Ways You Can Substantially Increase and Maintain Your Motivation
Motivation is the inner driving force needed to do whatever that needs to be done. Motivation is something within us, yet we constantly look for it without.
In any event, finding the motivation to do something can be draining. If this struggle is all too familiar to you, this might be your time to implement a different approach.
The tips you find below are going to help you increase your motivation and enjoy a more productive and rewarding life.
The Habits behind the Motivation
It’s impossible to guarantee that you will wake up feeling motivated to do something every single day. But the equation changes if you’ve developed a set of habits to do a number of things. The habits alone can be all the motivation you need. This also applies to the habits of not doing things, such as if you’re trying to quit smoking.
Here are a few habits you can start developing instantly.
Set a Schedule
A surefire way to get motivated is to schedule the things that you have to do. We often look at a schedule as a prison, but it actually sets us free. It’s a way to set yourself up to have the best day possible.
Obviously, there’s a bit of responsibility with that. But the goal is to make it so that you’re in better shape at the end of the day than in the beginning.
Additionally, create a predictable sleep cycle and eat a nutritious breakfast as soon as you wake up. Doing so will create the balance and energy that you need to take on your day-to-day schedule.
Write Down Your Goals
Making a commitment and talking about it with your friends will actually reduce your motivation. This is because your friends’ positive reactions will give you a fake sense of reward. Like most human beings, you’re likely to feel as if the task has been accomplished, or something like half accomplished. The result is lower motivation than what you started with.
On the other hand, writing down your goals achieves the opposite. A 2015 psychological study showed that writing down your goals is a powerful way to get yourself to do the things that you say you’ll do.
Write down exactly what you will do and when. If you decide to get fit, for example, it is often harder to put on your shoes and head to the gym than the workout itself. But if you’ve made the decision beforehand, you save yourself from having to wrestle with the idea.
Describe the Best and the Worst-Case Scenario
When setting the course of our lives and when we’re facing challenges, we always simulate the outcomes. We are doing this to minimize danger and maximize rewards, though not always consciously.
If you want to use this mechanism effectively, do one simple thing. Write down the best and worst possible outcomes of a situation. On the good days, you’ll have something to move forward with. On the bad days, you’ll have something to move away from. Either way, you’ll always have a vision to motivate you.
Take Risks
There’s a saying that goes, No risk no gain. There’s another one that goes, you have to spend money to make money. You get the idea. In fact, taking risks in something with high rewards will not only get your blood pumping, but it will get you motivated as well.
Stand Up Straight
Your body posture either creates or destroys motivation. Bending over with your shoulders crunched and your head hanging will not only cause health problems but damage your confidence.
Practice a more powerful body posture instead. As popular psychotherapist Jordan Peterson recommends in his book, “Stand up straight with your shoulders back”.
If you have a bad posture, there are basic back-strengthening exercises that can help a great deal.
Eliminate Resistance
More often than not, our resistance is stopping us from feeling motivated. It’s the way we perceive our tasks and responsibilities that holds us back from greater accomplishments.
Eliminating such resistances will completely change the way you approach your daily tasks. But how do you identify them, let alone getting rid of them. Here’s how.
Resistance #1 – “I have to do it”
When you say “I have to”, it’s usually about someone else, not yourself. You have to do things because you want to conform to certain standards. It can be getting a better grade, earning a promotion or making your parents happy. This is a way of tyrannizing yourself. Feeling that you must do something kills motivation.
The Fix – Freedom of Choice
In reality, only life-threatening situations are ‘have to’ situations. Be honest with yourself and define exactly why you have to do anything. Choose a different route if you can or determine when exactly you’ll be able to complete the task at hand.
Resistance #2 – “I can’t do it”
We are all too familiar with the feeling of not being good enough. Unfortunately, when we feel that the likelihood of our failure is high, it probably is. When this happens, you’ll gravitate towards distraction or overthinking things, all the while not doing anything and destroying the remainder of your motivation.
The Fix – Effort
It’s important to remember two things when faced with exceedingly difficult tasks. Firstly, know that learning and gaining experience is more important than the outcome. Secondly, know that all you can do is your best, so you might as well do it. Your effort might make a world of difference in the face of adversity. And chances are you won’t regret it like you would inaction.
Resistance #3 – “It doesn’t feel right”
When you’re faced with tasks that are against your core values, it’s hard to conjure up the motivation to do them. For example, you might have to choose between working overtime and spending time with your family and friends. If you proceed in this manner, you are certain to work less efficiently.
In these situations, people usually lie to themselves, because they want to keep their job or reach some other gain. They fail to realize that the greatest value is peace of mind.
The Fix – Prioritize and Orient Yourself
You can either change what you do or change your perspective. Working longer and earning more is definitely a better way to support your family, which serves your core value. But if you have at least one better option, go with that. You’ll be more motivated if you have previously established a set of priorities and goals that you can work toward.
Conclusion
In the end, we don’t always have to feel motivated in order to do something. Interestingly enough, once we do it regardless, motivation will come. If you can continue to move forward and overstep limitations, motivation will be ever-present in your life.
