Enjoying Hard Labor Outdoors

I don't want to tell you a long story. but i would like to tell you that i enjoy where i am. I have everything i really need, even my own meditation space. This is the first farm i've worked on where i don't feel like i'm some ones slave. We even share the same spiritual path, which is part of why i am here. They are vey compassionate and caring of my needs. They even gave me my own plot of ground to plant vegetables for myself and seeds to start, i just gotta clear out all the overgrown grasses and plants.
Anyway my problem is I am finding it dificult to motivate myself to actually put in my hours each day.
Perhaps it is Diet and Sleep related. Or i could just use some more insight into permaculture techniques that would be enjoyable to accomplish. Maybe thinking of it in terms of work hours isn't the best approach. Or perhaps it would be more fun to have more kids like me working with me. But the Truth is I want to enjoy working hard.
Do you have any words of motivation or inspiring thoughts to get people in the right mindset, that you have found along the path of working outdoors?

Wow, I have always found motivation in the quest to eat my next meal.

I know that sounds pretty tough but as a kid I was not motivated to do much of any kind of work whatsoever. My parents we not interested in giving me hand outs so I got hungry ALOT. That was a real motivator – I didn’t like them for it but I’m glad they did it.

Now days – at 52 years old – not much has changed. I would prefer to sit around all day, sip my wine, eat chocolate and paint pretty pictures. But if I am going to be able to do that I must go punch the clock at my 9 to 5 job for a few more years. Or I can quit now, go do some lower paying work somewhere else and plan to have to do that for the rest of my life.

So, I guess what I am saying is that there are very few of us that just wake up every morning and say “gee – I want to work my butt off all day today” - there are some, but they are the exception.

When I trained horses I used to have to remind people that horses do not naturally run around and jump things all day. Given their preference they will just walk and meander from blade of grass to blade of grass – only when frightened will they run and jump things so we can’t really expect them to LIKE running around after cows, jumping fences and running races.

We just need to find some type of work that we find meaningful and rewarding – Good luck and I hope you always find a way to enjoy finding your next meal.

Maybe it's not for you?

If you have to force yourself to do something, perhaps it's something you should avoid. Perhaps it's something else out there that's motivating you to be there and hard physical work isn't one of those things. If that's true, don't feel so bad about it.

I get motivated by the fact that hard work now = less hard work later on....if I can design and implement things correctly. That promise of less work in the future is motivating.

The other thing that motivates me is that (fuck!) the land needs to be healed. If you're lucky enough to be working on the side of nature, you should feel that whatever you are able to give is not in vain. Even if my plot of ground is not owned by me and even if it totals 230 square meters, dammit, that is 230 square meters that is being slowly nurtured back to health. The alternative is much worse.

My feeling is that the earth needs me, just as I need it. If I can somehow work that relationship into something beautiful, all my work is worth it.

The other motivating statement is something I heard on the podcast, quoting Thomas Edison. "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Nothing is for free, you have to give of yourself to get anything.

best of luck in whatever you do and however you go about doing it,
William

this video helps
i just look at it from my point of view rather than the farmers p.o.v.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a8b9ekHSaA&feature=plcp

Hard work is a habit just like laying around and procrastinating . You will always be pulled by one habit or the other. Hard work feeds itself just like laying around . The more you do of one the easier it is , but you will always struggle with the dilemna. When you are busting ass , you will want to take breaks . When your lying around you'll feel guilty for not accomplishing your goals . Such is life . Just find something you have a passion for and go for it. I do not listen to ideas that say " if it was meant to be " or " go with the flow " , sometimes you have to push yourself and swim against the current . When you reap your reward , that is when you can lie in the hammock and wallow in your success. Just be sure to lie in the hammock a little every day and wallow in your days efforts. This is the advice of a late bloomer who did alot of procrastinating in my youth , had alot of fun though. Don't burn yourself out , but put in a good hard days work and the effort will add up and you will not regret it.

I have found this text for Work
it is an ancient text of India
It is call Karma Yoga
Karma is Action
In this case Action is Holy Work
making work a sacred practice

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/kyog/index.htm