You Need More ANTI, Man!
Focus on this instead of what you want
I already see it happening. You, standing in front of the mirror. Holding in your gut, chin up, chest out, thinking:
“Yep, this year’s gonna be my year! I’m gonna smash my goals, chase my dreams, unleash my potential, break through my limits, and… oh shut up already!”
Because you thought you were motivated. I must admit that I had thoughts like this each and every year. Many things however I wasn’t able to check off. Because motivation is not what you need.
You need a kick in the ass. You need some ANTI!
Let me explain.
Everyone wants something, right? We all want to be fit, rich, calm, happy, mindful, successful — whatever it may be. Something. But you know what the real thing is? The “want” itself.
What is “wanting” anyway?
Wanting is weak.
Wanting is passive.
Wanting is: “Yeah, that’d be nice… someday… maybe…”
Wanting is hot chocolate on the couch with a blanket and Netflix.
Wanting is: “I hope the universe is listening.”
Wanting sounds more like a fantasy to me. Having dreams. And I’m not saying that anything is wrong with having those, though. But what I find to be stronger, like in giving me more energy in getting things done, is ANTI.
Knowing what I don’t want. Things like:
I don’t want to wake up drenched in stress sweat.
I don’t want to drive to work with a brick in your stomach.
I don’t want to scroll through your phone thinking, “Where the hell did my life go?”
I don’t want to keep saying: “Maybe I’ll start tomorrow.”
That’s fire. Right? At least, for the ego.
When you know what you’re done tolerating, you run harder.
So many people focus (way too) much on the positive. Visualization, making all kinds of plans and setting intentions, whispering (or even shouting) affirmations into the mirror. But sometimes you just need to get pissed off. At yourself. At your situation.
At what your life’s gonna look like if nothing changes.
That’s the anti. And that anti… gets you moving. At least, it gets me moving.
I don’t go out for a run because I am “so motivated”. I lace up and go because I know how miserable I feel when I’m not fit. Same goes for the gym or my calisthenics sessions; not doing those because I feel like it, but because I hate being weak.
So instead of dreaming about six-packs (not the one in the fridge), passive income, inner peace, make a list (if you’re into lists, of course). Not a list of what you want, but of what you absolutely REFUSE to live with.
Write this down:
“What do I NEVER want to feel again?”
“What do I NEVER want to experience again?”
“What will I NEVER accept from myself again?”
And then look at that list and say: “Alright. Now we go.”
Because sometimes growth doesn’t start with a dream. It starts with frustration, and a healthy dose of “I’m so DONE with this sh*t.” Usually that thought makes me clean the house like a madman.
You need more ANTI.
Not saying this is THE WAY, though. Just sharing what drives me in more cases than I actually thought. Of course we all work differently, but sharing is caring.
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