Dealing with being mediocre and unmotivated.

[OinkBoink]

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[NuclearNed]

Who pays for your school/room/board/food/books/etc.? If it isn't you, immediately cut off all financial assistance from the other parties; you'll find motivation quickly enough.

 

[amish]

Have any of you been in such situations at any point of your college days or even your career? How did you remedy the situation? It would be nice if you could share some life experiences or your views on anything expressed here.

got rid of the distraction (girlfriend) for a period of time. figure out what is distracting you (internet) and put yourself in a position to be without it. get off your computer, go to the library, and read. have work on your computer? unplug your router and stay offline.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Join the military.

 

[RearAdmiral]

I'd say it's fair that everyone has felt like this. I remedied the situation by working hard to accomplish a couple of goals. Once those happened, I felt really great and just kept on going. Sometimes one just needs a little support or encouragement. Also if you volunteer for a couple of days that could make you feel pretty awesome and motivated. Sitting around all day is selfish, volunteering is pretty much opposite and is easy, so you can get a good taste of the "other side."

My issues of laziness stemmed from me usually being...sigh...well better than everyone else at things. I got really motivated as well once somebody really smart/good came along. It was a healthy competition for me.

You could find one of those kids at school and make it your mission to destroy him. In accomplishments/grades of course.

Given my occasional issues of motivation I sometimes just tell myself, "Find it." That's all I say. When I don't want to do that extra squat at the gym, I say, "Find it." I let my mind wander where it needs to go and I do it. I promise you'll be surprised at the things you can do, being mediocre sucks, but it is a choice for A LOT of people. Try not to be one of the status quo.

Good luck buddy.

 

[TecHNooB]

you sound exactly like me. if you know your weaknesses and are determined to improve, then, with some sacrifice, you can do it.

 

[ViviTheMage]

So much you could be doing .... especially in school.

 

[Zebo]

You write well. Dude average can be extraordinary with effort. Extraordinary born can get into prison. I've seen both. It's all up to you. What was it Edision said something about 1% inspiration 99% perspiration? I believe it true.

 

[silverpig]

Sounds like you need to take a year off to screw around before going back to school.

Take a job at Starbucks, move back in with your parents (if applicable), play video games all day, and save some money. Then go to Europe or South America or something for a while. Then realize that sitting around in your underwear before your shift at Starbucks with your mom yelling at you isn't the life you want to have and go back to school for reals.

 

[Train]

 

[Zebo]

I'd say it's fair that everyone has felt like this. I remedied the situation by working hard to accomplish a couple of goals. Once those happened, I felt really great and just kept on going. Sometimes one just needs a little support or encouragement. Also if you volunteer for a couple of days that could make you feel pretty awesome and motivated. Sitting around all day is selfish, volunteering is pretty much opposite and is easy, so you can get a good taste of the "other side."

My issues of laziness stemmed from me usually being...sigh...well better than everyone else at things. I got really motivated as well once somebody really smart/good came along. It was a healthy competition for me.

You could find one of those kids at school and make it your mission to destroy him. In accomplishments/grades of course.

Given my occasional issues of motivation I sometimes just tell myself, "Find it." That's all I say. When I don't want to do that extra squat at the gym, I say, "Find it." I let my mind wander where it needs to go and I do it. I promise you'll be surprised at the things you can do, being mediocre sucks, but it is a choice for A LOT of people. Try not to be one of the status quo.

Good luck buddy.

This is good advice. I found something as simple as making lists changed me at around 23. I make a list every night what I'm doing tomorrow and get it done as fast as possible and feel great once it's over. I make goal lists for months and years out. Sure I'm not always 100% but it's something to shoot for.

I'm the only guy at supermarket carrying around a list, so I think it's not common for some reason.

 

[purbeast0]

what year are you in college? after my freshman year i nearly dropped out. it was too hard and required too much work. i was one of those kids in highschool who got pretty much a 4.0 without really trying. college was a huge wakeup call, especially after i failed my 2nd comp sci class after getting a c in my first one.

i don't know but i just buckled down 2nd semester and did much better and started to do better. i also had started to work out, and to this day (12 years later) i still work out regularly and am active.

i think a huge 'motivator' in general is working out. you say you are tired and shit all the time. what people who don't work out or exercise don't understand is that when you workout and exercise regularly, it gives you so much more energy overall. sure you are tired afterwards, but in your overall life and outside of working out, you will feel much more energetic as a whole.

i would suggest trying to start an exercise program and see how it makes you feel.

 

[Rakewell]

You need spiritual enlightenment.

Take a trip for a few days, somewhere quiet and beautiful by yourself.

 

[KoolAidKid]

You sound depressed. As in, a psychiatrist would diagnose you as depressed.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

what are your short term and long term goals?

if you don't have any, its pretty easy to become aimless and unproductive.

the world needs baristas, burger flippers and wal-mart greeters in addition to engineeers. its entirely up to you where you end up in life.

 

[SketchMaster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OaQ-I8OZus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsSC2vx7zFQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obo6xCAHIG8

Now hit the books.

 

[highland145]

Who pays for your school/room/board/food/books/etc.? If it isn't you, immediately cut off all financial assistance from the other parties; you'll find motivation quickly enough.

2nd. With my comp e degree and a shovel, I dug ditches because my gpa sucked. Should have dug them before going to college. 20 years of regret because I was a lazy shit.

2nd, the military, too.

 

[RavenSEAL]

And when I say join the military, I mean, seriously consider it.

I'm in the same position as you as my education goes and as much as I've tried, I cannot get myself to give a single fuck. Mostly because I really don't want to settle for spending the next 40 years of my life in an office environment.

I'm attempting to get through it, but if I just really do not change my perspective, joining the military and taking a break from education is something I am seriously considering in order to shape my life.

 

[brainhulk]

I believe all it comes down to is finding a passion for what you are doing. When you have that passion, you go the extra mile that nobody else goes. Finding this motivation is just a matter of psyching youself out really...be it telling yourself what I'm doing will make a difference in peoples lives, or gaining respect amongst your peers, provide a path to wealth/success, or even something as petty as impressing the opposite sex.

It sounds really corny, but it works for me

 

[Fritzo]

I feel like that a lot. I'm actually very talented. I'm a good musician, cook, graphic artist, IT director, and writer, but I'm locked into boring, mundane, "it doesn't really matter to anyone at the end of the day" jobs. I feel like I should be doing something that will help change the world, but I don't have the resources to find those opportunities. Therefore, when I die I'll be another "Oh gee, another father of 2 with a standard house and a standard car with a standard income coming from a standard family...who cares."

What's the point, really.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Every day I try to do at least three or four things that are awesome. Sex, lifting something heavy, helping somebody without being asked, etc...

 

[Jeffg010]

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

Take this test and tell me what you get you might be focusing on the wrong things for your personalty.

 

[Zebo]

I'm going to say NO to military you don't cure mediocrity by being surrounded by it. Unless you're talking SEALS or some shit without quotas/time served etc.

 

[shortylickens]

I joined the Navy.

 

[Saint Nick]

I feel like that a lot. I'm actually very talented. I'm a good musician, cook, graphic artist, IT director, and writer, but I'm locked into boring, mundane, "it doesn't really matter to anyone at the end of the day" jobs. I feel like I should be doing something that will help change the world, but I don't have the resources to find those opportunities. Therefore, when I die I'll be another "Oh gee, another father of 2 with a standard house and a standard car with a standard income coming from a standard family...who cares."

What's the point, really.

Sounds like the life you made for yourself.