitting around a lot rather than acting. ("Need" engages thinking; "want" engages emotions, so far as I can tell and so far as I can find language to describe the difference. I'm pretty sure "wanting" something trumps "needing" it in nonessential stuff.) ((Obviously I need to eat and I will go downstairs and poach an egg; it engages my sensory equipment to be hungry. "Wants" don't seem to trigger the same machinery.))

I'm winging it here, folks.

 

[Da Blob]

Some very good points!

Not only are decisions that do not result in action - more or less a waste of time arriving at, so is thought in general - if it does not result in an initiation of change.

There is a hierarchy of needs and desires, we value them differently, with INTPians generally valuing thought over feeling. The dilemma, seemingly, is that thought does not supply motivation - in fact, thinking can rob one of motivation to change some thing or self.

My Self, I was bothered by the idea, that all of my "deep" thoughts were a waste of time and the universe had not improved an iota for me entertaining those thoughts. so I made a decision to begin writing again - basically motivated by the fear of leaving this world without making a single mark upon it.

BTW - there is a peace that can be experienced if one can eliminate the desires and wants from one's mind - learning to be content with those things that one actually needs can result in a type of freedom...

 

[Vrecknidj]

How do you motivate yourself?

I live in such a way that other people, whom I love and care for, depend upon me to provide for them. If I don't work, they don't eat; etc.

Do you ever discover that what you want to do and how you want to live are different from what you end up doing?

Every day.

Dave

 

[rattymat]

Motivation is something that's very difficult for me to relate with other people on. It is normally associated with worth ethic; motivation in work or school. Neither of these pursuits are inpsiring for me, and therefore I have little motivation for either. However, for pursuits that interest me, such as gaining knowledge, I feel motivated in pursuing. But life requires motivation for things of little interest to one for survival's sake. This is a concept I understand well, but take little action to follow through. Mainly, the element stopping me is time. I would rather spend time gaining motivations for my interests as opposed to spending time else wise. The only thing I feel that will force me into having motivation in things which disinterest me is if my survival is threatened or I become incapable of being able to pursue what interests me without it.