How does one motivate themselves to take on an almost impossible task ?

Question

Please no motivational speeches..

Answer 1

You just have to find the reward in the end.

- Styles

Answer 2

That's a d**n good question.  How DOES one motivate themselves?  Sure, the possibility of a reward at the end of the task could help, but who expects to complete an "almost impossible" task, anyway?

Then again, millions of people buy lottery tickets every day...

Maybe it's Hope?  

Or maybe... maybe just starting the task... the very act of trying, is an accomplishment in itself?  

...kinda like life, ya know?  I mean... I get up and go to work every day.  Yeah, I get paid.  And some of the money I make goes towards entertainment.  But most of it just goes towards keeping me alive and able to work another day.  Anything I achieve in this lifetime is, well, pointless since I am certainly going to die.  But somehow I carry on... even though it's pointless.  

Maybe it's not about achieving some impossible task... maybe it's just about trying?

Maybe.

I quit smoking after more than 20 years.  My health was good, that's not why I quit.  I quit because there are so many atrractive non-smoking women out there.  Whenever I wanted a cigarette, I just imagined all the lovely non-smoking women I would be able to date once the habit was behind me.  That's how I motivated myself.  I've been smoke-free for 10 months now!

...I've also been steadily gaining weight for 10 months, though.  I've gone from a fit 6 foot tall, 190 pounds to a somewhat round 240 pounds.  I thought I would never be able to quit smoking...  now I'm never gonna be able to lose the weight I've gained from quitting.  

So really, what's the point?  My health's probably worse now than it was when I was smoking a pack a day.

And I've hurt my chances with the ladies instead of helped it.  

But every day I get up ansd go to work........

??

Answer 3

" Just Do It! "

Nike.

Answer 4

Don't think about the fact that it is impossible to eat an elephant (analogy). Set yourself realistic goals! Decide today to commence eating a leg. When you have finished eating the leg, set another goal to eat another, and so on.

You will find when you have just eaten the trunk, finally, that eating the elephant WAS possible and you achieved it!

(Apologies to any Hindu or vegos but it's just an analogy.)