当你完全不想做的时候，怎样让自己行动起来

You’ve probably noticed that it’s hard to be motivated all the time.

你大概已经发现了：一个人很难一直保持有动力的状态。

No matter what you are working on, there are bound to be days when you don’t feel like showing up. There will be workouts that you don’t feel like starting. There will be reports that you don’t feel like writing. There will be responsibilities that you don’t feel like handling. And there will be “off days” when your energy and emotions are in the gutter.

不管你正在做什么，总会有一些日子，你根本不想出现、不想开始。总会有一些训练，你一点都不想做；总会有一些报告，你完全不想写；总会有一些责任，你根本不想处理。也总会有那种“状态很差”的日子，你的精力和情绪都跌到了谷底。

These fluctuations are part of life, and I face these motivational challenges just as much as the next person. However, for the important things in my life, I’ve also developed a system for dealing with these “off days.”

这种起伏本来就是生活的一部分，我和其他人一样，也经常遇到动力不足的问题。不过，对于生活中那些真正重要的事情，我慢慢建立了一套专门应对这些“低状态日”的系统。

Let’s talk about that system and how it can help you perform well even when you’re not feeling motivated.

接下来就来聊聊这套系统，以及它怎样帮助你在完全没有动力的时候，依然把事情做好。

What Baseball Can Teach You About Getting Motivated

棒球能教会你什么：怎样让自己进入状态

I played baseball for 17 years, mostly as a pitcher. During my final season, I had a pretty good year. I was selected to the All–Conference team, I was chosen as the top male athlete at my university, and I was named to ESPN’s Academic All–America team.

我打了17年棒球，大部分时间都是投手。在我最后一个赛季里，我的表现相当不错。我入选了联盟最佳阵容，被评为学校年度最佳男子运动员，还入选了 ESPN 的全美学术最佳阵容。

But it wasn’t always that way…

但我并不是一直都这么顺利……

Just a few years earlier, I was the only junior to be cut from my high school varsity baseball team. I played on the JV squad with all of the sophomores and didn’t make the varsity team until my senior year … when I threw a whopping 11 innings all season.

就在几年前，我还是高中校队里唯一一个被刷下来的高三学生。我只能和一群低年级学生一起打二队。一直到高中最后一年，我才终于进入校队——结果整个赛季一共只投了“足足”11局。

There are dozens of reasons for my transformation from high school through college (great teammates, coaching, work ethic, and so on), but there is one thing that I learned to do in college that I wish I had learned much earlier…

从高中到大学，我之所以发生这么大的变化，当然有很多原因：优秀的队友、教练、工作态度等等。但有一件事，是我在大学才学会，而我真希望自己能更早懂得……

I developed a pre–game routine that allowed me to perform well, regardless of whether I was motivated or not.

我建立了一套固定的赛前流程。无论我当时有没有动力，这套流程都能让我进入状态并发挥出不错的水平。

How You Can Use a Pre-Game Routine to Get Motivated

怎样利用“赛前流程”让自己进入状态

One thing that makes baseball different from most other sports is the sheer number of games that are played. Major League Baseball teams play 162 games in a season — twice as many as the NBA and ten times as many games as the NFL. Even high school baseball players will routinely play 40 to 60 games each year.

棒球和大多数运动有一个很大的区别：比赛实在太多了。美国职业棒球大联盟的球队一个赛季要打162场比赛，是 NBA 的两倍，大约是 NFL 的十倍。就连高中棒球队，一年通常也要打40到60场。

With so many games, there will always be days when you don’t feel motivated, when your body is tired, or you’re just not mentally “up” for the game. In that way, I’d say that baseball is a lot like life. There will always be days when the things that are important to you feel like a grind.

比赛这么多，就一定会遇到一些你完全没有动力的日子：身体很累，或者精神上就是提不起劲。从这个角度说，我觉得棒球很像人生。总会有一些日子，那些对你真正重要的事情，做起来就是像苦差事一样。

But the game is going to be played whether you feel like playing or not, so you better figure out a solution to overcoming your lackluster emotions. I did this by developing a pre-game routine that would automatically pull me out of a funk and push me over that threshold to perform well.

