Secular Sage

“They pretend to pay us, we pretend to work” was a popular saying in the Soviet era. Somehow, even in the epicentre of the laissez faire globalist capitalist era of western dominance, though “they” may pay us, it comes at the cost of many of us having to pretend to be engaged.

I have tossed and turned on this issue for a while now, I grew up in less than ideal financial circumstances, and saw my dad work tirelessly and unflattering for years to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads, quite literally. I have had to make my way from the basis of very little more than this. These experiences have supported a philosophy that at the end of the day we can and should pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and support ourselves and our immediate family to ensure that we are no one else’s burden. This indeed is a privilege that most of us, who are physically and mentally able, are afforded. A privilege that should be the bare bones motivation of anyone worth their salt. I have been fortunate enough to have had the privilege of returning the favour in my later years, while also following his example.

For most, if not all, who might read this post, it is likely that the roof over your heads, and the food on your table is also somewhat sure. So what of motivation? Still critical for life, if not survival.

I believe it is the fuel that we were designed to run on. We cannot get out of bed in the mornings without motivation. This dependency on motivation is also why in our darkest times or following some major disappointment or setback, we actually don’t get out of bed. We have all experienced moments where we sit there idol wishing desperately we could find the inspiration to do something more constructive, more meaningful, even more pleasurable for our deeper self. We can waste endless amounts of time, sitting around, watching low quality TV or doom scrolling, all the while hating ourselves for it because we have a conscience, an inbuilt vision of something better that we are not living up to. A version of ourselves that we could be, should be, would be if only we could find the… MOTIVATION.

Motivation can be elusive but the good news is that it can be found, and we can maximise our chances of finding it. Firstly, stop with the bad habits, it is not hard to think of better things to do that are not altogether impossible. One may not find the unction to respond to the ambition to change the world from under the duvet on the sofa in front of Netflix but there are achievable ambitions. Phone a friend, walk in the park, read a book. It is so important to have a decent book on the bedside table, carefully selected in times of greater motivation and good group or friends that are going somewhere. These initiatives are not unrelated to our topic. Cleaning ones head opens the way for inspiration, whether one believes this is a force from within or from outside. Speaking to a friend or reading what someone has thoughtfully penned in their moment of inspiration can often be the trigger. Perhaps you just need to do some work you already have lined up which is entirely manageable, achieving something is helpful. As Jordan Petersen might say, “clean your room”. Exercise, is so important to physical and mental heath which leads to motivations and overall positive vibes.

This is all very tactical, useful but tactical. We also need to touch on one last topic. The bigger picture of our environment. I am positing that motivation is a key, if not the key, driver of success, whatever that might mean for you, as opposed to say raw talent. Enthusiasm goes a long way. It is true that opportunities play a huge role in the outcomes of one’s life, and there is perhaps an element of luck here. I would cap lucks contribution though, we make our luck. The right opportunities do not arise in the wrong places. When Gary Player, a famous South African golfer, was told he got lucky he quipped that the more he practiced the luckier he got. Too often we are not willing to make the decisions to get us into a space where opportunities are more likely to show up. If you are miserable in your job, making no effort to get into an environment where you can thrive then don’t expect people to be rushing for your attention. Take the risks or make the changes that we know we need to find motivation, we often seem too happy living without it. I would argue that we cannot truely live without it, we cannot be content being unmotivated, whether rich or poor.

We should not pretend to work, or live for that matter, we should do work that is meaningful, that we are motivated to do and has virtuous circle of motivation, work that releases endorphins, work that matters, to us, that brings out the very best of us. We will never get away from some degree of working for the larger good, as my Dad exampled, but we should always strive, in so far as we are fortunate enough to do so, to be inspired. This will bring out the best in us and in those around us.