Motivate Yourself

by Henrik Edberg

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)