Imagine you’re a runner.
[I know. “Running sucks! Why the hell would I imagine that? Are you trying to make me throw up?” Do it anyway.]
So imagine you’re a runner and you’re getting ready for a 10K. Suppose your personal best at that distance was run at a 7:30 pace. Now you want to push a 7:15 pace and destroy your previous record.
How do you do that?
Well, if you’ve been training properly, all there’s left to do is run the race. You’ll need to push your pace more than you ever have before for a little over 6 miles. You’ll have to find a way to spur yourself on when it gets tough through miles 4 and 5. You’ll have to be strong, hold on, and not give in to the fatigue and pain.
So imagine you’re doing that. Sounds tough, right? But it’s possible.
Now imagine you have some of your closest friends and family right beside you during the race, screaming at you not to slow down, not to stop, not to give in.
Suddenly it seems that much easier to do. It won’t be any less painful, mind you, and in fact it will likely be more painful, but having a cheering section will drive you more than you’re able to do on your own.
Even if we’re masters of discipline and self-motivation, the very idea of letting someone else down is an incredibly powerful motivator.
So use it. Have a deadline on a difficult project? Get a friend to hold you accountable. Training for a sprint tri? Grab a few training partners and make sure you have people cheering you on from the sidelines in the late stages of the race? Writing a screenplay? Don’t keep it a secret, announce it to some family members you know will get on your ass if you let it slide.
Sure, you might excel at motivating yourself. But having your own personal cheering section will push you that much further.