Most of life is just coasting. Its such a waste but unavoidable. The system doesn't really work in terms of slotting people into positions they are best suited too. Hence, me, in a fairly menial unchallenging job, left to my own devices to derive some sort of intellectual interest out of my workaday efforts. Even for smart people, self motivation only lasts so long, and a dull monotony sets in coloring everything a humdrum monochrome. So where next for me?

Well googling for terms like 'freshen the mind' came up with the following

'Yoshida Shoin phrased it this way: "Every morning, wake up thy mind to die. Every evening, freshen thy mind on the thought of death. Thus will thy mind be prepared. When thy mind is always set on death, thy way through life will be straight and simple."'

Thinking of mortality isn't something a person with a healthy mental state is meant to do, but there is something appealing about the muted sense of urgency it introduces.

Seems like a good start, life's all about the bits where you don't coast, and getting better at not coasting requires some effort as well.