Practice your passion: habits prolong motivation

by katmaund on May 16, 2012

My favorite and only brother, Houston, will be graduating from high school this weekend. I have the good fortune to be able to go home (Georgia) to witness this monumental event in his life. I’m incredibly proud of who he is and who he is becoming, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for such a compassionate, witty, intelligent, and generous young man.

Houston and I have a very open, respectful relationship. We talk about almost everything and give each other advice accordingly. Though he is wise beyond his years and puts me in check often, I jump at any chance I can to share with him the complexities of life that only age brings. He asked me the other day what advice I have for him as he enters college, and as my mind wandered back to those four life-changing years, the word “habit” kept popping into my head. This is what I said…less eloquently.

No matter where your passion lies – staying healthy, fishing, landing “that” job, or creating meaningful relationships – the only way to stay motivated to follow it/them is forming lasting habits. Passion produces motivation but motivation only lasts when we practice our passion until it becomes habit – an enjoyable habit.

If you’re passionate about staying healthy, make it a priority to spend an hour each week planning your meals before grocery shopping. Get up an hour earlier than you normally would and go to the gym. Read health magazines and journal about your progress. Do this or whatever you think is necessary until it becomes part of your routine. I made a commitment to get healthy about two months ago and the 1-2 hours I spend at the gym each day and the time I take meticulously planning my meals are just part of my daily routine. It feels natural now.

Want to land “that” job? Learn everything you can about the industry and about the potential employer(s). Get up early and read articles, blog about it, reach out to industry experts and ask for informational interviews. The main factor in landing my most recent position as a Content Marketer is because I blog. I demonstrated a passion for writing and marketing and it worked.

No matter what stage of life we’re in or where our passions lie, creating habits to prolong motivation is essential. Make time to practice your passion and soon, it won’t feel like practice at all.

What habits do you practice to stay motivated toward reaching your goals? What habits should you add to your routine?

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The Kentucky Derby trampled Portland

by katmaund on May 10, 2012

This past weekend proved to me once again that Portland is one of the weirdest and most spectacular places I’ve ever been, much less lived in. I went from music concerts to brunches, a Kentucky Derby party, a barbeque with a crowd from Nike, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, and even church. Though a few of those occurrences aren’t entirely out of sync with my weekend routine or the “holiday” that overlapped, I feel compelled to express the irony of the Kentucky Derby party I attended.

If you know anything about Portland or you’ve watched a single episode of Portlandia, you know that we’re keeping the dream of the 1890’s alive. Portland hipsters do things before they’re cool and they bring not-cool-now things of the past back to make them cool again. It’s the only scene thing to do. If you know much about the Kentucky Derby, then you know that it is rich with history and tradition. Horse races engender a non-gambler’s need to bet and a southern woman’s need to boast the largest brimmed hat she can put her overly manicured fingers on. (Southern women – do not take offense to this. I am one of you. I, too, got a manicure once.)

Picture this: a warehouse filled with Portlanders donning tradition derby garb – bowties, large hats that prevent anyone from taking an attractive group picture, seersucker suits, bright sun dresses, and fedoras. Attendees sipped mint juleps, ate fried chicken biscuits, and played cornhole outside. I got a kick out of this party because every once in a while, the teensiest tiniest part of me likes to channel my inner Georgia peach and switch my plaid flannels and Toms botas for a cotton sundress and some pearls.

Yet, as I began to observe the crowd more closely (prior to multiple mint juleps), I realized that I was surrounded by imposters! Tattoos appeared through thin, cotton shirts and on the bare arms of properly dressed ladies. Signs of mohawks, colorfully dyed hair, and twisted mustaches peeked out from the sea of hats. My gaze then settled on the massive amounts of piercings, thick-rimmed glasses, and glazed-eyed people that sashayed around. All of these Portlanders, these hipsters, and these super scene youngsters were participating in a traditional celebration of a gambling-inspired horse race (did anyone contact PETA?) and more even more shockingly, there was no sign of PBR in sight. It blew my mind and it was awesome.

I live in a city of contradictions with trends that flow in and out of chicness like happy hour beer on tap. I was reaffirmed that I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love these people and I love this city.

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What I learned playing Jenga at work

May 7, 2012

My colleagues set up a Google branded Jenga game the other day in the office. As one of the few women and a new hire at ethology, I felt a responsibility to use my strategic moves and nimble fingers to dominate the office. Our SEO analysts tend to have shaky hands and when their adrenaline [...]

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Had a birthday, got a job

May 3, 2012

Monday was a pretty special day for me. I celebrated my 25th birthday surrounded by close friends, good food, and lots of laughter. I always get a mix of emotions when it comes to my birthday though – anxiety over whether or not I should plan something myself, sadness over not being with my family, [...]

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