Motivation;it’s like ariddle,wrapped in a mystery,inside an enigma. We all want it, we all need it, yet most of us just can’t seem to find it when we need it most. If you’re like most, and you want to know how to get motivated, then this article is for you.
As elusive as motivation is, the one for sure thing we know about it, is that most people find it difficult to maintain. Even the gurus, the so-called “motivators” lose their motivation from time to time. And those high-performers, the one’s we see on T.V, or read about in Forbes, Inc., and Success Magazine, the one’s who seem to be crushing all of their goals day after day, have their challenges with motivation every now and again too.
What we’ve observed, is that feeling unmotivated is natural, and it happens to the best of us. But, just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to get motivated and stay motivated.
If you’ve been puzzled by the mystery of motivation in the past, and you’re looking for ways to get motivated to fight off those feelings of being stuck or in a slump, then this article is for you.
We created this article as a solution for the loss of drive and desire to achieve that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. This article is especially for you if you’ve fallen victim to those motivational slumps that can potentially squander your future achievements.
So, if achieving more in life is important to you, you’re going to need to fight for your motivation by learning how to get motivated at will. Why? Because fighting for your motivation is the same as fighting for your dreams.
Having said that, if you’re ready to learn about the best ways to find the motivation needed to make progress in your life, then let’s dive right into this list:
HOW TO GET MOTIVATED: 14 BEST WAYS TO FIND YOUR MOTIVATION TO ACHIEVE
By the end of this article you will know how to get motivated to act in spite of your personal circumstances. So, Are you ready to step into the ring and learn what it takes to fight for your dreams? If so, here you go:
1. Have a Dream
The first and most important thing everyone needs if they want to be moved to take action, is to have a dream. People who have a compelling goal or dream to strive for, rarely lack motivation.
This quote by Antoine De Saint-Exupery points out quite well the power a dream can have on our motivation levels:
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”
Most people who lack motivation, lack an exciting vision for what they intend to go after. The keyword here is exciting vision. Oftentimes, we don’t give our goals enough thought.
Give Your Dream Some Serious Thought
Many people choose a goal haphazardly. They choose a goal because they think it’s what they “should” go after, or because it’s a “reasonable” goal. But if you don’t choose a goal based off what you truly want, and if it’s not a goal that resonates deep down in your soul, then you won’t be thrilled to reach it.
But, if you choose to set a goal for yourself that you genuinely desire, a goal that you can clearly see yourself reaching, while having a sense of how amazing things will be once you achieve it, you effectively lay a strong foundation for sustainable motivation.
A wise success guru once said,
“Your better future is a dream, for yourself and for your family. Where do you want to go, what you want to do, what do you want be, what do you want to see. You’ve got to dream dreams.”
Truly, without dreams and visions, our motivation to achieve will perish. So, be sure you decide to go for something that inspires your heart and soul. The clearer and more enticing your dreams, the more intense and lasting your motivation will be. Dream!
2. Make Your Dream a Goal
But, you can’t just stop with a dream. We all have dreams of having a better future, making more money, getting nicer things, gaining more of this and gaining more of that. Everyone dreams, yet not everyone reaches those dreams.
One of the biggest reasons most people don’t come close to ever reaching their dreams is because they run out of motivation. And one of the major reasons people run out of motivation, is because…can you guess it?
One of the major reasons people run out of motivation, is because they never convert their dreams and intentions into a physical goal.
Look, dreams exist in our minds, they are nebulous intentions. And over time, dreams will naturally wither away and morph into memories. But, this doesn’t always have to be the case for them.
No, you can actually give your dreams and the motivation you’ll need to achieve them some lifeblood if you commit your dreams to paper, if you turn them into a written goal. Even neuroscience agrees.[1]
So, If you really want to see your dream become a reality, and have that dream motivate you to take some serious action, putting pen to paper to write that dream down is a good idea.
Remember, we are not the sum of our intentions, we are the sum of our actions. So, do your motivation a favor and transform that dream of yours into a goal, because goals after all, are just dreams with a deadline.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE GOAL SETTING TEMPLATE
3. Create Habit Triggers
A very simple, but effective way to get you motivated on those days when you’re not feeling “it”, is to create a habit trigger around motivation.
What’s a habit trigger?
A habit trigger can be anything you set up for yourself as an intentional reminder to prompt you to take action on something. For instance, you can set up a habit trigger to help your stay motivated by placing stickers with motivational phrases near your work-space.Or, you can tape an inspirational message, your goals , or whatever, onto your mirror, to remind you to do a certain thing, act a certain way, or strive for a specific goal every day before you leave the house.
Another effective habit trigger could be something as simple as setting a timer on your phone, so when it goes off, it will remind you to take a break, call someone, send an email, do 10 push-ups or whatever task you’ve associated with the trigger to keep you moving forward on your goals.
Truly, habit triggers are an effective motivational tool that can nudge you to do the little things you most want and need to do to reach your goals.[2]
That said, one of the next best ways to get yourself motivated is to…
4. Create Rituals
Ritual is one of the best kept secrets that many high achievers use to get themselves motivated.
If you were to study a hand full of high performers very closely, you would quickly notice that they don’t depend on motivation to strike before they start taking action on their daily goals. If you watched them closely, you’d notice they have what would seem like some magical ability to do much of what they set out to do, even when they don’t feel like it.
And the way they’re able to keep taking action towards their goals (motivated or not), is because they’ve automated the process of motivation through ritual. Most rituals come in the form of an earlymorning routine, or late night rituals, but the time of the day is not what matters. What matters is the ritual.[3]
These rituals can look like journaling every day, waking up early and meditating, doing pre-work breathing exercises, cold showers or ice-baths, etc. These rituals can be as varied as the person doing them. But, the important thing is that they help revitalize, refresh, and remind you to keep doing what you’ve committed to achieving.
So, if you want to put your motivation on autopilot, ensure you have a ritual. It will help you move your achievement needle forward, even on the days you don’t feel like it.
5. Get Good Sleep
You may have experienced this before, mentally, you want to do something badly, but physically, you just don’t feel up for it. Often, this lack of energy stems from a lack of sleep. And a lack of energy can transform into a lack of motivation.
We’ve experienced this first hand, but there is also research that backs this up. When we don’t get sufficient levels of sleep, our self-control and cognitive performance both get impaired, and when these bad boys get impaired, our motivation can take a dramatic dip.
So, if you’ve been lacking motivation but not sure why, it could be you just need more sleep.
6. Keep the Momentum
This next step is not so much about getting motivated as it is about staying motivated.
When we first start our chasing a goal adventure we have tons of zest and excitement for it. We spend lots of time thinking, tinkering, and taking action to achieve that goal. But, overtime, especially if it’s a mid to long-term goal, our motivation will dissipate. And naturally, when our motivation starts to wane, it’s far easier to get distracted with a little escape or break from the chase. Of course, this is a big no no.
Sure, taking time off to relax or going on vacation is important every now and then, but, it’s important that you don’t do too much of it. