I was talking with another pig owner the other day (hang with me here, it turns to ADHD soon) and we were agreeing that you can’t really *make* a pig do anything. They are stubborn, independent-minded, strong and smart. You just have to kind of set them up so what they want to do aligns with what you want them to do. I normally do this with little piles of food and healthy doses of patience. A pig will follow food anywhere… at their own pace and maybe on their own circuitous route.

I woke up this morning with the realization that my brain is just like the pig. I cannot push my brain into action through sheer will or dreaded “self-discipline”. However, if I align my goals with what my brain wants I can usually find an approach that works.

So, what does my brain want? My brain wants stimulation. Really, 90% of the time, that’s the answer. The reverse is also true, my brain doesn’t want to do anything that isn’t stimulating and will fight against that activity with all of its stubborn might.

When I need to make my brain do something I add stimulation. Much like the little piles of food I leave for my piggies I add multiple doses of stimulation to my day. My first level of stimulation is exercise. The next thing I think about is whether I need to be at home or should I be in a more stimulating environment, like working at the coffee shop. What do I want for sound? A podcast on my headset, maybe? Caffeine? What else do I need to do to stimulate my brain so I can get through a dull task?

Getting the right mix of stimulants and being a little patient with myself makes all the difference in getting my stubborn pig brain to do what I want it to.