Tag: motivation

  • Prisoners Of The Mind: The Human Struggle

    The trouble with life is that it is made up of numerous moments. When times are good, you enjoy being in the moment, but when things aren’t going your way, every moment feels like a punishment. Life seems like a prison, and you become a slave to it.

    You keep banging your head against the invisible walls of time, trying to understand what led you here. It becomes even more difficult when you consider yourself a thinker-logical and rational-someone who can’t accept an irrational explanation for their problems. Yet, there often seems to be no rational reason for the random unpleasant events in life.

    How and when psychology became a rational branch is something that makes me wonder because, most of the time, when you can’t perform due to an emotionally troubled state, people call you useless or lazy. If psychology is the culprit, why shouldn’t a person see themselves as a victim, victim of their own mind or time, victim of their own evolution, which made them sensitive to others, victim of anything that now seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy?

    While people strive to be part of groups where they are truly in touch with their inner selves, a person who is authentically themselves at all times is often labeled impulsive. Why is everything paradoxical when it comes to real practices in the world? Every ritual has two sides: one bad and the other worse, yet we are forced to choose.

    When we begin to understand what we lack, we find ourselves at the brink of killing our own ideals. Once we realize that this lack is the cause of our troubles, it becomes difficult to act against it because doing so feels like acting against ourselves, against the truth. And everyone has a different version of the truth, yet everyone wants you to accept their version while you keep wondering: isn’t truth supposed to be absolute?

    Perhaps this is where we make the mistake. Maybe it’s not the truth we are offering or believing, but rather an explanation. And explanations change with time, according to our understanding of the problems.

    Maybe the key to everything is knowledge, awareness. The more we get to know things, directly and remotely related to our situation, the better we will be at accepting what brought us here.

    And maybe, then, our tombstones won’t silently read: “Still searching for a reason.”

  • The Paradox of Spontaneity

    Now and then, I meet people who mirror a part of me. Like me, they are adrift, navigating life without a clear destination. We belong to a group that doesn’t dream in blueprints or grand visions. We’re not marathon runners with meticulously mapped-out strategies for success. Instead, we’re 100-meter sprinters, racing toward the nearest goal—a carrot dangling just out of reach—while being tethered to reins we can’t even see.

    Older generations often seem eager to guide the youth—or perhaps they’re searching for guidance themselves through these conversations. They ask us, “What’s your goal? Do you know where your life is headed? Do you have a roadmap?” It’s ironic, though. Many of them neglect their own health, skip their medications and healthy habits, and act as though they can regain control of life whenever they choose. They ridicule younger generations for living a reckless and unplanned life, all while stumbling through life in much the same way.

    Do humans ever truly grow wiser with age, or do we simply shift our blind spots?

    Taking a step back, I wonder: Is it really so bad not to have everything figured out? If it is, then why do we celebrate spontaneity in certain contexts? We buy books, attend workshops, and read blogs promising to reignite our spark—in life, in our careers, and even in our relationships. Yet outside of those contexts, spontaneity is so often dismissed.

    In a career, spontaneity is labeled as randomness or recklessness—unless it leads to success. Then it’s rebranded as “risk-taking.” In love, spontaneity might be celebrated as playfulness or condemned as instability and deceit. In daily life, it’s often seen as a sign of madness. And in fashion? If you’re a trendsetter, your choices are revolutionary. If you’re not, it’s just bad taste.

    We seem obsessed with contradicting ourselves. The books we read aren’t meant to translate directly into real life. We don’t actually want to be our ideal selves; we just want to dream about what we could become. Why? Is it fear of failure? Or is it the vulnerability of exposing who we really are?

    Maybe the real question is this: Are we ready to show up as we are—to live unapologetically, embracing our passions and desires without fear of judgment? Or will we remain tethered to expectations, dreaming of freedom while clinging to the reins?

    The answer, I suppose, lies in whether we’re willing to stand metaphorically naked before the world, shedding the layers of what we’re supposed to be and finally becoming who we are.

  • The fallacy of attempts

    How often have we longed for that spark of motivation? That voice from the sky, a tiny heartbeat in our ears urging us to take the first step?

    For many of us, this yearning is all too familiar, a moment suspended between desire and inaction, waiting for something, or someone, to nudge us forward.

    As a chronic procrastinator, sometimes for serious reasons, sometimes not, I’ve always been fascinated by what drives people to take action.

    What makes some of us leap forward while others remain paralyzed, endlessly circling the starting line?

    The Movers and Their Mysteries

    Some people seem to glide through life as if they’re on a giant slide, propelled by some invisible force.

    Call it discipline, ambition, routine, or perhaps an external push imposed by others. Whatever it is, this internal fire, their ability to take that crucial first step, is enviable.

    But what fuels them?

    Is it the anxiety of falling behind?

    The thrill of belonging to something greater?

    Validation from society, family, or themselves?

    Perhaps it’s faith in a higher power, an idol, or a purpose beyond comprehension.

    Their motivations might spring from the darkest corners of revenge and jealousy or from the purest emotions of love and self-fulfillment.

    For some, the drive comes from parental expectations; for others, it’s the inability to sit still.

    To one, life means constant striving; to another, it’s about leaving a legacy in this fleeting existence.

    For some,it is just about being human which means ‘to do’. 

    The Strugglers Who Falter

    Then there are those who, no matter how inspired, can’t seem to sustain the momentum. They stumble, either before or after the first attempt, always falling short of motivation.

    They may have a long list of reasons, but the bottom line remains: when things get tough, they crumble.

    For some, life deals an unfair hand, unrelenting challenges that make success, as defined by society, seem unattainable. Their priorities might lie in caring for family, while the world measures success in wealth.

    For them, moving slowly is essential to their version of fulfillment, even as the world glorifies the endless chase.

    These two kinds of people, those who sprint forward and those who hold back, are, perhaps, just two sides of the same coin.

    Their grit may be the same, but their non-negotiables differ, shaped by personal circumstances, values, and priorities.

    Beyond the Surface: Motivation and Culture

    It’s not just about individual choice; cultures, societies, and communities deeply influence what we value and strive for.

    Historically, collective goals have been shaped by the needs of the time, whether survival, economic growth, or social order. These goals trickle down, shaping individual aspirations and defining what we deem “successful.”

    But as societies evolve, so too must these common goals. It’s time to move beyond shaming those who choose a different path. In communities where survival is no longer the pressing issue, individuals should be free to set their own definitions of success.

    For some, this might mean wealth or career achievements; for others, it might mean the simple joy of being alive, breathing, and existing without the need for constant striving.

    The Freedom to Be

    Perhaps the ultimate goal is not about doing or achieving, but about being.

    To embrace our personal journeys without fear of judgment, to honor our choices even when they don’t align with societal norms.

    After all, life’s true value isn’t measured by external benchmarks but by how authentically we live it.

    So, whether you’re driven by ambition, propelled by discipline, or simply savoring the bliss of being, know this:

    your path is yours alone.

    And that is enough.