Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Karl Staib of Work Happy Now.
Many people think that they can just jump in and work on a project whenever they want to. They think they’ll just do a little planning and get started, but then something weird happens.
They get an important call or email that they have to attend to. They finish putting out the fire and get back to work, but something is missing.
They just aren’t ready to get back to work on the project, so they answer some more emails, do a little planning, and make a few calls. The end of the day has arrived and they tell themselves that they will get started tomorrow.
This happens again and again until the project is put on permanent hold. This scenario used to happen to me, until I began putting in the preliminary work before I even started my projects.
They’ve forgotten the most important rule when using their superpowers at work: Finding the emotional sweetspot is vital to success.
Recognize Your Pre-thoughts
Before you start any project you have already created an emotional connection or separation. This connection or separation is precisely what you need to work with.
If you have an emotional separation from your project it’s important to understand why. I recently felt a disconnect from a project I was working on. Before I even started I could feel that I didn’t want to work on the project.
I was moving away from wanting to help large organizations and feeling more connected to helping entrepreneurs and individuals. I realized that the book I had been working on was a waste of my time. If I would have listened to the pre-thoughts that were popping up as I was planning my book, I would have realized this sooner.
I could have saved myself over 100 hours of work.
Sculpt your thoughts
Before every project starts, you must sculpt your thoughts. If you are spending your energy worrying about what might happen if you screw up, you are killing the project before it starts.
You must find that sweet spot within your emotions and thoughts that gets you excited about taking action. My favorite way to do this is through the simple act of appreciation. It’s a powerful tool that many of us forget to use in our daily working lives.
I’ve had to wake up at 5:30 am on a Saturday to be on a coaching call at 6am because my client lived in India. My pre-thoughts were about how hard I had worked all week and that I couldn’t believe that I had agreed to wake-up so early. I kept going on this negative thought train by contemplating about how I could cancel. Then a positive glimmer crept in.
I started thinking about how I could help my client start her small business. How I could give her the tools to be happy and help other people. I thought about the ripple effect she would have on the world.
Take action on what energizes you
Waking up was easy because I found the connection to my actions. I wanted to help this woman develop something awesome.
If I decided not to help her then maybe she would find someone else who didn’t care as much as I did. I couldn’t allow that to happen.
I snapped out of my negative thought cycle and had a great coaching call. It was actually easy to get motivated about my work. I just needed to do a little thought sculpting.
Know Yourself
You have to know what gets you motivated, otherwise your superpowers are worthless. Usually an intrinsic goal can spark the fire because once the fire is burning, it’s tough to stop taking action.
Next time you are struggling to take action, ask yourself:
- What are my feelings toward this project?
- Can I sculpt my feelings to spark the motivation? (If not, it may mean that there is no emotional connection to the work.)If there is a connection then ask yourself…
- How can I stay focused on this connection so I do an amazing job on this project?
Staying productive within a project means understanding your emotional state before, during and after the project is over. When you can master these three steps, you’ll be able to do “Epic Shit,” as Charlie likes to say.
Charlie, I’ve been reading your site for a few months now and find myself feeling more and more “gotten” — as in, understood and spoken to in just the way that works for me — all the time. Karl, this is a great post and the one that prompted me to stop lurking and introduce myself!
I’ve always vibed with the notion of “body clock entrepreneurship” — working at the times of day and on the days of the week that feel most fruitful for you and during which you find yourself producing your best stuff most effortlessly. Your idea of an “emotional sweetspot” deepens my approach, and I appreciate the technique of sculpting your thoughts. So we’re not ruled by our emotional reaction to a project — we can harness whatever it is that connects with why we choose the work we do, and use that to let inspiration unfold.
Plus, “sweetspot” is such a great word. 🙂
Thanks for saying this, Abby! I haven’t been posting nearly as much as I’ve wanted to over the past few weeks, but I’m looking forward to sharing a lot once this move and a few projects are behind me. I hope you’re ready for a great summer of reading because I’m ready for a great summer of writing and sharing. 🙂
When we find a way to enjoy our emotions within a project, we stop forcing ourselves to take action. The work stops being work and starts becoming playful. And the more that we practice reaching our emotional sweetspot the more enjoyable our work becomes.
Karl is that you? I thought I recognised that great energy. Awesome post, and yes knowing yourself is the greatest motivator of all. Hi Charle.
Hi Simon, Thanks for stopping by. Glad you liked the post.
Karl,
Very nice post. It is so valuable to make sure we are dedicated and connected emotionally to our endeavors. I feel like there are so many things I want to engage in and develop, but without true focus and self-understanding of what I really want, it can become easy to just blow wind and achieve nothing. Though, I do think taking action is essential, even if we aren’t 100% certain of the stake we hold in a project. I have been a advocate of the idea that action = clarity. If we at least begin and take action, and begin to reflect, we will soon find our true feelings on the endeavor. Thanks for the post.
I enjoyed the post too Karl, thank you. I’ve just done what you are talking about; I am not happy with my direction and dreaded every day working at it.
So, I’m working on a different approach that does have me feeling more enthusiastic for doing the work.
Hi Jane, Good for you. Knowing you have a lot of control is the best feeling. What approach are you taking that is helping you feel more energized?
The most important thing to read for me in this article was;
“Before you start any project you have already created an emotional connection or separation. This connection or separation is precisely what you need to work with.”
Very well said.
Hi Abubakar, Thank you. We need to start at the “why” before we can get to the “what” or the “how.”
Hey Karl,
I sometimes also get into . The day before, I was an energetic powerhouse, and the next day, it’s all gone.
One thing helps me to get out of there: my why. Why am I doing this ? What’s the bigger picture that I work towards to.
(for example: Making the digital world more creative and inspiring fellow Digital Crusaders)
That gives me enough energy to rock yet another day…
Hi Mars, Understanding the bigger picture is a great way to focus our energy on what’s really important. We can do this by coming up with concepts that we connect with like you did. Keep on rock’n it.
Very helpful insights! These are particularly helpful during those times when the lethargy or whatever negative force is prevailing at the moment seems too much for me to combat. From experience, I know procrastination would only result to regrettable outcomes. Next time, I’ll keep these tips in mind whenever I feel that familiar emotional detachment as I’m about to work on a new project.
It’s funny how work is very much like a romantic relationship- no feelings, no magic, no go.
Very wise wisdom on the art of the pre-start. Many of us are accustomed to planning in a left-brained way, but not so much in a right-brained way like this.
Hi, I found your website on the list of the 50 Best Blogs for creative thinking. Congratulations. I’m always interested in creativity of all kind. Great site.
Great post Karl,
I tend to agree with Mars on this. The best way to control our pre-thoughts is to remained focused on your vision. The rationale behind every little thing you do. In your case, waking up at 5:30 appeared to be pain until you stepped back and refocused on the broader meaning of the small action.
As you clearly put it, “you have to know what gets you motivated.”
Thanks for the great advice.