Motivation and priority

Forget vicious circles. I like to think of life as a triangle. A triangle has three points and three sides, right? Well, there is the physical, the mind life (or mental) and the spiritual. And it is good to exercise these to keep them strong and connected. After all, a triangle with a collapsed side is no longer a shape.

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I like to keep in shape. I walk and swim to keep the physical side going well—and, of course, drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet. Just don’t ask me how I’m going on the diet thing! 

Next comes the mental. I’ve a desk job that allows me to contribute to the family of five’s budget (Sue and I plus three pets: Nikita, Amber, and Joey). We all have wills. It takes energy to know what to allow and what to crack down on. 

And then there’s the spiritual. I’m not just talking about God life, but the things that God uses in us to make life worthwhile for others, like creativity. God created, so it’s natural as his progeny that we create. Whether that comes out in the arts and writing, in innovation, in thoughtful acts of kindness or as a word in season to break up a disagreement or to bring hope—the ultimate source of that is spiritual. 

And when I was younger, I had shiploads of energy. As a single man living in the Canberra region, I ran, walked, rode a bike, and swam for exercise and relaxation, I played keyboards in two secular bands (one rock, the other hip hop/ experimental) as well as being part of the worship team at church, playing fortnightly. I was also on several committees. I found time to be involved in community campaigns, do advocacy, support a candidate in a state election. I published a magazine for my employer where I worked full time and collaborated to bring innovative speakers to my workplace. Oh yeah, and I still found odd bits of time to write my stuff. 

Sure, some things suffered in the process—I should have spent more time on some relationships—but that’s all part of maturing. 

Ah, yeah, maturing. There’s a good and bad part of that. The good looks at what is important to others; at what is worthwhile to build into. I drop or attenuate other things. Some of those things I am sorry to let go, because they brought me and other people pleasure.

But the other is motivation, not just giving permission to yourself, but giving it the time and energy. There is no longer time and energy for everything. If I try something new, something else may need to go. If it goes, I need to look at what that means for others. Aging speaks, as do priorities. Energy is not where it was in my twenties and thirties. There are weeks where I get through the have-tos for the day and there’s no time left for me. So, I stagger through to the weekend only to be reminded of things I agreed to and forgot about. They especially raise their ugly heads just when I think I have the time and energy to spend on something requiring quality time and thought.

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I’ve chosen to blog today about motivation. I no longer have the energy or time to do everything without suffering serious burn out. And most of the things I must do are not innately enjoyable, so do not refresh me. 

Motivation’s close brother is priority. Priority is so often driven by others. ‘On 

some fixed date, you said you would do such-and-such by a set time.’ So, you do it, because you said you would; and you don’t want to damage the relationship with the person you agreed with. But, meanwhile, you delay again the things that you permitted yourself to do.

But you can raise their priority. You have the access.

‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life,’ says the writer (ascribed to King Solomon: Proverbs 13:12). So, remember, no matter how busy life gets; no matter how many other things become your priority (rightly or wrongly); if you decide to write, then writing is a priority for you. As it is a priority, you are both permitted and need to give it time.

There is your motivation.

So, go write!

Your thoughts?

Marc Jeffrey is an Adelaide-based author and poet who loves to craft words in times when his beautiful wife and lively dog (Shih tzu cross Chihuahua) are asleep. He writes of hope and justice, depositing his characters in the nexus between the ‘what is’ and the ‘what if’ – while wondering if he can leave the house without waking anyone up. 

He is long-time member of the ‘Literati’ writing group, that grew out of the Tabor Adelaide Creative Writing program. When he’s not writing, Marc listens to his favourite music, which ranges from Cold Chisel to Claude Debussy