Thread: Motivation Sticking to Methods

If you can remember to do your reality tests that's enough in my eyes. I think I've used a reality check to get lucid maybe 1 or 2 times. Usually, if I start any process that involves thinking, like trying to remember, that is enough for me to know that I'm dreaming. This is not like a test at school were you're being evaluated on your answer, this is more like remembering to remember. Though I must admit constructing simple mental sticky notes is not overtly exciting. So, if counting fingers and plugging one's nose is up your alley by all means keep doing it. Although, I'd seriously question the purpose of doing checks throughout the day and not at night. Prospective memory is easier to use when there's the least amount of time between setting the intention and reaching your deadline. Since we are certain of the time we're closest to dreaming (guaranteed once we include wbtb as part of our schedule) it feels excessive doing tests 24/7. It should be a routine, like working out or playing an instrument. The best of which happens outside post workout. Just like muscles grow when we rest and neural pathways reinforced allow yourself to forget every once in a while.

Lucid dreaming I think is one of those skills that can't be easily translated 1/1 into a single action. There is no basketball to practice shooting for if the game ends, no instrument to keep playing, no book to keep reading. Perhaps, the closest you could get is by practicing attentiveness and we have plenty of activities you can spend time in towards honing your critical awareness skills. I think laid there is an adequate simulator of the conditions one can find inside a dream, a simple exercise of retaining awareness and regaining focus in our everyday lives. That's more of a skill we can work towards during the daytime portion of our practice.

To make a final point and stretching that last thought a bit further, it's amusing to think that things like remembering and experiencing more dreams in and of itself leads to greater experience and a more prepared dreamer. The dream itself is the playground. It stands to reason that spending more time in dreams is highly conductive to more lucid dreams. In which case, focus on getting the most amount of dreams each night should stand as top priority. We can try and recreate the conditions outside the dream but once asleep it doesn't get better than it. And time is experience.

Edit: And in typing all this I haven't said anything about motivation. But make no mistake if motivation is what you seek it won't last long. You want lifestyle changes not minor variances. Habits are hard to break down. Motivation is like the fuel in your car. Easy to get some decent miles in but eventually you'll burn through it fast.

Neither reality checks nor WILD are required for lucid dreaming.

I never did reality checks, they just didn't click for me. Like you said, it's like that effort... for what?

& personally I have way better experience with DILD than WILD.

Since you're already journaling, let that be your motivation. As Silence11 wrote, the key is really practicing attentiveness and critical awareness. When you're writing about your dreams, don't just focus on the events, really reflect on how you feel, how you react, what your thought process is in the dream. What moments are really different from waking life, what moments are really similar to waking life? And even, what moments may have brought to new light a habit or thought pattern that you have in waking life that you didn't realize before? This is how you capture the differences between your dreaming mind and your waking mind, and can recognize each.

So when you catch an awakening, don't worry about trying WILD. Instead reflect back on anything you can grab of your previous dream. Maybe make some notes if you want, or just think it over while staying comfortable.

From a less experienced perspective, what is keeping me at it is the excitement about the possibilities. Reading book, watching videos, listening to podcasts about the potentials.. it encourages me to press on and stick with it!

I agree with what others said. Motivation can be fickle. But it is good to give you a boost from time to time. Have you celebrated your lucid experiences in any way? That might be motivational to some degree. As for gamification, I've thought about that with lucid dreaming as well. There is a challenge forum here with a point system. Perhaps a few of us could give it a go in September and see how we fare? For some, competing helps to motivate and sharpen lucid dreaming skills.

I also read the lucid dreams here some nights. The experiences of other dreamers can be inspirational and motivational. In the dream journal section you can scroll down to the folders. One is named Lucid. Click on that and it will turn up a thread of all dream journal entries tagged lucid. There are thousands of pages to choose from. Sometimes I am lazy and use text to voice to listen to them instead of reading. There are always some 'wow' moments to be found.