Pressure? Fear? Passion and choice!

Leo Babauta. Famous blogger at zenhabits and author of "The Power of Less" said in his daily tip of today on twitter - T.O.T.D. #14: "Positive public pressure is a huge motivator. Tell as many people as possible about a goal or habit change" 

That's quite an interesting suggestion. It might work for some people and I had the idea of bringing people together, sharing their dreams and goals in order to create a stronger commitment some time ago. The concept of pressure can be very appealing when being confronted with ones habits of procastination.

Powerful trigger for inner conflicts

On the other hand this approach might aswell be a powerful trigger for inner conflicts. While using the power of conflicting goals, in this case our personal tendency to block change and stay in our comfort zone vs. wanting to prove our trustworthiness and achievement motivation within our community, can be effective there is a risk of huge stress and subsequent avoidance strategies.

Furthermore there's projects and goals with so much at stake, be it on a personal or business level that you might not want to bring that small tiny plant of an idea in front of the sometimes brusque judgement of people that surround you. Very successful writers such as Stephen King, in his much recommended book "On writing", and Dorothea Brande in her just as recommended book "Becoming A Writer" invite the readers, that is writers,  to be very careful with talking to others about the contents of a project and very important goals.

Subtle strategies of sabotage from our surroundings

Another implication is on a more systemic level which is very often at the source of negative judgement or subtle strategies of sabotage from our surroundings. Every step we take in order to improve, every bold little variation to our habitual way of doing things in order to live a more productive and fulfilling life is more often than we might think perceived as a danger to the stability and status quo of our surrounding on a very deep level of consciousness. Even when our change will contribute to the well-being of others on the long run the urge for stability is most often much more attractive on the short run.

One last point. I've read somewhere, don't ask me when and where, that the very fact of talking about our projects and ideas can harm our motivation to put them into practice for one very simple reason: the euphoria created in the moment we're talking can be experienced as the realization of the most precious part of the project itself. And therefore you risk to lose what was most attractive to you in the first place.

Take care of what is most important to you

I highly recommend to take good and gentle care of your important projects and goals. Get and stay focused on what is deeply attractive to you. I recommend passion and choice as much more sustainable and joyful motivators than pressure from the outside and the fear of losing face.

The brain is functioning which most ease, for not to say it only functions when being fed with positive goals. It might be a bit harder and sometimes a challenging journey to get to the very heart of your passion but the return will compensate your investment in many ways.

How do you focus on what is most important to you? And even more interesting to me: how do you choose your goals?