Hey, do you guys know about the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)? It’s the personality assessment that categorizes people into 16 different personality types based on how they perceive the world and make decisions. Well, I’m what’s known as the lazy genius, an INTP.
Being a so-called genius, as we love solving problems, exploring theories, and understanding how things work, is cool. But who wants to be called lazy? I’ve acknowledged that I’ve been lazy for the past few years, but I’ve also tried several methods to change my behavior or see things differently so I’m not lazy anymore.
It started three and a half years ago, during my gap year. That was definitely my lowest point. But even at that time, while I felt like trash, my mind wouldn’t stop wondering why. Why was I feeling that way? Why couldn’t I be more disciplined? Why was I always in bed? And so on.
If you think I was depressed, maybe you’re right. But I had no time to be so. I had my family and my future to think about, and that’s what kept me going. Anyway, since I’m an introvert, I only had myself, my phone, and the internet to answer those questions.
While I was surfing the internet, there were many theories and explanations about laziness. One of them said something like, “You’re not lazy, you’re just focused on the wrong goal”, which made you lose motivation. And honestly, that made sense. I do things that fascinate me, but if something’s boring, I just leave it.
But here’s the problem. My goal was to get into college, yet studying for the entrance test was boring. So what then? Should I just stop because my body was telling me it’s not meant for me?
The good thing is, I didn’t stop there, hahaha. Instead, I changed my “why” questions into “how” questions, how to not be lazy, how to be disciplined, how to get things done, and so on.
Again, I tried to find the answer on YouTube. And one thing you should keep in mind is that I didn’t just watch those motivational videos and feel enlightened; I actually tried to implement what I learned.
Starting by changing my routines and building healthy habits. That’s because, as they say, don’t focus on the goal, but on the process. That idea led me to learn about stoicism, to focus on the input, the things I can control, instead of the output.
Now, how do I change my routines into healthy one? I watched people on YouTube who used daily or weekly planners to stay on track, so I tried that. But as a spontaneous person, I couldn’t really follow it. I like my day to flow naturally without feeling caged by a planner, even though I still wanted to finish my tasks and reach my goals. Plus, if I didn’t do the day as it’s planned, I’d lose motivation again.
So I switched to a to-do list instead. (For more context about my recent trials and errors in building routines and discipline, you can check it out here. It’s a pretty long list.)
After some time, I realized that my routines kept me stuck in a laziness loop (or whatever it’s called). I’d feel motivated for two or three days > take some rest > get distracted > become lazy again, and the cycle repeated. I realized I was too comfortable in my comfort zone (the “rest and distraction” phase).
So I tried to learn how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable zone. My strategy was to strengthen my mind so it wouldn’t become a slave to my body.
The way I strengthened my mind was actually pretty simple: do some exercises until I felt pain and soreness in my body. You know that scene in Bo Jack Horseman where Jogging Baboon said, “Every day it gets a little easier, but you gotta do it every day, that’s the hard part”? It’s real, hahahahaha. Why would I want to feel sore every single day after exercising?
But that’s the point: to eventually get used to the pain that leads to a stronger mind and a better future.
Oh, by the way, since the habits I was trying to build involved lots of activities, like journaling, exercising, meditating, and so on, I tended to lose track of them. So, again, I found a method that helped (me): the “body alarm.” For example, after waking up, I’d immediately make my bed. Before breakfast, I’d exercise first. Those physical triggers helped me build momentum.
Another thing I did was replace my toxic habits with healthier ones. For example, scrolling through social media, sleeping all day (literally), and watching movies used to be my comfort zones, things I’d always fall back to. So instead of watching movies for hours, I started swapping that time for a coding or design session, even if it was just for an hour.
Now this has become quite a long story. To wrap up, I’ve watched tons of videos and gone through thousands of trials and errors. I’ve learned that change doesn’t happen overnight, and discipline isn’t about forcing myself to work hard, but it’s about showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable.
At this point, I’ve made peace with my “lazy genius” side. I still get distracted and procrastinate sometimes, but I’ve learned how to pull myself back. I’ve learned to do small things that keep me moving forward. Lazy or not, I’m still trying, and that’s what counts.
It all started because I didn’t want to be lazy while studying for my college entrance exam. Now, I’m still experimenting with myself, learning how to be a better and more disciplined person every day. What about you? Would you try some of those strategies or do you already have your own system?
Najwa Hanana
Mahasiswa Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam angkatan 2022
Sekaligus Koordinator Fotografi PK identitas Unhas 2025
