Stay motivated- Motivation can be challenging to pinpoint. Some days, you’ll have a fire lit under you and you’ll easily nail all your goals. Most of the time, though, you may find it difficult to muster enough strength to accomplish the bare minimum.
What’s the secret to stay motivated and making yourself work harder? Whether you want to advance your career or simply become the best you, here’s a look at how to motivate yourself and keep it going.
1. Stay Motivated by Finding a Reason for Your Goals
What motivates you? If you’re wondering how to sustaining motivated, the first step is finding a reason to push yourself to succeed.
Set some time aside to think about your goals and what drives you to accomplish them. If you’re struggling with maintaining motivation at your job, for instance, reflect on why you applied in the first place or chose a career in your field. For some people, the push is material or financial. You want to work so you can earn money and build your wealth. For others, the sense of accomplishment of progressing in their field is the ultimate end goal. Sometimes, the thirst for more knowledge and the desire to continue learning is motivation enough.
Regardless of what your reason may be, establishing a “why” can help kick you into gear. Why did you choose this job? Why do you want to do better? Once you can easily define the reasons behind your goals, you’re more likely to feel a sense of motivation and drive.
2. Make Sure Your Goals Are Yours
Sometimes, we feel the pressure to look a certain way or to act according to a set of social rules. Maybe you think you should be a more social figure at work, for instance. If you enjoy being an introvert and find that this characteristic benefits you in your career, becoming more outspoken because you think it’s what others want won’t be beneficial.
While researchers acknowledge that emotions play a crucial role in self-regulation and behavior changes, there should always be a sense of self-motivation behind your motives. If you change your behavior to appease others, you’ll find that your drive will quickly die down. Even worse, you’ll remain motivated but unhappy in the process. Reflect on why you want to become a more motivated individual by thinking about the reasoning behind your goals.
3. Keep a Positive Attitude to Stay Motivated
One of the best ways to motivate yourself is through a positive attitude and optimism. If you want to stay focused on your goals and ambitions, try taking a “glass half full” approach to your daily endeavors.
A positive attitude is often associated with various health benefits, ranging from lower rates of depression to enhanced physical well-being. Since positivity allows you to have an improved outlook on life, you may be better equipped to handle stress and potential roadblocks — a necessary feature for anyone who wants to remain driven in their everyday life.
4. Work According to Your Strengths
No two individuals are quite the same. Look around at the other workers in your office. Some people will have incredible organization skills, while others are likely to have outstanding creativity and problem-solving capabilities. What this ultimately means is that everyone has unique strengths that differentiate them from others in the office.
It’s important to understand and recognize your own skills so you can use them to motivate yourself and achieve the most personal success and growth. Focusing on your strengths gives you the energy you need to push forward. You’ll excel in your work, which will create a positive workflow and a sense of motivation. Also, you’ll develop a desire for exploration and be more likely to try new things because of your growing confidence from doing what you know best.
5. Be Mindful of Your Progress
One of the best motivation tips people often forget is to be easy on yourself as you work toward your goals. Regardless of the objectives you’ve established, you’re not likely to experience a drastic change or sense of improvement overnight.
Set realistic expectations that have the long term in mind. While it feels good to experience immediate gratification, breaking your goals down into smaller chunks will play a substantial role in your future success. Plus, there’s no need to rush the process. You can feel good about your little victories as you work to accomplish your long-term goals — a desirable alternative to experiencing immediate, yet short-lived, success.
6. Reward Yourself for Motivation Along the Way
Sometimes, you have to trick your mind into remaining motivated. Since laying forth goals can be intimidating, it’s not uncommon for people to quickly throw in the towel.
One simple yet effective way to remain motivated at work — or in any other area of your life — is to set up a rewards system. Do you have to organize an intimidating number of files before the end of the week, yet can’t find the motivation to get started? Bribe yourself. Break the task down into chunks and let yourself indulge in something you desire after — and only after — you complete it.
Make a promise that you’ll let yourself savor your favorite bowl of ice cream when you finish that paper. Let yourself binge your favorite series on Netflix the night you get promoted. When you reward yourself for accomplishments, you’ll fall into a pattern that will push you to accomplish your goals.
7. Visualize Your Intended Results
You’ve spent your whole life listening to teachers, family members and society itself tell you your mind is a powerful tool. Just how important is it when you’re striving to motivate yourself? As it turns out, the answer is that your brain is way more influential than you may think. Visualization, or mental rehearsal, is key to achieving long-term success in all aspects of your life.
An exercise psychologist compared the performance levels of two study groups — those who visualized themselves performing virtual workouts in their head, and those who didn’t. In the end, the group who mentally envisioned working out before getting physical experienced a 30 percent muscle increase while the other only increased muscle strength by 13.5 percent. When you imagine yourself accomplishing your goals and putting them in action, you’ll realize that manifesting your intentions into existence is easier.
Motivation Matters
Motivation is a powerful tool that can help you succeed in your career and create a happier and healthier life. However, even the most motivated individuals find themselves in a slump from time to time. Get motivated and on track with the tips outlined above. What will you do to bring yourself closer to achieving your goals today?