但无论你想不想打，比赛都照样会开始。所以你最好找到一种办法，能够跨过自己低迷的情绪。我解决这个问题的方法，就是建立一套固定的赛前流程，它可以自动把我从低迷状态里拉出来，把我推过那个门槛，让我进入可以正常发挥的状态。

Here’s what my pre-game routine looked like…

我的赛前流程大概是这样的……

Grab a baseball and my glove. Jog out to the outfield foul pole. Jog across along the outfield wall. Stop at the opposite foul pole. Stretch hips and hamstrings. Jog back along the outfield wall. Toss lightly, working back to 75 feet or so. Head to the bullpen. Stand one step behind the mound and toss three or four times from there to the catcher. Step up onto the mound. Toss a few pitches without going into the full windup. Start throwing from the windup for 10 pitches or so. Throw from the stretch for 10 pitches or so. Finish with one of each pitch (change up, curveball, fastball in, fastball out). Walk to the dugout.

拿起棒球和手套。慢跑到外野的界外标杆。沿着外野墙跑到另一边。在另一根界外标杆前停下。拉伸髋部和腿后侧肌群。再沿着外野墙慢跑回来。开始轻轻传球，逐渐把距离拉到大约75英尺。走到牛棚。站在投手丘后面一步的位置，向捕手传三四次球。走上投手丘。先投几球，但不做完整的投球动作。然后用完整的投球动作投大约10球。再用固定式投球动作投大约10球。最后把每一种球都各投一次——变速球、曲线球、内角快速球、外角快速球。然后走回休息区。

That whole sequence usually took 20 to 25 minutes and I did it the same way every single time.

整套流程通常需要20到25分钟，而且每一次我都会按照完全相同的顺序来做。

While this routine physically warmed me up to play, it also — and perhaps more importantly — put me in the correct mental state to compete at a high level. Even if I wasn’t feeling up for the game at the beginning, by the time I finished my pre-game routine, I was in “game mode.”

这套流程当然能让我的身体完成热身，但更重要的是，它也会让我进入适合高水平比赛的心理状态。即使一开始我完全不想比赛，等我做完整套赛前流程时，我通常已经进入了“比赛模式”。

In other words, it didn’t matter if I came to the ballpark motivated to play. My pre-game routine started a cascade of internal events that pulled me into the right frame of mind and made it more likely that I would succeed.

换句话说，我来到球场时到底有没有动力，其实并不重要。赛前流程会触发一连串内部反应，把我逐渐拉进正确的心理状态，从而提高我发挥好的概率。

Imagine if you had a routine that could pull you into “exercise mode” or “work mode”, no matter how little motivation you had at the start.

想象一下，如果你也有这样一套流程：无论开始时有多么不想动，它都能把你拉进“运动模式”或者“工作模式”，会怎么样？

If you look at top performers in any field, you’ll see similar patterns all over the place. NBA players who do the same thing before every free throw shot. Comedians who recite the same words before they step onto stage. Corporate executives who follow the same meditation sequence every morning.

如果你去观察任何领域的顶尖表现者，就会发现类似的模式随处可见。NBA 球员每次罚球之前都会重复同样的动作；喜剧演员上台之前会念同样的话；企业高管每天早上都会按照固定顺序冥想。

Do you think these people always feel motivated? No way. There are some days when the most talented people in the world wake up feeling like sluggish lard bombs.

你觉得这些人每天都动力十足吗？当然不是。哪怕是世界上最有天赋的人，也会有一些早晨醒来以后，觉得自己像一坨懒得动的肥肉。

But they use their pre-game routines to pull them into the right mental state, regardless of how they feel. You can use this same process to overcome your motivation threshold and consistently exercise, study, write, speak, or perform any other task that is important to you.

