how do you motivate yourself to change a behavior you don't like?

[cheapie]

i have several things i'd like to change about myself. nail-biting, procrastinating, impulsive public urination (jk), lack of exercise etc.

how have you changed things in your behavior that were part of your personality for a long time?

the biggest thing is my procrastination and not following through on things at work. not to brag, but i'm a fairly intelligent and charming person and have relied on my intellect and personality to get a lot of stuff done in my profession and my personal life. if i only applied myself, i would be the most incredibly successful and effective people i know. (sorry if i sound cocky)

i guess i just settle for things too easily. i have a good job, family life, house, etc. it could be better but i'm not putting forth the effort to make it so.


sigh....i just don't want to get old and realize i never realized my potential.


hmmmm...you think i'm feeling morose at all about the cubbies losing?

[RoniMan]

i have the key to success...but i'm too lazy to post it right now...sorry.
:D

[look_ma]

I usually accomplish the most when I get really pissed off. You wouldn't believe how many times I had a bad day and was so mad I just locked my door, turned on soem music and cleaned my whole room. I also go and walk/fog when I am really pissed at myself. I know it sounds weird, but things get accomplished.

[Ladogaboy]

It's a matter of habits. You've developed habits over the years that make you do or not do things in a certain way. If you can figure out what these habits are, just make yourself conscious of them, and you are then less likely to continue them. Works for me. :shrug:

[cheapchinese]

I just have a picture of something i really want posted on the walls, basically it reminds me not to procrastinate, yea cheap. been there done that.... but its always helps that you know you have a prob, just mentally changing something is quite impossible, for me at least, thats why i have pictures.. to remind me.. if i want that, i shouldn't be sitting in front of the computer and waste my time.. oh. wait.. i'm doing that now.. again.. :P

[DaFunkyUnit]

just imagine a really, really hot chick (think Jessica Alba) that says:

"I would so [insert verb of choice here] you if only you'd stop [insert bad habit here]."

that should motivate

:D

[RoniMan]

Originally posted by look_ma
I usually accomplish the most when I get really pissed off. You wouldn't believe how many times I had a bad day and was so mad I just locked my door, turned on soem music and cleaned my whole room. I also go and walk/fog when I am really pissed at myself. I know it sounds weird, but things get accomplished.
:stupid:

the day i broke up with my last gf was one of the most productive days i've ever had!

[ChIcKeN_HaWk]

the day i broke up with my last gf was one of the most productive days i've ever had!

The last month and a half I've been going through the breakup process with my ex, mostly fighting my own thought processes. I have found that reading about the things you want to change and making some effort at the smallest degree even is a change. Baby steps if you will... The breakup with my ex has been the hardest thing I have ever been through and I've been through alot in my 27 years. Wanting to make a change is the first step and as anyone can tell you following through is the hardest part, the motivation sounds like it is already there...

[cheapie]

i would like to try to avoid the whole "break up w/SO and make change" thing.


i'm suprised at the lack of response on this topic. esp. the fact that no women have said anything. this is prob. one of my more "honest" threads.

[nickel]

ok, you have shamed me into responding...

how do i motivate myself to change behavior? usually something important happens to make you change. yes, a breakup, or a death. but sometimes i will get bored or tired of something and move on to something new and not look back. but it is tough. i guess it is easiest for those of us born with strong genes of determination.

sometimes in the blink of an eye you finally see the light and you think, "wth am i doing?" and that can be enough to make you change paths.

here is what i try to do. each day i purposely try to experience something new. it can be a very small thing, but it is something out of the normal daily routine. for example, awhile ago i went to a full service gas station because it was raining out. the guy who gassed me up was real nice and when i handed him the gas money i gave him an extra twenty. he gave it right back to me, and i told him it was his because i appreciated him pumping my gas. he had the strangest look on his face, but it was soooo cool. and that motivated me to try and commit random acts of kindness more.

IS ANY OF THIS MAKING SENSE? :P

[ChIcKeN_HaWk]

I think everyone would like to avoid the whole break up thing but sometimes it's unforseen. There are points ovr the last month where I would have liked to beat the crap out of my ex for forcing me to deal with myself but I'm starting to feel good about it because I'm making positive things happen and she's not. Everyone at her work thinks she's a whore because she has been with (in some form or fashion) at least 4 men since we split up which started the weekend we broke up. Made me realize that she is a sick person and I'm doing the noble thing by dealing with my issues head on instead of forgeting that I do love someone and moving to the next woman. Anyways, everyone finds motivation in different ways but for you maybe it's just a change in thought process?

[nickel]

Originally posted by ChIcKeN_HaWk
I think everyone would like to avoid the whole break up thing but sometimes it's unforseen. There are points ovr the last month where I would have liked to beat the crap out of my ex for forcing me to deal with myself but I'm starting to feel good about it because I'm making positive things happen and she's not. Everyone at her work thinks she's a whore because she has been with (in some form or fashion) at least 4 men since we split up which started the weekend we broke up. Made me realize that she is a sick person and I'm doing the noble thing by dealing with my issues head on instead of forgeting that I do love someone and moving to the next woman. Anyways, everyone finds motivation in different ways but for you maybe it's just a change in thought process?
have you seen this ChIcKeN?
http://wm.ifilm.na-central.speedera.net/wm.ifilm.na-central/portal/2410176_200.asf

[ChIcKeN_HaWk]

I can't pull it up, at work...What is it?

[nickel]

just this guy getting revenge on his gf after she broke up with him over HIS BOSS. it's a good view. watch it at home.

[ChIcKeN_HaWk]

LOL, Revenge would be nice and I have plenty of motivation and a arsenol that could choke a donkey but it's not going to make me feel any better in the long run...I still miss her

[johnnymk]

I once was told that it takes 40 days to start a habit and 40 days to break a habit. I never experimented with the theory(although the guy told me it was a fact).

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by nickelback
for example, awhile ago i went to a full service gas station because it was raining out. the guy who gassed me up was real nice and when i handed him the gas money i gave him an extra twenty. he gave it right back to me, and i told him it was his because i appreciated him pumping my gas. he had the strangest look on his face, but it was soooo cool. and that motivated me to try and commit random acts of kindness more.

IS ANY OF THIS MAKING SENSE? :P


I'm sure there were a few things you could have done for him that he would have appreciated more than a twenty. :naughty:

:P