The starvation of motivation

As part of the human species we consider ourselves as very competitive and always want to compare our efforts, achievements and skills with others in order to determine and boost the own satisfaction.  The motivation to do something without any additional incentive however may not always be as high as it should be, especially compared to the increased thrill when a challenge inflames the excitement.

If you have to force yourself to do something, you won't be able to fully enjoy it and give your best. The same principle applies for fitness and health, but the progress over time brings a better mental balance and you are able to focus on situations more adequately. It may not always be the most fun thing you endure, but it will be worth it if you can keep up a considerable pace and consistency.

Poker is no different and many of our habits reflect in the way we play and vice-versa. As with many things though, our concentration is by far higher at the beginning and decreases as time passes by with the same activity. There are tools to maintain our attention span such as Caffeine (coffee, energy drinks), Nicotine (Cigarettes, Cigar, Joints) as well as music. Even though it is a distraction, most players consider it as useful to "get into the zone" when sitting down at the tables and a regular workout and healthy food has the same effect because you are more balanced in general and reach that comfort zone more easily.

The challenge is to create a certain core motivation, an all time low that you can always fall back on but still provides enough will power to virtually kick your own ass in order to keep on moving. Because if you totally run out of motivation, it is by far harder to regain something that you have lost and takes a lot of energy and determination to get back to a competitive level mind-wise. There are no ultimate "how-to" or "core-motivation for dummies" guidelines, the inner temptation always unveils when you are reaching your own limits and is different from person to person.

How to handle the consequences is another topic, the final decision though is always in your own hands ... otherwise something is out of order. Advice should be treated as different perspective from another point of view and taken in consideration when looking through all available options. Not more and not less. People gain motivation when they know other people count on them or are there when a shoulder to lean on is needed, without fully depending on this worst case scenario.

We all handle situations with lots of pressure in a different and unique way, some are able to push themselves by far further than expected and others simply break down, overwhelmed and unable to use existing habits and routines. Confidence is one of those key abilities to fall back on, bounce back to new heights and keep on moving. Considering the development of the mass media in the last 5-10 years - and I am fully aware of the irony because this entry is written and published on an online blog - it is even more important to obey the own responsibility and avoid the easy choice to numb up in the main stream galore.

As far as my fitness "challenge" is concerned, I think the awareness of the necessity finally took over and I hope it was still in time. I am still nowhere near my expectations but these might be flawed and based on an ideal that we get served day in day out. Of course it is quite easy to be happy with the progress so far and just say "That's it.", but once that happens the same vicious circle starts again and I keep reminding myself that my efforts so far would be wasted in that case. And this doesn't just apply for the fitness but thankfully also my attitude to work, which may be a result of my German blood or the values that my parents and teachers showed me.
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