但不管感觉如何，他们都会利用自己的“赛前流程”把自己拉进正确的心理状态。你也可以用同样的方法跨过动力门槛，让自己稳定地去运动、学习、写作、演讲，或者完成任何对你真正重要的事情。

Here’s how to do it…

具体可以这样做……

How to Get Motivated: 3 Steps For Developing Your Routine

怎样让自己进入状态：建立固定流程的3个步骤

Step 1: A good pre–game routine starts by being so easy that you can’t say no to it. You shouldn’t need motivation to start your pre–game routine.

第一步：一套好的赛前流程，第一步必须简单到让你根本无法拒绝。你不应该需要任何动力，才能启动自己的赛前流程。

For example…

比如……

• My writing routine starts by getting a glass of water. So easy, I can’t say no.

• My weightlifting routine starts by putting on my lifting shoes. So easy, I can’t say no.

• My pitching routine started by picking up a baseball and my glove. So easy, I couldn’t say no. (Also, my coach would have yelled at me.)

• 我的写作流程，从倒一杯水开始。太简单了，我根本没理由拒绝。

• 我的举重流程，从穿上举重鞋开始。太简单了，我根本没理由拒绝。

• 我的投球流程，从拿起棒球和手套开始。太简单了，我根本没理由拒绝。（而且如果我不做，教练大概也会吼我。）

The most important part of any task is starting. If you can’t get motivated in the beginning, then you’ll find that motivation often comes after starting. That’s why your pre–game routine needs to be incredibly easy to start.

任何任务最重要的部分，都是开始。如果一开始你没有动力，你往往会发现：**动力其实是在开始之后才出现的。**所以你的赛前流程必须设计得极其容易启动。

For example, you could create an exercise routine that starts with filling up your water bottle. That way, when you don’t feel like working out, you can simply tell yourself, “Just fill up the water bottle.” Your only goal is to start the routine and then continue from there.

比如，你可以把自己的运动流程设计成“先把水瓶装满水”。这样，当你一点都不想锻炼的时候，只需要对自己说：“我就先把水瓶装满。”你的唯一目标只是启动流程，剩下的事情再顺着往下做。

For more about the importance of getting started, read this.

如果你想进一步了解“开始”为什么如此重要，可以阅读相关文章。

Step 2: Your routine should get you moving towards the end goal.

第二步：你的流程应该让你开始朝着最终目标“动起来”。

Most of the time, your routine should include physical movement. It’s hard to think yourself into getting motivated.

大多数情况下，你的流程里最好包含一些身体动作。因为你很难光靠“想”，把自己想进一个有动力的状态。

Here’s why…

原因是这样的……

What is your body language like when you’re feeling unmotivated or lacking energy?

当你毫无动力、没有精神的时候，你的身体通常是什么样的？

Answer: You’re not moving very much. Maybe you’re slumped over like a blob, slowly melting into the couch. This lack of physical movement is directly linked to a lack of mental energy.

答案是：你几乎不怎么动。也许整个人软塌塌地窝在那里，像一团东西一样慢慢陷进沙发里。而这种身体上的不动，和精神能量不足是直接相关的。

The opposite is also true. If you’re physically moving and engaged, then it’s far more likely that you’ll feel mentally engaged and energized. For example, it’s almost impossible to not feel vibrant, awake, and energized when you’re dancing.

反过来也成立。如果你的身体已经动起来，而且真正参与到某件事里，那么你的精神也更有可能跟着变得投入、有活力。比如，一个人跳舞的时候，几乎不可能同时觉得死气沉沉、昏昏欲睡。

While your routine should be as easy as possible to start, it should gradually transition into more and more physical movement. Your mind and your motivation will follow your physical movement.

所以，虽然你的流程一开始应该尽可能简单，但接下来应该逐渐过渡到越来越多的身体动作。你的心理状态和动力，会跟着身体一起进入状态。

Related: physical movement doesn’t have to mean exercise. For example, if your goal is to write, then your routine should bring you closer to the physical act of writing.

顺便说一句，这里的“身体动作”并不一定意味着运动。比如，如果你的目标是写作，那么你的流程应该让你一步步接近真正的写作动作。

Step 3: You need to follow the same pattern every single time.

