Motivation in the Now, because future Damien is a dick.

Disclaimer: I wrote this post years ago. Before I was a personal trainer or entrepreneur. Reading over it, it seems that I have mellowed, and matured a bit in my thinking. But I was onto something here. In fact, this idea would manifest itself YEARS later as Alpha Futha Muka

We live in a society of forward thinking. The idea of our future is drilled into us at such an early age. It seems that as soon as we are able to talk we start planning ahead. My mother works in a child care center, and if you were to ask any 4 year old “what do you want to be when you’ve grown up” they will answer you with utter confidence on their selected career path. You haven’t worked out that your nose running down to your toes is socially unnacceptable, but your projected life goals are huge. If that isn’t a set up for failier, I don’t know what is.

Now don’t get all up in ma grills about the importance of having goals. I agree with that. Having an idea that is feasible that you can work towards maybe the most important thing in terms of having direction. But you see those two little words? Work towards. It’s the journey between now and then that is the hardest. There needs to be smaller goals between this point and that point that are achievable and stand as a foundation for what you want.

I’m here to talk about “future you”. The biggest trap we all (including myself) fall into. Who is future you you may ask? A non existent manifestation of the traits you wish to have, but don’t. Future you starts dieting on monday. Future you is going to start a business. Future you is going to study and get shit done.

You see, we are so infatuated with the future and what it may hold that we often forget that this whole “time” thing we have going on is a human concept that we use to plot events in a linear fashion to create order in our life. Progression has put us into a hypnotic state of believing in an outcome loacted in the tomorrow, leaving us to not consider the fact that tomorrow is irrelevant. What is relevent is today. We create an alter ego that exists in this tomorrow who is motivated to perform all the required tasks to obtain a lifestyle that we want. It is a means of illeviating guilt. We use future you as a justified reason to contiinue the cycle and not attempt to start altering our situation. We have the desire for the outcome, but no means to start the momentum.

I have so many friends that have grand ideas, manners in which they would execute said ideas, but without the capacity to start them. My advice is to eliminate the idea of future you completely. Focus on you right now, rather than settling on hypothetical happiness. Have an idea? Start it. And that means now. Want to get in shape? Your healthy eating should start as soon the idea crosses into your mind. 

The only thing people don’t seem to hide behindd “future you” is getting laid. Motivation is backwards when it is primal isn’t it? No one goes out and thinks “the next party I’m going to, I will totally make the beast with two backs”. No. Alas, they go for it, no matter how many times they fail. Even those of the lowest social order manage persevere with this. The primal nature of the id is a powerful tool right? Now bring the subconscious into the conscious. Apply it to some real life goals. 

A sheep in wolves clothing.

Future you is the biggest negative influence in your life wrapped in a positive idea.