A man in a suit sitting at a desk, leaning back with his feet up and his arms behind his head

Gemini AI defined laziness ‘aka indolence or sloth, a disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to act.’

Yet what manifests as laziness can have complex roots including a lack of motivation or belief about our ability. Few are enthused about misaligned goals and even fewer attempt what they do not think possible. Also, inactivity can spring from being overwhelmed (aka ‘deer frozen in the headlights’) or burnout or serious mental illness as well as when obsessive perfectionism has folk going in unproductive circles.

Context can be powerful; when I attended law school many decades ago, I knew I had the intellect, I wondered about my motivation to put in the hours. I got there and in effect joined a pack of runners setting a demanding pace; my self-concept didn’t require I be at the front of the pack (I had other priorities) but I would be darned if I was going to be at the back!

Kobe Bryant said “I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you.” and that philosophy resonates with me especially when you are letting down others v. merely messing up your own life.

At the same time, it is always best to focus on removing restraining forces i.e. going deeper to find out the why than to simply increase driving forces, judgement or harsh words.

Closing Quotes:

“Argue for your weakness and it is yours.” – Proverb

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.” – Tony Robbins

“The lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host, and then a master.” – Khalil Gibran 

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier