Why I Get Up Each Day and Face the World

What motivates me to get up each day and face the world?

Motivate?

I need motivation to get out of bed?

The only reason I wake up is because I have become accustomed to a routine.  A routine to wake up at 6:40am.  To get out of my home by 6:50am.  To walk half a mile down the street to the subway station by 7:00am.  To take the first subway train at 7:02am.  To get off the subway train by 7:10am.  To walk upstairs and cross the street to take a bus while the light is red, before it leaves.  Otherwise, I wait another 10 minutes for the next bus.

If I catch the first bus, I take it for 22 minutes to a transit station and think of what I’m grateful for.  I also try to catch up on the rest of my rest.  When I get off, I walk over to smoke a cigarette in the parking lot.  By the time I’m finished, the next bus arrives that takes me to the front of my building.  I usually arrive around 8:02am.  I go into the cafeteria, grab some water.  Sit around for a bit, maybe have breakfast, maybe not.  Then walk towards my building, smoke a cigarette, and then walk up to my desk.

If I miss that bus, I take the next one for 32 minutes to a transit station.  I go off to smoke a cigarette then wait about ten minutes for the next bus to arrive.  I then hop on, exit in front of my work, and power walk straight to my desk by about 8:28am.

From there, I clock in on my phone at 8:30am.  I clock in to my computer at 8:35.  I just sit at work, repeating the same thing I do each and every day for the last two and a half years, and then wait until 9:15am for my next break.  I smoke a cigarette.  When noon arrives, I go out to lunch and return back in thirty minutes.  Sometimes, I smoke a cigarette or two.  On rare occasions, I eat.

I go back to doing my job from 12:30pm to 1:45pm and then take another smoke break.  I come back to my desk at 2:00pm and wait until 3:20pm comes up.  I then take personal time to go smoke a cigarette because I want to.  Then I come back to my desk and clock out at 5:00pm.  In the interim, I drink a lot of water and use the bathroom a lot.  If the day is slow and I’m feeling up to it, I write a lot of Quora posts.

From 5:00pm, I rush out of the office (I’m sure it makes it look like I don’t like my job), but I basically power walk to the bus stop, while smoking a cigarette.  Then by 5:08pm, I catch a bus that takes me home.  I usually pick a different direction to go.  However, if by any chance, I miss the 5:08 bus, the next one doesn’t arrive until 5:50pm.  I have to just literally wait around standing while doing absolutely nothing.  It’s horrid.

Sometimes, I backtrack home the same way I got to work.  Other times, I take two buses up and walk about a mile to get home.

I’m usually home by 7:00pm.  Then I make myself a huge meal.  I eat.  Then do the dishes.

On Monday, all I do is watch TV shows from 7:00pm to 12:00am.  I take a shower in the interim and smoke a few cigarettes.  Then I fall asleep right at midnight.

Tuesday, I study for a bit and do a Skype class at 10:00pm for an hour.  I shower and fall asleep once again at midnight.

Wednesday, I read a lot.  Then I shower and fall asleep at midnight.  I submit my Business Law and Psychology homework.

On Thursday, I do a Skype class for 45 minutes for business law at 8:00pm.

On Friday, I submit my Art History homework.  I usually go out and play with my friends, unless I’m exhausted.  Then I just pass out.

Then Saturday comes.  I sleep in as much as I can.  Preferably until 1pm.  Then I run errands.  Go to the grocery store.  Go to the bank.  Maybe grab something to eat somewhere.  Stop by the mall or the Grove.  Watch a lot of TV.  Normal people stuff.  (I’m so glad I’m writing this post.  Saying bank reminded me that rent is due today and if I don’t drop off the check, I get a $25 fee.  Thank you for asking me this question Hunter McCord!  You saved me $25!)   Or I just stay at home and write on Quora all day.

Then Sunday comes.  I pretend I know what I’m reading in my accounting book for school.  It’s like reading Chinese.  I have absolutely no clue what I’m reading nor what I’m supposed to ever use the knowledge for.  Then I try to do the homework.  I get all the answers wrong and then get the lowest score.  Then I try to do the other assignment where I lay out numbers.  Then I can’t even get the questions right when I can check my answers.  So I beg for help.  Then I finish that mess.  Afterwards, I go to church from 6:00pm to maybe 7:30pm or 8:00pm.  Then I either go eat or go home.  As soon as midnight arrives, I’m asleep.  Then there is a repeat for the next day.

In the midst of it all, I spend five hours somewhere working on developing out my business.  I go on Facebook to chat with maybe five people or less.  Probably less.  I message Ryan Cantin by BBM.  I message Bianca N. Diesel on here. I call a few friends and chat with them.  I send out a ton of emails.  If I have extra time, I volunteer for things here and there.

So, as you can see… I’m in a pretty structured routine.  Before school started back up, I had a lot of free time and could do whatever I wanted.  Actually, I had way too much free time.  Now, I don’t anymore.  All because I need an Associates Degree to maybe go from a contract employee to an associate at work.

What motivates me to keep up this routine?

Nothing really.

I suppose you can say that I want to make sure all my basic needs and security are fulfilled.  I know for sure I wouldn’t want to lose my security, nor my basic needs like shelter and food.  However, I wouldn’t really say that motivates me.

I suppose you can say that I’m working on myself to possibly improve my future.  However, I’m only going to school for a piece of paper.  I have the skill set already, yet no one takes serious consideration in hiring me because I don’t have that piece of paper.

I suppose you can say that I’m working to save money so I can maybe one day buy a wedding ring, a really expensive watch, and a home.  However, I’m just saving money to make sure that I never have a rainy day again.  I couldn’t care less about the material items.  Then the wedding ring… First I would have to find someone who is open to considering being in a relationship with me.  So there’s no motivation there.

I suppose you can say that I’m working because one day my business might flourish.  However, I’m just building a business for fun.  To help better the lives of other entrepreneurs.  Not myself.  I plan to continue to work until I’m dead.  There’s no motivation in creating a successful business.  I just like to stay busy.  Just not to the point where I’m overwhelmed, like how I was a month ago when school started.

More than anything, being completely up front here… I don’t have a motivation to get up and face each day.  I do it because it’s a routine.  It’s a routine I have gotten used to.

At the end of the day… I’m just a creature of habit.

[Insert Curse Word Of Your Choice Here], my life is boring.

The joy I get out of life comes from my extra curricular activities, which has absolutely nothing to do with any of my routines.  My Quora inbox.  The comments I receive on my posts here.  The personal messages where people state how grateful they are for me to share my life story.  How my story can possibly inspire them to move forward.  How I helped someone who was having difficulty, in either their personal or business life.  How I solved a problem in someone’s life, directly or indirectly.  How I may have saved someone who was at the brink of suicide…

That is what motivates me to live.

However, that has absolutely nothing to do with the routine of my daily life.

—

Originally posted on Quora.

Leonard Kim is Managing Partner at InfluenceTree. At InfluenceTree, Leonard and his team teach you how to build your (personal or business) brand, get featured in publications and growth hack your social media following.