Motivation is Movement

A new way to think about motivation:

To “motivate” yourself means to literally MOVE yourself!

MOTUS

The word ‘movement’ comes from the latin: “MOTUS” which literally means (derived from ‘MOVEO‘):

to move, to stir, to excite, to disturb, to shake, to arouse, to promote, excite, inspire, exert, exercise.

Thus to ‘motivate’ yourself is to excite you into moving, exercising, or doing something!

Why motivate? Why move?

From a basic biological perspective, we need to move in order to procure food. Thus much of our visual-motor-psychology is wired in order to hunt and gather food, shelter, water, and other essentials of living (not to freeze to death).

But in today’s modern world, of course you’re not going to die. It is SO EASY to procure food! If anything, we are dying of diabetes because we are eating too much crap (sugar, simple carbs, etc).

But from an artistic perspective, we need to move in order to make artwork. I don’t think sedentary artists are quite as epic as motivated/physically vigorous artists. An artist who simply sits on their butt all day is probably going to make art-works which are also devoid of physical movement and motivation.

This is when I look at the work of Richard Avedon, I LOVE his works where he is out and about with his subjects (in the streets), or when he is literally dancing with them in the studio: