Motivation

Personal motivation is one of my most difficult challenges. When it becomes difficult to do everything, you don't really want to do anything at all. When it's tough to sit up in bed, it's easier just to stay there. When getting dressed leaves you in a full sweat, it's easier to stay undressed. When wheeling from your bedroom to the bathroom wears out your arms, it's easier to stay out of there. Unfortunately this is where the healthy part of my body cuts in; most days I have to go to the bathroom whether I like it or not.

I've always been self-motivated. It hasn't always been perfect. Like all of us, I've had days where all I've been motivated to do is stay in bed. Those were rare, usually the result of a lack of focus or lack of anything in particular to do. Once I had a target, a goal, a thing to do, getting up in the morning was easy. Achieving was easy. Now that I have no goal, no reason to get up, the difficulties in the process make it a lot easier to tell myself not to bother.

Yet here I am, up, awake, typing. Today my daughter Kate is coming for dinner. Katherine will be here too, along with my friend Brad and most likely Kate's friend Margaret. We are doing an oven roast with some baby potatoes and asparagus on the side. Preparing this meal was my motivation for getting out of bed, at 2:00 PM today. Oh, and I didn't want Katherine to catch me still sleeping when she gets here. Fear is a great motivator too.

Once again I remind myself that the biggest part of being alive is getting out of bed in the morning. George Burns, that great American comedian, once said that he started his day by reading the obituaries. If his name wasn't there, he had a cigar and got on with his day. This gig sure ain't easy, but I am here, still breathing. I suppose that, and having company for dinner, is enough motivation for today.