Posted by Effortlessness typically only results from a long period of great effort.
The best make things look easy because they persisted even when things got tough. And to sustain such effort for so long requires sufficient, ongoing motivation; passion for that thing. Without that, the effort – the initial interest – just won’t last.
Motivating yourself is easy at the start, or when you are in phases of obvious progress: the process in itself is the reward at such times. But it won’t always be this way. Progress can slow, or appear to disappear altogether. Resistance will appear in a multitude of guises, some appearing highly persuasive and sounding eminently reasonable. Your mind is extremely good at knowing what to say to make you quit.
The psycho-biological model of fatigue shows that quitting is largely a psychological/emotional issue – rarely a physical one; essentially, it shows us that the mind gives out long before the body. Persistence, therefore, whether in the midst of an arduous challenge or over the course of a long-term project, is a choice. It comes down to how committed you are, plain and simple.
And commitment to something you do not truly believe in is very hard to sustain. Whereas commitment that arises from a deep passion, from that wellspring of natural desire, does not feel like an effort at all. It just feels right.
So to master something, first find something you love to do. Then you’ve got a shot.
But it still needs the effort!
(Photo by Grafikeriet at Parkour Generations Parkour & Movement Camp)
Dan Edwardes 