I might finally understand the motivation system. The 1-2-3 principle I introduced in the previous article (this article) allowed me to find the logic.
Today, I will show you how to keep motivation through the whole process of the virtuous cycle.
How to keep our motivation
Sometimes, we want to keep our motivation. Losing it reduces our enjoyment and also takes away future possibilities.
Although we can have fun in it in the beginning, strangely, we gradually lose energy. We don’t know why.
We might sometimes try to manage our motivations. For example, we might try to be patient until it returns, change the way of thinking, or imagine successful people to stimulate our desires.
However, they usually don’t last long.
It tells us that something is wrong fundamentally. We have to change our fundamental approach.
To solve this problem, I will introduce the whole process of the virtuous motivational cycle. It will show us why we lose motivation and how to keep it.
The virtuous motivational cycle
There are three stages from the moment we are motivated until our skills and abundance leap. This is based on the 1-2-3 principle I introduced in the previous article.
The three stages are as follows:
- (Stage 1) The stage from when we become interested to when we put it into practice
- (Stage 2) The stage of learning and progressing
- (Stage 3) The stage of creation and a leap in our unique skills and abundance
They show us why a mental complex loses motivation and causes stagnation. Let’s look at each step with an example below.
Stage 1) The beginning stage
The first stage is from when we become interested to when we put it into practice. We are interested in something, experience it for the first time, and are satisfied with the first result, even if the result is of terrible quality.
An example would make it easier to understand, so let me show an example of cooking for ourselves. Not only in cooking, but this can be applied to learning guitar, a second language, painting skills, or anything else. Feel free to replace the cooking with something you want to learn.
Suppose we want to reduce our living expenses. In such a time, we encountered a friend who cooks for himself and had a lunch he prepared. Although it was not as delicious and beautiful as a restaurant, it was tasty enough. Moreover, he enjoyed cooking for himself. It looked interesting. That intrigued us.
He said with a smile, “Cooking is easy. All I need is to chop them, add enough heat, and salt and pepper them!”
Although we felt it was a little rough, it was simple and essential. We felt that cooking was easier than we anticipated. Even if we are not professionals, we can make something reasonably tasty. We don’t have to be like professional chefs. That relaxed us.
Trying lightly and getting a reward
That made us try lightly. We first practice as taught. We buy cheap vegetables and sausages, chop them, boil them enough, and add salt and pepper. Let’s eat it! It is not bad at all! We did it!
Of course, it was not so delicious. However, it filled our stomachs with reasonable taste. That made us happy because the initial goal was to reduce living expenses.
That motivates us to learn cooking for ourselves. That is the first stage.
Narrowing down the essentials
This stage tells us we have to narrow down the essentials. In other words, nonessential desires prevent us from practicing and satisfying the first product.
In the case of cooking, the friend told us cooking is easy. Just chop them and heat them. This teaching is simple and essential. That allowed us to practice and finish our first try reasonably well.
On the other hand, if he told us cooking is hard, looked down on us, and said we could not do this like him, we would not be interested in cooking. Even if we stimulated our inferiority complex, we would not be satisfied with our first dishes.
Imagination also prevents our satisfaction. Spiritualists often say, ‘Imagine a successful state; think big.’ However, it takes away our first fulfilling experience.
This is because a successful imagination adds unnecessary requirements for our first product. It makes us believe we have to like professionals. In this case, we often try to learn from professionals from the beginning. It requires patience, so it stresses us. It is a different path from the one that proceeds with enjoyment without stagnation.
Why we avoid using imagination
In other words, avoid using imagination in this stage. The habit of visualizing a successful state prevents the first satisfaction. This is the stage of experiencing the essence and enjoying the first result lightly.
In this first stage, don’t buy a book with the title of ‘Introduction to Guitar for Beginners’ or ‘How to Draw Pictures Like a Professional.’ Don’t learn from those who look down on you, no matter how famous they are. Learning them is in the next stage, not in the first stage.
Instead, narrow down what is essential to ‘cook’ reasonably yourself. If you have logical sense, you can do it yourself.
Try asking yourself like this: “It is easy to make it happen. All I need is only them.”
That gives you fundamentals that satisfy your first product. If we clear this stage successfully, we can proceed with joy.
Stage 2) The learning stage
The second stage is learning and progressing. We progress while balancing our contradictory wants.
Let’s look at the example of cooking for ourselves.
After we learn the joy and basic principles of cooking, we naturally progress in our cooking skills. We unintentionally realize that there is so much about cooking in the world. Many people eat snacks. There are many restaurants and various cuisines. Even in electric stores, there are cooling utensils.
