How To Turn Work Into Play

Carrot or Stick?

A man once had a stubborn mule with which to transport his wares from place to place. The man could hit the mule with a stick so it feared standing still, or he could dangle a carrot in front of it and let the mule’s desire happily pull it forward. Often, the only difference between work and play is whether you believe you have to take action, or whether you believe you want to. Independent of the actual activity, play happens when the action itself becomes part of the reward.

Life is hard, it requires effort. Whether the effort is rewarding or draining, depends on how much pleasure it brings. Tying exertion to a reward which feeds your soul and aligns with your values, makes it more meaningful and fun: passion compounds motivation. Therefore, it's critical to understand what the real reward is you truly seek in taking action. People often choose goals based on external desires, which are things that are outside of their actual control. Maybe you dream of getting healthy, because you want the confidence to become more active, socialize more and have more fun, but believe that can only happen when you lose weight or grow bigger muscles. Your expectation may be that when others admire your physique, you will feel differently about yourself as well. But if your desire is to change what other people think of you, when you start to struggle, like when you ‘can’t’ eat dessert, or feel you ‘have to’ go to the gym even though you're tired, your natural response will be to blame ‘them’ for your distress. You may slip back into your old ways, and justify quitting by telling yourself, “Screw them, who do they think they are, making me work so hard, they're not worth it.” And you would be absolutely right! THEY, are not worth it, but YOU are. Instead, choose a goal so important to you, you would do anything to achieve it. Internal goals are ones over which you have complete control. Make your desire so strong, it pulls you toward success, giving you the strength to overcome any hurdles that appear.

Success is not reached at one particular time, place or number, it’s generated constantly through honoring yourself. We like people who make us feel good about ourselves. Choose to become your own best friend: be kind and encourage yourself, always follow your WHY. Choose to engage in activities that increase what matters most: love, connection and fun. Love is an excellent internal source of desire from which to create goals. What do you love most in the world? Is it family, traveling, a hobby? What do you see yourself doing which allows your love to flourish? Is it running around with your kids or grandkids, dancing all night or traveling the world with your partner? To do those things you need a strong and healthy body, full of energy and free from pain. Good health is a matter of respect: self- respect. By aligning with what you value most (engaging in fun activities), and taking consistent action daily (by choosing healthier foods and moving more), your confidence, self-worth and happiness, which are your true goals, increase every day, and because you want to, what was work, now feels like play.

Dr. Stacey Hecht is a Physician and Life Coach. She’s passionate about finding fun in everything she does. Through coaching, she enjoys helping people identify their true desires, and clear the blocks that hold them back from reaching their health, career, or relationship goals. Coaching helps shift perspective which reduces stress, increases overall life enjoyment, and opens the way to having more fun. Contact her today for a free consultation to see how she can help you, text 551-500-1802 or visit Drstaceycoaching.com.