How to Force Your Brain To Be Motivated (when you don’t feel like it)

This is how you unlock permanent and consistent motivation with the DFUZ method.

Every week, I distil what really works for improving results, memory, depth of understanding, and knowledge application from over a decade of coaching into bite-sized emails.

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=== Timestamps ===
0:00 Intro
1:10 Theory behind motivation
4:15 The problem with motivation
7:17 Step 1
11:04 Step 2
13:52 Step 3
15:58 Step 4
17:05 Putting it all together

=== About Dr Justin Sung ===
Dr. Justin Sung is a world-renowned expert in self-regulated learning, certified teacher, research author, and former medical doctor. He has guest lectured on learning skills at Monash University for Master’s and PhD students in Education and Medicine. Over the past decade, he has empowered tens of thousands of learners worldwide to dramatically improve their academic performance, learning efficiency, and motivation.

[JustinSung]

Every week, I distil what really works for improving results, memory, depth of understanding, and knowledge application from over a decade of coaching into bite-sized emails.

[adnanazmi.]

The 4 Steps of the DFUZ Method

1. *Distinguish*
- Recognize the difference between feelings, thoughts, and actions.
- Separate the physical sensations (e.g., feeling tired) from the thoughts about those sensations.
- This is known as "thought-action diffusion" in clinical psychology.

2. *Fake It*
- Even if you don't feel motivated, act as if you are.
- Pretend to have the energy and focus of someone who isn't feeling lazy or tired.
- Your actions can then influence your thoughts and feelings, creating a positive feedback loop.

3. *Uptime*
- Gradually increase the amount of time you can maintain the "defused" state.
- Start small, perhaps 10 minutes of focused work, and gradually build up your capacity.
- This trains your brain to more easily enter the thought-action defused state.

4. *Zone*
- Create a distraction-free environment to support your productivity.
- Identify and remove the specific triggers that cause you to get distracted or procrastinate.
- This "zone of focus" makes it easier to stay on task without relying on motivation.

[PeriodiseThis]

Justin said something to this effect quite a long time ago, and it has stuck with me since: "Don't strike while the iron is hot; strike the iron to make it hot."

[toyin]

"Feelings and thoughts don't just lead to action. Action can also trigger us to have certain thoughts which change the way we feel." Thank you, Justin.

[longboarderanonymous]

1. Thoughts are not the same as feelings.
2. Take any actions no matter how small. Act like you are not Tired or Lazy.
3. Repetition. Do it every day.
4. Set yourself and your environment for success and away from distractions.

[MohmmedalaminAltom]

I am a student in Dr. Justin's program. From my personal experience, I can say that the learning skills taught in the course are truly remarkable and have had a significant impact. However, this is just a small part of the benefits. The topic is much larger because the advice provided on self-development, time management, and procrastination management is the most important, greatest, and most valuable. I assure you that I have read dozens of books and watched hundreds of podcasts, but I have not found anyone who gives such practical, precise, and profoundly impactful advice as Dr. Justin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart; I am unable to express my gratitude enough🤘.

[AngelsAndButterflies]

Many years ago I saw a post or a quote or something saying that anxiety and excitement feel the same, so when you're worried about something, you can literally say "I am so excited about ..."
It really helped me with my mindset and thinking like this became a habit. It's all about what you do about your feelings.

[AimaruVee]

I have ADHD and been watching a bunch of informational videos to figure out ways to cope with it. This was very informative and I even made an affirmation for myself based from this video!

"You are not what you feel" - Just because you feel lazy doesn't mean you are a lazy person.

Another useful thing I'm trying to practice consistently is the mindset of "Action first before thoughts" (because I tend to overthink things until I end up becoming paralyzed and unable to do anything anymore) along with positive self talk to emotionally regulate myself

In conclusion, action > thoughts (overthinking) / feelings (laziness)

[Mopark]

This is, without exaggeration, a life-changing video. Thank you.

[leamarleychnnl]

Hi Justin, I am back after one week watching this video. MY OH MY! I have watch many videos, talk show, join a program, apps, you name it, i try them all!!! But after listening to you, I got a lot of work done!! My mind set has change. Thank you for sharing… save my life…

[sonoftheocean-]

It's not your feeling that stops you it's how you react to what you feel ___ beautiful! Thanks alot I learned something from you.

[physconic]

My parents told me that the first thing you do after waking up predicts your how your day will go but when the plan does not go that way, I regret it later. that well I just ruined my day, and it actually becomes a non - productive day but one day I did the same but I did not regret it and I said no worry I will start my day now and I completed almost all my daily tasks, I relate this with the Step 1 and 2 that just maybe it is all just psychological and even a little push start can do wonders, hope to apply all the steps and increase my efficiency

[yelkhan]

You must get this a lot, but thank you so much for putting out all of this content for free. You are helping me get my life back in order.

[jenofthejungle]

This video is so helpful. I've been in a bit of a slump lately and I couldn't find my way out of it so I turned to these types of videos to try and find some motivation. This is exactly what I needed. I knew a while back that to get something done you have to stop thinking about it and just do it. You explain it here more as disconnecting feeling from thought and that makes perfect sense. That's why fasting for religious reasons is important. It makes this a practice in your spiritual life that transfers into everyday life. And then fake it to make it. It's a trick I have tried before. It's how I stopped smoking, actually. I pretended to be a non-smoker. I can pretend to be a highly motivated, confident, energetic, and successful person. I am an excellent actress. This might even be fun. I could give motivation speeches to my cats.

[abettermousetrap]

Learning to sit with feelings and not do anything or think about it an any special way is a great idea. Observing feelings and not be ruled by them is possibly the best thing we could teach each other. Great video by a well spoken young man.

[Neverdyingpride]

just stand up and don’t think just do it, standing up is the key

[nefertitiben]

Hi! A CP here! You just spoke volumes about Behavior Activation which we use in therapy, without having to use those two words. Really learnt a lot from you. You explain better than some of my teachers when i was training. Thank you.

[nishi]

Justin is so right about extrinsic motivation. It wasn't until now that he made me realized how blinded I became by becoming conscious of other people's progress and success that it influences my motivation. It's so stupid why we bother wasting time and attention on things that don't truly matter. We should simply focus with what we have control within us instead of what's around us. The choice to react better when you feel envy and competition. At the end of the day things like competition can be considered tools that help us cross the finish line faster. It's okay to take things slow. We will all find ourselves at the end of each finish line. If we run forward while looking back or to the side we will inevitably lose our way. We will lose the pure intrinsic reasons why we bother doing the right thing even if it's the harder thing to do in any pursuit of life. Thank you for once again helping me with understanding my burnout.

[fatenumberinfinity]

3:33 yes i would love for you to go deeper into what motivation is in another video, it would be very useful!! thank you for this video!

[mahendra]

I do practise this techniques everytime without even knowing before this video but this video gave me the structural mapping of my own felling-thoughts and action.
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