Motivation doesn’t come in a bottle, and as quickly as it comes, chances are, it runs out too. While you find tons of advice online from inspirational speakers and life coaches on how to stay inspired and motivated, a lot of them probably don’t work as effectively for you as you’d like, and that’s exactly why we’ve got you some help. Keep reading to discover some quick tips and tricks on how to get motivated and make it last longer.
Break it Down
Breaking your goal and its path into smaller chunks, preferably into mini-goals that you need to accomplish each week can be a great way to keep you motivated and on track. Most personal development coaches swear by the effectiveness of this technique and even emphasize on how less likely you’ll be to actually accomplish your goals if you feel they’re too far away, or when you feel you have too much to do. I write lists and tick off each task because then I can see my progress. If for example, your task is to tidy the house, do a room a day rather than trying to do it all which for many is overwhelming.
Remind Yourself What’s at Stake
Sometimes, the best way to motivate yourself and bring yourself back into action mode (especially if you’re procrastinating), is to remind yourself what’s at stake if you don’t keep going. Most of us are driven by the end result, and the more you remind yourself of how important your movement towards your goal is, the more likely you’ll be to keep going on it!
Learn to Relax
For many taking the time to meditate and practice breathing techniques can help you focus and gain clarity and when we have clarity we are able to stay motivated. I practise mindfulness and the law of attraction to manifest and help with my motivation. This takes time to become second nature but being grateful and saying affirmations also helps me create the lifestyle I deserve. Find time to relax, for others taking up a hobby, going to the gym or exercising at home using Youtube for ideas is a great way to relax. There are plenty of home workouts online which are free and although no specific equipment is required good quality gymnastic mats are ideal to use in your garden or living room.
Consistency Over Intensity
This one’s one of the best ways to make sure you’re motivated for a longer period of time- don’t focus on going fast and intense- instead focus on being consistent. Even if you’re taking just one little step towards that big goal of yours, it is fine- in fact, better than crashing and burning after 2 days of working too hard and ending up taking a week to recover. The saying ‘Slow and steady wins the race’ holds true even today.
Ditch the All-or-Nothing Approach
A lot of us ditch our goals mid-way and feel demotivated because we adopt the all-or-nothing approach. Either we do something or we don’t. You might have made up your mind about sticking to a healthy eating routine everyday, and you might give in and cheat on a day or two, and might ditch the idea entirely, bringing you right back to square one. Ditch that ideology and remind yourself that moving slowly is still better than not moving at all. According to prominent psychologists, it takes anything between 21-66 days to create new habits. Therefore if you slip up it doesn’t matter as its all part of the journey.
Have Fun!
Last, but definitely not the least, make sure you’re having fun while you’re at it, because the more fun you’re having while chasing your goals, the more motivated you will feel. If your steps feel like a chore, try to sneak in a fun element into them and make them interesting- that way, you’ll actually look forward to taking them everyday.
