external motivators

Everybody loves the lofty ideals that are at the base of intrinsic motivators--to know that you're doing something because you love it on some deep, soul-satisfying level, or because at it's essence, this activity or behavior is leading to a higher quality of life. Heck, it's the stuff of blockbuster movies and best-selling novels! But we all know that intrinsic motivators aren't always enough, otherwise we'd stop at red lights and obey speed limits because it feels so good to do so, and we'd pay all of our bills on time because it fulfills some deep emotional level in our souls.

Yeah, I'm afraid to say that external motivators are here to stay because it becomes exhausting to live with our fingers on the pulse of our deep psychological needs. Rules are easier. Negative consequences, while ugly and hard to accept, are often larger motivators than simply doing things for the right reasons...and no, I'm not making some big argument for legalism vs. grace.

What I'm talking about here is dieting! I'm awful at it and I need to get a whole lot better. There have been times when it's not been as hard. I've psyched myself up and developed a plan and a system--and I achieved modest results. But it's so much easier to fall into not doing anything, and so often I have. Part of my problem is, while I realize the intrinsic benefits that come with exercising and losing weight, I don't have any extrinsic motivators that are strong enough to kick-start my psyche into action...until now! I've made a 25-week dieting and exercise pact with a dear friend and I created my own external motivator: a haircut! If I don't lose a rather significant amount of weight (the amount of which is known only to her and a few others) by December 21, 2007, I will have to submit to a boy-short haircut! Yikes!


I realize that this may not sound so awful to boys and women who have embraced the short haircut, but for one who's instructions to her hairdresser always include the stipulation, "it needs to be long enough to pull into a pony-tail," this consequence invokes pure terror! And so now I have my external motivator--and a friend who will hold me to it--and I'm raring to go!! So look for me at Christmas...a good bit thinner with flowing locks, OR chunky and boy-short! It scares me just to think of it...I'll leave you with a parting shot for visual reference (although I have a feeling that the look won't be quite as cute on me as it is on Natalie Portman!)