第三步：每一次都按照同样的模式来做。

The primary purpose of your pre-game routine is to create a series of events that you always perform before doing a specific task. Your pre–game routine tells your mind, “This is what happens before I do ___.”

赛前流程最主要的作用，是建立一连串固定事件：每次在做某件特定的事情之前，你都会先完成这套流程。久而久之，它会告诉你的大脑：“每次我要做___之前，都会先发生这些事情。”

Eventually, this routine becomes so tied to your performance that by simply doing the routine, you are pulled into a mental state that is primed to perform. You don’t need motivation, you just need to start your routine.

最终，这套流程会和你的实际行动紧密绑定。到了那时，你只要开始执行流程，就会被自动拉进一个已经准备好行动的心理状态。你不需要动力，你只需要开始自己的流程。

If you remember the article on the 3 R’s of Habit Change, then you may realize that your pre-game routine is basically creating a “reminder” for yourself. Your pre-game routine is the trigger that kickstarts your habit, even if you’re not motivated to do it.

如果你还记得我关于“习惯改变3R”的文章，就会意识到，所谓赛前流程，本质上就是给自己创造一个“提醒信号”。它就是启动习惯的触发器，即使你当时完全没有动力，它也能让习惯开始运转。

This is important because when you don’t feel motivated, it’s often too much work to figure out what you should do next. When faced with another decision, you will often decide to just quit. However, the pre-game routine solves that problem because you know exactly what to do next. There’s no debating or decision making. You just follow the pattern.

这一点非常重要，因为当你没有动力的时候，连“下一步该干什么”都会让你觉得很费劲。只要再多面对一个需要做决定的节点，你就很容易干脆选择放弃。而赛前流程解决了这个问题，因为你非常清楚下一步该做什么。你不需要和自己争论，也不需要重新做决定。你只需要按照固定模式继续往下走。

How to Get Motivated: Make Excellence a Routine

怎样保持动力：把优秀变成一种固定流程

You can train yourself for success just as well as you can train for failure.

你可以把自己训练得越来越容易成功，就像一个人也可以把自己训练得越来越容易失败一样。

Today you may be saying, “I need to be motivated to get anything done,” but I guarantee that it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’ve taught yourself to believe certain limitations, then you can also teach yourself to break through them.

现在的你也许会说：“我必须先有动力，才能把事情做起来。”但我可以保证，并不一定非得这样。如果你曾经把自己训练到相信某些限制，那么你也同样可以重新训练自己，突破这些限制。

The patterns that you repeat on a daily basis will eventually form the identity that you believe in and the actions that you take. You can transform your identity and become the type of person who doesn’t need motivation to perform well.

你每天不断重复的行为模式，最终会塑造你对自己的身份认知，也会决定你采取什么行动。你完全可以改变自己的身份认同，逐渐成为那种不需要依靠动力，也能够稳定发挥的人。

This is why it’s so critical to do your pre-game routine every time, not just when you’re struggling with a lack of motivation. These small behaviors reinforce your good habits and the feelings that come with them. Pretty soon, your pre-game routine will not only be a trigger that kickstarts your habit, but also a reminder of what you’re working towards and the type of person you are becoming.

这也正是为什么，你应该每一次都执行自己的赛前流程，而不是只有缺乏动力的时候才使用它。这些小小的行为，会不断强化你的好习惯，以及与这些习惯相伴的心理感受。很快，你的赛前流程就不仅仅是启动习惯的触发器，它还会不断提醒你：你究竟在朝什么目标努力，以及你正在成为怎样的人。

This is the difference between approaching life as a professional or an amateur.

这就是以专业人士的方式生活，和以业余者的方式生活之间的区别。

If you only work when you feel motivated, then you’ll never be consistent enough to become a pro. But if you build small routines and patterns that help you overcome the daily battles, then you’ll continue the slow march towards greatness even when it gets tough.

如果你只有在“有动力”的时候才工作，那么你永远不可能稳定到足以成为一个真正的专业人士。但如果你建立起一些小小的固定流程，帮助自己一次次跨过每天都会出现的阻力，那么即使事情变得艰难，你依然会继续缓慢而稳定地朝着卓越前进。