Today as I was planning the day ahead, I made a little list of things I’d like to get done today. From there I moved on to remind myself of the expected difficulties.
1) Greed. Not being happy with all the wonderful things I have but wanting more.
2) High expectations. Nagging doubt that I am not doing or getting the best possible things.
3) Laziness. When one of those things require effort, I will want to postpone it or skip it.
Greed can be combatted with humility and self-control. Recognise your unreasonable desires and moderate them. It can be also curbed with gratitude. Remind yourself that you have dodged the bullet in the past, gotten away with lot, had many good things coming your way, some undeserved.
Ask yourself: when would you be completely happy? Is that total happiness even a realistic goal? Is it just a trap, an illusion that just moves farther when you are about to get your hands on it?
Why not love this life and be happy with what is?
Hight expectations can be fought by objectivity and self-control. Look at things as they really are and do not attach expectations to them. Moderate your judgements about them. Understand that you get used to anything, so even the most wonderful things become just things as a little time goes by.
The excitement does not last. Stop expecting immediate excitement and gratification. They do happen but not very reliably; only a fool is bummed for not experiencing them. Stop what you are doing and ask yourself: “is this the best thing I can be doing now?“. If it is, within reason and in the context of the circumstances you are in right now, then carry on. If it is not, do something else.
The root of laziness is often fear. It is the fear of taking action when uncertainty, lack of information or lack of confidence is present. In the long game that can be fought by improving your abilities. In the short term that fear can be countered with courage and wisdom. Accept you current abilities and accept the possible negative outcome. Remind yourself that you will be ok and you will find a way.
In most cases you will come out better and stronger in the end if you go for it, avoiding it will make you weaker.
Fate Permitting 