With NaNoWriMo looming ever nearer, I would like to hear your best tips, tricks, habits, and techniques for staying chained to the keyboard. [more inside]
posted by BitterOldPunk on Oct 22, 2009 - 26 answers

How do inspirational/motivational/informational speakers get started? [more inside]
posted by explosion on Dec 9, 2008 - 5 answers

How do you keep track of your project ideas? How do you get yourself to follow through on them? [more inside]
posted by rivenwanderer on Jul 18, 2008 - 14 answers

Help reinvigorate my idealism with books. I am looking for literary inspiration to rise above my emotional rut. The best way to describe my situation: I am bored with my safe yuppie life. [more inside]
posted by kaizen on Feb 27, 2007 - 38 answers

MotivationFilter, MusicFilter: What particular songs motivate you? [more inside]
posted by pipstar on Jan 17, 2007 - 34 answers

I have found that when you are motivated to something unusual or difficult people dont hesitate to tell you how flawed your dream is, and why you will never and cannot physically succeed. Sometimes, these thoughts creep into my head, which I would like to combat, thus my question. I need quotes or excerpts about people who claimed someone famous in history would never succeed, who ended up making themselves look rather foolish when that person did infact succeed. (examples inside) [more inside]
posted by JokingClown on Nov 2, 2006 - 34 answers

Mind over matter: what strategies are good for psyching yourself up to do something scary, uncomfortable, difficult or painful? The moments I'm thinking of aren't interpersonal situations. More like: you're standing on the high dive. Or you're doing your own bikini wax, and it's time to rip it off. Or you're on a bridge about to bungee. You're at the top of the half-pipe, about to take off. You're about to get stuck with a needle for medical or decorative purposes. Surely "just do it" isn't the only strategy?
posted by xo on May 30, 2006 - 34 answers

Off-My-Ass-Filter: Finding inspiration — not motivation — for writing. [more inside]
posted by Brittanie on Jan 15, 2006 - 21 answers