Every experience becomes our learning. Even if we go to a party, we naturally analyze the dishes there. Even if we walk a street, we unconsciously find out what kinds of cuisines there are. Of course, we also learn from books or videos, but they are only a small part.
We try many tools and ingredients. As we learn and experience, our meals become better. We might be healthier. We might feel that cooking makes us happy.
We are in a virtuous cycle of new fun experiences and learnings. We don’t feel like we are learning. We are just enjoying. However, it becomes our skills.
Although it requires costs, and we know the initial goal is to reduce our living expenses, we improve our skills and tools even with the time and money we spend on other things. This is a fun time.
Balancing our contradictory wants
This stage tells us we have to balance our contradictory wants. In other words, sticking to one side of values causes stagnation.
Although the initial goal was to reduce our cost of living, we invested in cooking utensils and experiences. It was contradictory, but we wanted to do so.
On the other hand, if we stick to one aspect of our values, we hesitate to go in the opposite direction from our purpose.
A typical example is stopping to invest in our curiosities. We hesitate to spend time and money for our fun.
The mistake of doubting the meaning
In this mental state, we often make the mistake of doubting the meaning of the activity. We think it is a worthless or meaningless activity.
We think, “I don’t intend to become a professional chef. Why do I have to spend so much time and money on this? Learning other useful skills is better than just cooking for myself! Enjoying cooking for myself is meaningless!”
This prevents our investing in interests. Then, we naturally lose motivation. Stagnation begins. We give up and forget cooking. Boring days start. Finally, we start to say, “I wish I had something interesting.”
If we look at this example objectively, we can understand that we don’t need to hesitate to invest in our activities. Even if it costs, we can buy a valuable thing: a new potential that can change the future. That progresses our lives.
However, from the subjective perspective of this example, we sometimes hesitate.
Having our own philosophy
Having one’s own philosophy would prevent this stagnation.
Although we might feel that cooking is meaningless, we have to think of what is meaningful. Do we know the meaning of life? No! Do we know the meaning of our existence? No! It is strange to seek meaning in cooking when we don’t even understand the meaning of living.
In other words, asking the meaning of cooking itself is meaningless from a philosophical perspective.
This philosophy removes the concept of what is profitable or a loss. We understand we know neither what the future holds nor how the future unfolds. It also tells us we don’t have to be consistent. We are a life with duality. We sometimes want to be active but sometimes rest. Creating efficiency requires waste.
Accepting our contradictions will prevent stagnation of this stage. Relying on our moods often helps us. It allows us to balance well, even if it looks negative. Philosophy gives us the freedom to invest in interests.
Stage 3) The creation stage
The third stage is creation and a leap in our unique skills and abundance.
Until now, we were only learning. From this point onward, we create new things based on our experiences and unique senses. It is time for a leap in our potential.
We develop a strategy to create more value efficiently. We already know the strengths and weaknesses of utensils, ingredients, and condiments. We combine and create new ways based on them.
If we have learned enough, we can do it naturally. We don’t struggle with creativity or uniqueness. We will gain new wealth with our flourishing talents.
We will achieve our initial goals. If we want to reduce food costs, we create new dishes with affordable foods in our areas. It is strange but rational. That rationality often impacts others. That creates a new future we never anticipated.
The cause of stagnation
In this stage, oversimplifying the strategy leads to stagnation. It appears as a deadlock or a double bind.
Usually, we create a strategy by dividing our target into at least three elements. We can find the three areas like below:
- Utensils, ingredients, and condiments
- Taste, cooking time, and cost
- Amount, quality, and ease of eating
- Nutrition, convenience, and taste
They allow us to find new combinations. In other words, we can be creative.
However, simplifying it into two prevents our creativity. Reducing factors to two means right or left. It is not a strategy. It is a philosophical matter that we have to accept both. Naturally, we cannot be creative anymore. The stagnation begins.
That is why strategy requires at least three segments. Dividing at least three elements allows us to be creative.
I explained this in an earlier article (this article), so please refer to it if you want more details.
To the next virtuous cycle
After finishing these stages, we naturally graduate from learning this area. We don’t have to keep learning them.
However, it doesn’t mean losing our motivation. Although we accomplish our initial goals, we are often interested in a different thing.
We might want to try a higher level or deepen one part that interests us.
We have many problems in our lives. As our desires are limitless, our wants to improve are endless. Although they might look negative, they enrich our lives.
This virtuous motivation cycle allows us to enjoy problems in life. Troubles turn into abundance. It will impact our happiness significantly.
Conclusion
That is the whole process of the virtuous motivational cycle.
It has three stages from the moment we are motivated until our skills and abundance leap.
It might tell us why we lose motivation and how to keep it.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
