If Sunday had a ‘reset button,’ which one would you press?

To take action, we need a certain level of motivation. Sometimes, we just don't feel like doing anything, but then we still do it because we have the discipline. I would still argue that there are motivational forces behind the action, but they are different. Over the past 5 years, I have become obsessed with motivation. Why can I spend 8+ hours playing the same video game, but I can't focus for 30 minutes on my homework? During school, my parents and teachers were frustrated, but I didn't really care because I didn't think that the homework would help me in any way. Video games, on the other hand, helped me overcome a challenge and socialize with my friends. That is the work of motivational drives that dictate everything we do. I like to break them down into 4 major ones: - Positive Motivation = Purpose & Meaning - Negative Motivation = Punishment, Scarcity & Urgency - Extrinsic Motivation = Rewards and accomplishments - Intrinsic Motivation = Creativity and social connections As you can see, homework only hits negative motivation and scare tactics, which weren't as effective on me. Low neuroticism rules ❤️‍🔥 However, video games tap into almost all of the core drives. With a compelling story like The Witcher, we find a deeper meaning within the narrative. We feel good about ourselves because we make progress, level up and become stronger. As we understand the game, we can even get creative and think about the best use of different potions to counter specific enemies. After I discovered that about games, I started to apply this in my real life. Every time I don't feel like doing an important task, I ask myself: "How can I make this fun?" That is how I stay motivated because I try to stack as many motivational drives as possible. Now, I'd like to hear from you. How do you stay motivated?

So, I recently binged all 12 books of He Who Fights With Monsters in the past 2 months after @Lukas Schmidt recommended it to me, and I have to say... It’s one of the wildest LitRPG/progression fantasy rides I’ve ever been on. Between Jason’s chaotic humor, the insane worldbuilding, and the surprisingly deep philosophy, I walked away with 3 key lessons. I shared these lessons in his community, but wanted to share them here too for fun! 1. Power Doesn’t Fix Your Problems—It Exposes Them Jason might be one of the most reluctant heroes I’ve ever read... Every time he levels up or gains a new ability, his inner demons, insecurities, and questionable choices rise right alongside. It’s a reminder that gaining strength (in life or in a LitRPG system) doesn’t magically solve everything, it just gives you new problems to wrestle with. This one hit deep. 2. Morality Is Messy One of the things I loved most is how the series constantly challenges the idea of “good guys vs. bad guys.” Jason is moral, but not nice. Villains sometimes make sense. Heroes sometimes make brutal choices. It really drove home the idea that growth means living in the gray areas and owning the consequences. This is something I don't think most of us consider very often anymore... 3. Humor is a Weapon (and a Shield) Jason’s sarcastic, self-aware humor is not just comic relief; it’s survival. He uses it to build friendships, defuse tension, and sometimes to cover up his own fear or pain. Honestly, it made me rethink how often we use humor in real life the same way, to protect ourselves while we figure things out. It's something I see as a trauma therapist with my clients as well, but this gave me a whole new view into my clients minds, and my own tbh. Has anyone else here binged the whole thing? What were your big takeaways?

Anyone do anything particularly refueling this weekend?! Looking for some new ideas for myself!

rebranding to Action Academy! I had such a fun time redesigning the covers with our new scheme (S/O @Chloe Deutscher for the moodboard inspo). I spent a lot of time trying new things and it was fun to get in touch with my creative roots for this project which I don't often have time to do so I had to make the most of it. Enjoy the simple things! Also, @Cody Isabel said it's giving Hogwarts vibes... Let me know in the comments if you agree with him and what your house is. I'm a Ravenclaw 💙