I have a notion to . . . 
Are things piling up in your life and you hardly know where to start? Are you procrastinating due to overwhelm?
Do you need a jump start?
Do some of you remember the days when it was not uncommon to see people using jumper cables to help a stranded motorist start their car?
In days gone by when car lights did not turn off automatically, it often happened that you would come out and turn the key only to be greeted by a groan from your engine. That is, if you were lucky. Because at least even with that short lived sound you knew you it was a battery problem. And you had left your lights on. Then you looked around hoping to find someone who had jumper cables in order to connect their battery to yours and give your it new juice!
Leaving the lights on can drain the juice out of a battery.
Being always “on” in our lives does the same to us.
Sometimes we really do need a jump start. Things feel insurmountable.
Overwhelm can lead to inertia. We get stuck in whatever gear we are in. We know we need to clean up our clutter, write our reports, lose weight, exercise, sort mail, clean the garage and gutters, practice our instruments, save money for retirement etc. etc.! On and on our lists go. But inertia sets in and we feel inadequate. We procrastinate.
I think my friend, Robin, may be responsible for jump starting me on some cleaning out projects through her new organization business. You can check her out at www.NeatNestOrganizing.com (after you read this article and see Solomon smiling). My friend, Jen, has started her business using Advocare nutritional supplementary products to help others experience health and fitness and it inspired Tom and me when we needed that jump start. I guess it really is true that others we respect and admire do influence and inspire us!
And it is also true that sometimes our brain needs some new juice. Remember it is an electrical system. Our brain is the primary generator of action energy for us.
So, I have been playing with this idea. A self-improvement experiment that I have decided to share with you.
As you know, catchy phrases inspire me. So I have come up with a simple and playful phrase that is working miracles for me! I say this to myself when I think about something that needs to be done.
“From Notion to Motion . . . Take Five.” Here is how it works.
1. Pay attention to when you get a flash of an idea . . . a notion. Something that would be wise to accomplish. The brain registers the notion of possibility much as when a child watches others ride bikes. Did you know that when we even think about an activity it activates the muscle movement pathways in the brain?
Then I repeat silently to myself: “From notion to motion . . . take five.” That can mean five seconds, five minutes, five hours, or whatever time I allot for now. But usually it is five minutes and sometimes five seconds. An example of the five second one is opening a cluttered drawer and noting it is ready for some attention. You may do this five times before you take five minutes to start it!
2.Take bite sized action steps (motion). If it is something I am not wild about doing I only commit myself to do it for five minutes or just do part of the project. Example. I needed to repaint the baseboards in my office after I moved my couch. At first if felt like I had to paint the whole room and it seemed overwhelming. With my new self-improvement program I decided to just paint one wall’s worth.
3. Link pleasure to the task in some small way. Why? Although the brain doesn’t know or care why we are giving it messages for change we know we do it either to receive pleasure or avoid pain. The problem is when we give it mixed messages of “want to” and “not want to,” it gets stuck. It is easier to want to do something if it brings pleasure.
Remember . . the brain connects objects and experiences to our emotional states. So, if you associate the task with something pleasurable you are more likely to gain momentum or go back to it when possible. Example. One day I wanted to listen to a webinar but didn’t want to take the time. So, I combined my baseboard painting notion with listening to a speaker. Of course I gained momentum, did more than planned, and had fun at the same time. It really felt good in every way.
Sound silly? Try it! I wish I could tell you how much this helps. Don’t like to write reports? Choose a “special pen” and comfy chair and just put the heading on. Don’t like to clean drawers, desks, or closets? Put on some music and haul things out in rhythm. Don’t like to exercise? Start by doing activities you enjoy; just put the notion into motion! Five minutes, five steps, five stretches are better than none.
You know what happens. You gain momentum. And you feel good. For me, just the phrase alone has been enjoyable enough to help me gain momentum.
By the way, the notion to rest, play, or do nothing is as important as to clean out clutter. This is about you. Not about what others think you should do. What is important for you right now? What would awaken your spirit and relieve you of overwhelm? And if at all possible, figure out what would make it fun.
What you are doing is jump starting your brain and fueling it with success. Success feeds on success.
Guiding principles might help. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make it desirable (a good “why” helps)
2. Keep it doable (bite-sized time and action)
3. Do something measurable so you can see results
4. Make it repeatable so it will become a habit (that will keep your brain happy. It likes habit because habits do not consume much thinking energy.)
Soon you will see that Action Gives Traction in your brain and you will . . .
Move From Notion to Motion to . . . Momentum and Celebration!
I know you want to see Solomon, the TSJ mascot and symbol of earthy wisdom and sheer happiness. So here is his contagious smile! Have fun and PLAY with these ideas! 