From having to do something to wanting it

Andreas Winter shows how a lack of motivation can be transformed into enthusiasm for self-imposed goals

The motivational guide and the coaching audio book of the same name “Having to do something makes you tired – wanting to do something makes you awake!” answer the question of why some people accomplish the most incredible things almost effortlessly, while others become exhausted or even chronically ill through normal work.

Alarming increase in stress-related illnesses
Whether it's work or cleaning the house, family or friends, walking the dog or mowing the lawn - most people constantly feel like they have to do something. Almost everything in everyday life can become a tedious duty and therefore a burden. It's not without reason that cases of burnout are increasing at an alarming rate. Pressure to live up to expectations and external control are massive stress factors that not only lead to exhaustion and lack of motivation; they can also lead to illnesses such as heart problems, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, obesity and many allergies.
The depth psychologist and motivation expert Andreas Winter looks back on thirty years of coaching practice, in which he has successfully built a bridge between the humanities and medicine, thoughts and feelings, what has been learned and what has been experienced. Through simple cause analysis and modern findings from endocrinology, behavioral psychology and pedagogy, self-imposed or social pressure can be easily released: "With this book, I want to show you what the hidden and very intelligent, but serious background to this lack of motivation is - and help you to overcome it again."

Have we become “duty fulfillment machines”?
Estimates suggest that in Germany, ten to 25 percent of all employed people have already suffered from burnout syndrome, and one in nine is considered to be in need of treatment. It usually starts harmlessly, inconspicuously and gradually: the relief that it is finally time to finish work and the feeling that it is increasingly difficult to wake up in the morning are clear precursors. But it gets worse: irritability alternates with depression. You get through the day feeling listless and overwhelmed - sometimes only with the help of alcohol and pills.
The reason why life suddenly seems like a high mountain that you can no longer overcome lies hidden: Most of the time it is a deep-seated fear of rejection, created in early childhood, which was covered up with iron discipline. It is the feeling of not being sufficient on your own, but of having to earn a right to exist through performance. A lack of self-esteem turns a person into a "duty machine" that has been running at full speed for far too long and develops a mental piston seizure. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine, which are urgently needed for drive and performance, are then no longer present in sufficient quantities in the brain of the person affected. A chronic deficit ultimately leads to a breakdown.

Enthusiasm instead of burnout
Feeling exhausted and burned out has nothing to do with activity and energy consumption, but with your inner attitude. If a person feels constantly under pressure to perform, they get tired more quickly than if they go through life with a feeling of calm, interest and self-determination. According to Andreas Winter, it is not rational, conscious decisions that control our behavior, but quite the opposite: emotions.
Emotions work in the subconscious and control hormone and neurotransmitter levels as well as metabolism. They are all subject to personal, subjective evaluation and cause messenger substances to be released - or stopped again: "It makes a big difference whether I think I have to do something or whether I want to do something!" Psychosomatic illnesses result from massive subconscious thought impressions (feelings) that noticeably control the body due to their large amounts of data. But courage and creativity also depend on feelings in their intensity. As soon as these thoughts are conscious (and thus simplified), the influence on the body is minimized. Feelings of guilt, false beliefs, patronizing attitudes and fears sabotage successful learning and action, while enthusiasm, passion and confidence are the "autopilots" for success and prosperity.

Book tip:
Andreas Winter: Having to do something makes you tired - wanting to do something makes you awake! The motivational guide. With a foreword by Dieter Broers. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition March 2018. Paperback, 12 x 19 cm, 142 pages. 9.95 euros (D) / 10.30 euros (A). ISBN 978-3-86374-442-7.

Audiobook tip:
Andreas Winter: Having to do something makes you tired - wanting to do something makes you awake! (2 audio CDs). Audio book with motivational coaching. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition March 2018. 2 audio CDs, total running time approx. 150 minutes, 15 euros RRP (D/A). ISBN 978-3-86374-445-8.

Link recommendations:
More information about the guide "Having to do something makes you tired - wanting to do something makes you awake!"
To the reading sample in PDF format
More information about the audio book "Having to do something makes you tired - wanting to do something makes you awake!"
More about the author and success coach Andreas Winter
To the Internet forum with Andreas Winter