user-1: I noticed that I tend to very well know what I must do, and that I also strive and attempt to do these things, but that often I am filled with a kind of 'defeatism' or 'pessimism'. I know the right way, attempt the right way, but this heavy and saddening discouragement just makes me go: "What's the point? It's all futile anyways."
How would Buddhism describe and remedy such an emotion?
I feel like this is distinct from not knowing the right way, and not attempting the right way. It's more of a temporary emotion dragging me down, a kind of hopelessness or shame or maybe even self-hatred. 
This emotion doesn't always occur, but it occurs enough for me to be held back in my practice. What should I do?

user13709: For those who practice, illusions disappear. One becomes...disillusioned. 

sn12.23: Truly knowing and seeing is a vital condition for disillusionment.

Without illusion, craving and aversion fade away, leading to dispassion.

sn12.23: Disillusionment is a vital condition for dispassion.

And with dispassion, there is freedom for right actions, etc.

sn12.23: Dispassion is a vital condition for freedom.

And then perhaps one might encounter:

sn12.23: Freedom is a vital condition for the knowledge of ending.

So if you're struggling with disillusionment, put it to good use. Help someone with their life, clean up something that is dirty, listen to someone who feels ignored.  Extend metta, compassion, rejoicing and inclusive equanimity to all you meet without illusions.

user2282: 
This emotion doesn't always occur, but it occurs enough for me to be held back in my practice. What should I do?

If Samsara is a very very long marathon, then just remember that if the race requires trillions steps to reach the finish line, any effort you make to put 1 step forward would mean that you're 1 step closer toward the finish line. But if you don't move your foot forward at all, you will never reach the finish line.

user16635: Defeatism and pessimism are just other activities of the mind; it's the thinking mind getting sulky because it's bored and not being allowed to do what it wants to do. If you sit with it and watch it mope that thread of mental energy will (eventually) settle down and align with the practice.

user-1: 
What should I do?

My advice is to:

Be mindful and guard the sense faculties
Find a good teacher
Do a 10 day (or longer) intensive meditation course
Read the Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)
Watch Ven. Yuttadhammo's 7 Dhamma discourses on the sutta
Listen to Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's comprehensive 4 Dhamma discourses on the sutta

In brief, the Sabbasava Sutta is one of the most complete suttas in the Pali Canon. It encompasses the Buddhas entire teaching. Here the Buddha teaches how one should train oneself in order to become free from the root defilements that bind us to Samsara. The sutta is divided into 7 sections and all 7 methods work for all the defilements. The defilements should be removed by: Seeing, Restraining, Using, Enduring, Avoiding, Dispelling and Developing.

user17214: Sit on the cushion.  You’ve posted scores of variants on this question and still seem to be under the impression that there’s an answer out there somewhere that’s going to get things to click for you - that somehow someone will say something that will miraculously make you committed and motivated to practice.  That answer simply doesn’t exist.  No amount of intellectualizing, sage advice, or sutra is going to change your mind or your circumstances.  Words don’t change behavior; behavior changes behavior.  Suck it up and sit.  It’s not going to be fun, it’s going to take monumental effort, you aren’t going to see any discernible benefit for a long time.  This is what practice looks like.  It’s why it’s called a discipline.  Effort doesn’t come from the outside.  It comes from within.  You have to provide the energy to make it happen.

-1: <p>I noticed that I tend to very well know what I must do, and that I also strive and attempt to do these things, but that often I am filled with a kind of 'defeatism' or 'pessimism'. I know the right way, attempt the right way, but this heavy and saddening discouragement just makes me go: "What's the point? It's all futile anyways."</p>

<p><strong>How would Buddhism describe and remedy such an emotion?</strong></p>

<p>I feel like this is distinct from not knowing the right way, and not attempting the right way. It's more of a temporary emotion dragging me down, a kind of hopelessness or shame or maybe even self-hatred. </p>

<p>This emotion doesn't always occur, but it occurs enough for me to be held back in my practice. <strong>What should I do?</strong></p>
 13709: <p>For those who practice, illusions disappear. One becomes...disillusioned. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn12.23/en/sujato#sn12.23:6.19" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sn12.23</a>: Truly knowing and seeing is a vital condition for disillusionment.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Without illusion, craving and aversion fade away, leading to dispassion.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn12.23/en/sujato#sn12.23:6.20" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sn12.23</a>: Disillusionment is a vital condition for dispassion.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And with dispassion, there is freedom for right actions, etc.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn12.23/en/sujato#sn12.23:6.21" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sn12.23</a>: Dispassion is a vital condition for freedom.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And then perhaps one might encounter:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn12.23/en/sujato#sn12.23:6.22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sn12.23</a>: Freedom is a vital condition for the knowledge of ending.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So if you're struggling with disillusionment, put it to good use. Help someone with their life, clean up something that is dirty, listen to someone who feels ignored.  Extend metta, compassion, rejoicing and inclusive equanimity to all you meet without illusions.</p>
 2282: <blockquote>
  <p>This emotion doesn't always occur, but it occurs enough for me to be held back in my practice. What should I do?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If Samsara is a very very long marathon, then just remember that if the race requires trillions steps to reach the finish line, any effort you make to put 1 step forward would mean that you're 1 step closer toward the finish line. But if you don't move your foot forward at all, you will never reach the finish line.</p>
 16635: <p>Defeatism and pessimism are just other activities of the mind; it's the thinking mind getting sulky because it's bored and not being allowed to do what it wants to do. If you sit with it and watch it mope that thread of mental energy will (eventually) settle down and align with the practice.</p>
 -1: <blockquote>
  <p>What should I do?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>My advice is to:</p>

<ul>
<li>Be mindful and guard the sense faculties</li>
<li>Find a good teacher</li>
<li>Do a 10 day (or longer) intensive meditation course</li>
<li>Read the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.002.bpit.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Sabbasava Sutta (MN 2)</em></a></li>
<li>Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yuttadhammo%20bhikkhu%20sabbasava%20sutta" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Ven. Yuttadhammo's 7 Dhamma discourses on the sutta</em></a></li>
<li>Listen to <a href="https://www.buddhistdoor.net/audio/majjhima-nikaya-sabbasava-sutta-all-the-taints" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's comprehensive 4 Dhamma discourses on the sutta</em></a></li>
</ul>

<p>In brief, the Sabbasava Sutta is one of the most complete suttas in the Pali Canon. It encompasses the Buddhas entire teaching. Here the Buddha teaches how one should train oneself in order to become free from the root defilements that bind us to Samsara. The sutta is divided into 7 sections and all 7 methods work for all the defilements. The defilements should be removed by: <em>Seeing, Restraining, Using, Enduring, Avoiding, Dispelling and Developing</em>.</p>
 17214: <p>Sit on the cushion.  You’ve posted scores of variants on this question and still seem to be under the impression that there’s an answer out there somewhere that’s going to get things to click for you - that somehow someone will say something that will miraculously make you committed and motivated to practice.  That answer simply doesn’t exist.  No amount of intellectualizing, sage advice, or sutra is going to change your mind or your circumstances.  Words don’t change behavior; behavior changes behavior.  Suck it up and sit.  It’s not going to be fun, it’s going to take monumental effort, you aren’t going to see any discernible benefit for a long time.  This is what practice looks like.  It’s why it’s called a discipline.  Effort doesn’t come from the outside.  It comes from within.  You have to provide the energy to make it happen.</p>
