Motivate Yourself
by Henrik Edberg
https://wallpaperscraft.com |
Some days you wake up motivated and ready to go. And some days things
feel heavy as you arise and it is hard to get going and find that inner
drive. At least in my experience. So over the past 10+ years I have
found some simple and smart strategies that work for me to get back into
the right groove and to get things done.
Here are some of my favourite tips and habits for doing just that.
Just get started and let the motivation catch up with you
You don't have to wait for motivation to get started. If you want to
work in a consistent way every day then sometimes you just have to get
going anyway. And the funny thing is that after I have worked for a
while things feel easier and easier and more fun and the motivation
catches up with me.
Start very small if big leads you to procrastinating
If a project or task feels too big and daunting don't let that lead
you into procrastination. Instead, break it down into very small steps
and then take just one of them to start moving forward. Because the most
important thing is to just get going and to build momentum forward.
Get accountability from the people in your life
Tell your friends what you will do on social media, via phone or in
real life. Ask one or more of them to regularly check up on you and your
progress. By doing this you'll be a lot less likely to try to weasel out
of things or give up at the first obstacle.
Get motivation from the people in your life
Spend less time with negative people who always look at the dark or
apathetic side of things. And spend more of the time you have now freed
up with enthusiastic or motivated people and let their energy flow over
to you.
Get the motivation from people you don't know
Don't limit yourself to just the motivation you can get from the
people closest you. There is a ton of motivating books, podcasts, blogs
and success stories out there that you can tap into to up or renew your
motivation.
Play music that gives you energy
One of the simplest things I do when I feel low in energy or
motivation is to play music that is upbeat and/or inspires me in some
way. A break with a few songs or working while listening to them for a
while usually works well.
Be kind to yourself when you stumble
It's so easy to fall into the trap of beating yourself when you
stumble or fail. But that don't work that well in my experience. You
just feel worse and less motivated. So try this the next time: be kind
to yourself, nudge yourself back on the path you were on and take one
small step forward.
Be constructive about the failures
To make your setbacks more valuable and less hurtful be constructive
about them. When you stumble ask yourself: what is 1 thing I can learn
from this setback? Then keep that lesson in mind and take action on it
to improve what you do.
Compare yourself to yourself and see how far you have come
Instead
of deflating yourself and your motivation by comparing yourself to
others who are so far ahead of you.
Remind yourself of why you are working toward this
When you're feeling unmotivated and low in energy it is easy to lose
sight of why you're doing something. So take 2 minutes and write down
your top 3 reasons for doing this work, getting an education, working
out, saving that extra money or something else. Put that note where you
can see it every day or keep it in your smartphone for easy access when
you need a motivational boost.
Remind yourself of what you're moving away from
You can also motivate yourself to get going again by looking at the
negative impact of staying on your current path. Ask yourself: What will
the consequences be if I continue on this path for 1 more year? And if I
do if for 5 more years? I have found that this exercise has given me the
kick-start I needed many times in the past years.
Be grateful for what you got
When motivation is running low then it's easy to start seeing your
life and the aspects of it through a negative lens. To put your focus on
what you still have and who you are - and to recharge with positivity
and motivation ¬- ask yourself a question like: What are 3 things I
sometimes take for granted but can be grateful for in my life? My
answers would, for example, be a roof over my head, clean water and not
having to go hungry.
Mix things up
A rut will kill motivation. So mix things up. Make a competition out
of a task with yourself or with someone else. When you work out vary
what you do instead of going through the motions. Listen to music and
podcasts that you usually don't listen to. New input and variation tends
to be a good way to keep the motivation up (or to recharge it).
Adjust your goal size. If a big goal in your life feels overwhelming
set a smaller goal to find your motivation again. And if a smaller goal
doesn't seem inspiring try to aim higher and make it bigger goal and see
how that affects your motivation.
Exercise
Working out doesn't just affect your body. I find that just 20-30
minutes of lifting free weights releases inner tensions and stress and
makes me feel more focused and motivated once again.
Take 2 minutes to look back at your successes
Close your eyes and let the memories of your biggest successes - no
matter in what part of your life - wash over you. Let those most
positive memories boost your motivation.
Go out in nature
Few things give me as much new energy and motivation to take on life
as this does. So I often go out for a walk in the woods or by the sea
and I'm just there in the moment with the nature, the fresh air and I
don't think about anything special.
(The writer is a 34-year -old journalism major from Sweden, who has
dived into the topic of personal development, which has seen him
learning from him own experiments and experience and figuring out how to
build a better life. This article is one of his building a better life
experiences) |