Have you ever said you would do something but then never really
followed through? Perhaps you were talking about losing a few pounds,
quit smoking or find a better job.
Sometimes you don’t finish or even get started because you don’t know
exactly what you want, where to begin or believe in yourself. Then
there are times when your mood or feelings about other things prevent
you from proceeding, it kills your motivation.
Motivation is vital if you want to excel. This element comes from
within, you have to get yourself going. No one else is going to be able
to influence you if you are resistant, so you have to know how to
motivate yourself. Learn how to establish and keep momentum during tough
times. You are the driving force to get yourself out of a rut, others
can help but ultimately you hold the power. If you don’t learn how to
trek on during hard times, you will have lost before you’ve even begun.
At times, motivation is temporary or completely nonexistent. You may
have been excited to start something, may be even did a few things then
stopped after a while. Only a small few see most things, from start to
finish, through regardless of the circumstance.
Here are some tips to getting motivated:
Prioritize and Focus – Sometimes my lack of
motivation comes from feeling overwhelmed. It just seems like too many
things are going on at once and I feel discouraged when I try to figure
out how to juggle them all. In an effort not to disappoint, we often
bite off more than we can chew. End the end, your stress levels are
through the roof and the quality of the outcome just isn’t there. When
you try to throw all the balls in the air a once, you’re bound to drop a
few. Instead you need to figure out what is most important and focus on
that goal. Once that is completed move on to the next.
This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if
you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal. But
how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with
inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that
excitement and build on it. For me, I’ve learned that by talking to my
wife about it, and to others, and reading as much about it as possible,
and visualizing what it would be like to be successful (seeing the
benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. Once I’ve
done that, it’s just a matter of carrying that energy forward and
keeping it going. Visualize, and think about how you would feel after
achieving your goal.
Feel it – When most people feel depressed they just
ride the feeling out. They don’t try to snap out of it. Yes, it is good
to let your emotions out instead of bottling them up, but don’t let them
take over your life. Have your feelings then realign your focus, place
it on other feelings. Like your feelings about your goal. To become
motivated you need to ignite it. Use visualization and other forms of
inspiration to release your feelings about your goals. Think of what it
would be like or how it would feel to have it completed. Take that
excited, happy feeling and run with it.
Always keep it in your mind – The more you
positively think about something, the better the chance it will become a
reality. Keep your goal at the forefront of your mind. When I want
something and I’m mobile, I save a picture of it in my phone and refer
to it as needed. Post pictures where you’ll see them daily, if you’re
always on your computer put up inspirational wallpaper, use
affirmations. Make a plan to take a small step every day to bring you
closer to accomplishment. These little reminders and actions speak to
your motivation. Don’t get frustrated with the fact that it isn’t a
reality yet, continue to focus on how to will feel when it is.
Find Support – If your goal involves change, as many
do, it can be hard to go alone. Changing habit or other parts of
ourselves for the better can seem impossible. Especially if you’re
surrounded by people who do or encourage the very thing that you are
working against. Find someone or a community of like-minded individuals,
you don’t have to have the exact same goal but maybe the same struggle.
You may even connect with someone who has already been down that path
and can lend their insight.
Focus on the good, not the bad – Cultural
conditioning teaches us to be critical and judgmental, focusing on the
negative. Don’t think about the difficulties, acknowledge them so that
you can plan accordingly but don’t focus on it. That would be the
simplest way to destroy your motivation. Focus on the outcome and how it
would benefit you. If you’re looking for a job, instead of focusing on
the repetitive application and interview process think about what the
job will bring you when you get it, financial stability and career
growth perhaps. Directing your energy on why you want it and how it will
help you will motivate you to obtain it.
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