Anatomy of Motivation

I finally decided to pursue writing in a serious way. Growing up, I always had an inclination towards reading and writing. Reading was always my favourite past time, a habit which I want to get back into. Any spare time outside of of usual grind was always spent reading. I discovered Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and the Famous Five during my middle school years. They instantly transported me to a world of possibilities where kids did amazing things. I was hooked.

In my adult years, I switched over to reading a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. I always wondered that I can be a writer too but rationalised that it’s not worth pursuing. I dabbled in blogging from time to time without much discipline or structure. Suffice to say, writing wasn’t taken seriously.

As it always does, time caught up with me. A sense of calm and sobriety has replaced the reckless intoxication that comes with youth. Pursuit of joy feels important now than childish endeavours of impressing others. World within matters more.

With this intention I decided to blog. That was 6 months ago. I feverishly bought a domain and setup a website. Then lady procrastination took over me and I didn’t put out any content. Two months into the new year, I finally dragged myself out of self-imposed exile. What good am I if I can’t keep promises made to myself?

I began about motivation. What drives people to do anything at all? What drives me? Answering it is not so simple. Philosophically, I’m tuned to believe that any endeavour is futile, no matter how important it appears to be. Nothing anybody does today will matter after, say, a thousand years. Dialling the rhetoric down a bit, different people are motivated by different things. It can be money, fame, the need to be heard and acknowledged by peers, etc, etc..

I believe it’s the happiness in doing things that’s more important than the end goal being sought. If journey is not enjoyed, the destination won’t be cherished. So, with this conclusion, I intend to keep writing and see where it takes me. This blog marks the beginning of what I hope will be my writing journey.

Once the motivation part is sorted, the other important question is regarding value. What value, if any will I create from my writing. Is it going to be useful to me? Or others? Will it inspire a generation? Will it start a revolution? Will it be lost to time? These questions bother me. The immediate value I see is what I create for myself. Writing is an emotional and creative process which is helping me explore and understand the hidden parts of myself better. Anything more, will be a bonus. In time, all shall be revealed.