This is a request for help and feedback, and wanting to tap into the collective wisdom of this community. I am open to any approach from any belief system, as far as trying it out without prejudice. It may just be something simple I have overlooked.
I do not feel that I am living life to my full potential. I am an accomplished individual, and I lead a consistently content life, but I want to take it to the next level.
I would like to learn to generate enthusiasm for those things that I know would benefit me to get done, but that I find tedious and unappealing. I'd like to literally jump out of my... hmmm... knickers? seat? car? whatever... I'd like to master jumping into action for whatever I do. I've had many moments in my life where I experienced this, and I am sometimes able to generate some level of enthusiasm so there's no doubt in my mind that it's a duplicatable skill.
Generally, the way I start when I have any question is to make sure I understand all the words in my question, so here are the two most important ones (from etymonline.com):
generatec.1500, "to beget" (offspring), a back formation from generation or else from L. generatus, pp. of generare "to beget, produce" (see generation); originally "to beget;" in reference to natural forces, conditions, substances, etc., attested from 1560s. Related: Generated; generating.
enthusiasmc.1600, from M.Fr. enthousiasme (16c.) and directly from L.L. enthusiasmus, from Gk. enthousiasmos "divine inspiration," from enthousiazein "be inspired or possessed by a god, be rapt, be in ecstasy," from entheos "divinely inspired, possessed by a god," from en "in" (see en- (2)) + theos "god" (see Thea). Acquired a derogatory sense of "excessive religious emotion" (1650s) under the Puritans; generalized sense of "fervor, zeal" (the main modern sense) is first recorded 1716.
This one is important too, and the rest can be found in dictionaries:
God: My personal definition of God is: that which you obey. The original sense of the word is "that which you invoke", but I find my definition more inclusive to those that do not invoke.
I have three methods that have worked for me well so far.
First is to imagine the situation when it is done and to feel the positive feelings I will feel at that point, to feel thankful in advance that it's going to happen and to keep holding that imagination until it feels like it sticks and I actually "feel" attracted to the outcome.
Second is to not think about it at all and just start it immediately and don't let myself feel anything negative, and eventually the positive feelings build as progress is made.
Third is to focus on improving my values, so my values lead me towards the outcome. This is similar to the first one, but instead of being at an image level, it's at a decision factors level, and results in seeing the task as very valuable and desireable.
Looking for alternatives or improvements. :)
Thanks for any and all help, even just stating the obvious. I sometimes *cough* frequently *cough cough* tend to overlook that... whoops!
Markus
