Motivation can at times seem hard to come by. It typically comes in waves and then fades when things become tough or repetitive. But motivation is essential for personal growth, for achieving the things and goals you want out of life, so how can you achieve it?
What is motivation?
Before we can move on to the ways in which you can achieve motivation we must first clearly define what motivation is. Motivation is derived from the term motive, and motive can be defined as a personal reason for doing something. So motivation, therefore, stands to be the driving force behind a person’s actions. It may be easier to get your head around what motivation is by instead of thinking about what it stands for but remembering how it feels. Motivation is that spring in your step, the desire, the drive, the excitement of wanting to do something, you’ll have felt it before and you’ll feel it again if you follow the tips in this post.
How can I become more motivated and gain motivation?
There’s no one answer to becoming motivated because what motivates one person can be completely different from what motivates someone else. The driving force behind each and every one of our actions can be different. Whereas one person may be motivated to find a new job because of the salary it will bring them, someone else may be motivated to find anew job because of the freedom it will give them. Despite motivation often being personal to the individual there are certain things you can do to help inspire it within you.
- Think of a reason why
Your reason why will be one of the most important tools in your motivation toolbox. Why do you want to do the thing you need motivation for? Your reason why can be anything at all, and there’s no right or wrong answer. There’s no shame in your reason why being money or something that may seem selfish, just think about what it is and write it down. Don’t skip the writing down part, it’s important. The purpose of writing down your reason why is so that you can return to it later when your motivation inevitably wanes.
But what if the thing you need motivation for isn’t really
your choice, such as writing your dissertation or cleaning your
house? Well, this process still applies, you just may need to delve a
little deeper and think about what you are doing this thing for. Why
do you want to clean your house? To make it a more enjoyable
environment to live in? To ensure that you and your family remain
healthy? Why do you want to write your dissertation? To gain your
degree? Or perhaps to demonstrate your ability to produce a large
amount of work under a time restraint to a future employer? In this
scenario your reason why may not be as simple as getting a pay rise
or looking thinner in your photos but it still has the power to
remind you of the end goal.
- Surround yourself with motivation
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be led on by the people
around you? Perhaps you really didn’t want to go out that night
with your friends but when they were getting excited about it you
found yourself becoming excited about it too? Motivation is
contagious and surrounding yourself with it will help you to remain
motivated too. There are a number of different ways to surround
yourself with motivation such as:
- Finding a motivational coach
A life coach, tutor or mentor, such as Bobby Tariq, will help you to stay motivated by being motivated for you themselves. Whether you need to pass a certain exam or are trying to progress your career having a physical person guide you can be very helpful.
- Listening to motivational audiobooks
Audiobooks are a great way to build motivation as they can be kept with you on the go. Find some self-help motivation books written by motivational speakers and pop your headphones in throughout the day for a pick me up.
- Reading motivational books
There are hundreds of motivational books out there to help you get excited about almost any topic, from cleaning your house to starting your own business. Make a habit of reading a chapter of your motivational book every morning to set your day off with the right intentions.
- Surrounding yourself with motivational quotes or mantras
Quotes and mantras have the ability to worm their way into our brains and give us a little pep talk when we need it. If your studying, find some motivational stationery, if you need motivation at work, find a motivational desk calendar. Motivational items are becoming commonplace as people recognize the power of surrounding themselves with positive thoughts.
- Look after your mind and body
Having found your reason why and surrounded yourself with motivational things you are off to a great start, the final thing you need to do is make sure that your headspace and physical body are ready to bring it all to life. Eating bad food and not taking care of your mental health can make it very difficult to foster motivation. Try to eat a vibrant diet, filled with plenty of fruit and vegetable to ensure you have the energy you need to carry your actions through. And take the time to look after your mental health by meditating or practising mindfulness to make sure that it is in the best shape to embrace positivity and the changes you are going to make.
By following these 3 simple steps you set yourself up in the best way to gain motivation, stay motivated and achieve your goals. Just remember that motivation can take work and you will have slower days where things feel hard, at these times, remember your why, put a little extra effort into surrounding yourself with motivation and then take a little extra time to work on your mind and body health. Some life goals can take many years to achieve and in order to stay motivated throughout you will need to be consistent, so stick at it and remember to keep coming back to these three things.
Motivation is a powerful, yet tricky beast. Sometimes it is really easy to get motivated, and you find yourself wrapped up in a whirlwind of excitement. Other times, it is nearly impossible to figure out how to motivate yourself and you’re trapped in a death spiral of procrastination. In the work goal context the psychological factors stimulating the people’s behaviour can be – desire for mone,success. I couldn’t start motivating myself for a long time. I just procrastinated things in my life. Consequently, I ruined many of my school days and then I srewed with my job. Thanks to the internet where I found many tips that helped me motivate myself and finally do things I wanted and I had to do.
1. Chart Your Progress
2. Post a picture of your goal someplace visible
3. Get a workout partner or goal buddy
4. Reward yourself
8. Give it time, be patient
Total immersion! From what I put in my ears, watch etc, it has to be positive. Whatever goes in must come out =)