Most books I read, I read once and then put them on my shelves. Usually they clutter my shelves as some men clutter their walls with trophy fish and the heads of elk and antelope. There is one book however that I read year after year.

Robert Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance continues to inspire and encourage me to think deeply and act out of a deep seated awareness. If you haven’t read it, it is worth a go. It is part story and part layman philosophy with a little Zen sprinkled on top.

Near the middle, Pirsig provides some insight into the pitfalls that destroy motivation, cause major setbacks and eventually kill our goals. Most of us aren’t aware of when or why these pitfalls happen, but if we can find a way to become aware, to learn and to understand them, we can avoid them and maintain our motivation and drive as we strive forward becoming what it is we want to be.

Pitfall #1 … Lack of Perspective
The unwavering notion that you are correct and that you have the key to reaching your goal causes a blindness that can cause all sorts of problems. We tend to be very determined when we first set goals. We put blinders on so that we are not distracted, sometimes even neglecting our other responsibilities.

We set off at a dead sprint and seem to be making good time until suddenly we reach a door that wont open. We get frustrated, we shake the handle, we yank on the doorknob, we try to pick the lock and so on and so forth until a pool of sweat has formed at our feet and our motivation is zapped. Suddenly we are tempted to give up. 

The issue here is that our blinders have not allowed us to see that maybe we have the wrong door or that there is maybe a window that will allow us access. Or maybe, if we ring the doorbell, someone can let us in. We truly believe that if we twist and shake the lock long enough our key will finally fit.

Solution #1
Here’s the solution to the problem: take off the blinders. Take a step back. Broaden your perspective. It isn’t useful to continue to work a key that doesn’t fit into a lock it won’t open. In fact, we may even break the key off and ruin what could possibly open further doors. Sometimes taking time off is just what is needed. Let the mind drift and maybe a solution will appear.

Becoming aware of this pitfall can save us a lot of energy.

Pitfall #2 …. Ego

Ego: Quite related to the first, the Ego pitfall often causes us to think too highly of ourselves. We are the master. We are the master and we cannot be wrong. And if wrong, we cannot be questioned, even by ourselves. Maybe we’ve been careless and made a mistake, yet we are too stubborn to admit that we are wrong. We may even blame others when problems come up or a mistake is made. It couldn’t have been our fault.

Solution:
The real issue is that we see ourselves separate from the problem. Sometimes we need to look at ourselves and see why we are struggling. Sometimes the solution is in the way we are trying to solve the problem, not in our ability nor in the problem itself. We don’t realize that maybe we need to change in order to solve the problem.

When the ego is big, we tend never to see the real problem.

Pitfall: #3 …. Anxiety

I’m not afraid to admit that this is one pitfall that time and again causes me to loose motivation and eventually causes me to give up on my goals. I’m often afraid that I don’t have the ability and that if I give it a shot, I’ll make a mistake and everything will be ruined. According to Pirsig, this is caused by over motivation. This anxiety usually ends in being overly careful and being too thorough,  sometimes obsessively so. I end up wasting time solving problems that don’t exist, exerting energy on the nonessential particulars rather than on the actual project itself. Eventually lack of success and completion results in a deadened drive and a feeling that I’m a lazy ass.

Solution:
For Pirsig the solution is in the planning. Working out anxieties on paper by creating an action plan that establishes a path of deliberate actions that need to be taken in order to reach a defined goal. Part of this is done by truly understanding the problem before action is taken. Next, looking outside the self, books, websites and the like, for confirmation about your solution. Anything that creates peace of mind as you begin and work thorough your action plan.

Finding peace of mind is the solution when the issue is anxiety or fear.

Pitfall #4… Boredom
Some times the loss of motivation comes in the form of setbacks that result from mistakes. One major cause of mistakes that can be avoided if recognized is Boredom. Opposite anxiety, boredom occurs when we are too comfortable and forget to pay attention to specifics. This can cause us to miss something or make a mistake that means tracking back and starting over, which we all know ends in anger and frustration.

Solution:
When we are bored it is usually because we’ve lost contact with our project. If this is the case, take a break. It seems counter-intuitive. We tend to think we should just get it over and done with when we are bored and ready to be finished. What we need is a change in perspective. Our interest needs refreshed and we need to reconnect in our project itself. Taking a break is one way to do this. Another solution is to find deeper meaning in the project. Consider how each part of the step contributes to the larger project.

When bored, take a break, take a leak or do whatever you need to do to look at what you’re doing with fresh eyes.

Pitfall #5… Impatience
Usually impatience is an issue of time. We’ve all been there. Well maybe not all of us. I have a friend who is from Tibet and grew up in the same town in India where the Dali Lama lives. He doesn’t seem to impatient. The rest of us, we become impatient when if it takes too long to do something. Time moves so fast that we have trouble keeping up with it.

Solution:
The solution here is to set smaller, more immediate goals. Small successes help to alleviate the feeling that we’re not getting anywhere.

If enough interest and effort is paid toward the accomplishment of small goals, the larger goal will eventually figure itself out.

Conclusion:
Sometimes the greatest thing we can do when we’ve reached a block is take a step back and gather some perspective. When we don’t, we loose our motivation. Often, according to Pirsig, the problem lies inside us, not in the block itself. Understanding  how we operate as we strive to reach our goals becomes the key that determines our success now and with other goals down the road. Awareness allows us to maintain an appropriate perspective, concentrate our efforts where it is needed and avoid problems, mistakes and set backs in the long run.

Motivation and drive is the key to reaching your goals. Avoiding the pitfalls that kill motivation and drive that begins with by being awareness.

“If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, then this is the best season of your life.” ~Wu-Men

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow him on Twitter.

When I hear about a great idea that a friend has, I get excited. I can’t wait to see that idea become reality.

Then I ask about the idea a few months later, and it often is not one bit closer to completion.

Ideas stop short of becoming reality, and projects seem to drag on endlessly, because of one thing: complexity.

A software programmer can allow the development of a new app he’s building to drag on and on for years (I know of cases where this happened), only to find Google release something that makes his app obsolete. The problem: the program grew and grew in complexity and features, but never shipped.

A web developer can work on a rad new website with killer features, but after months of work the website never launches. Problem: too complex, and too much of a perfectionist.

A writer can work on a novel, working in characters and plotlines, and then work on revision after revision, only to abandon it. The complexity of a book can become overwhelming.

If your project has been dragging on, or you’re having problems completing, try simplifying, and stop trying for perfection.

I’ve launched a number of projects over the last few years, and learned a thing or two about making ideas take life, and getting to done.

Here are some of those key principles: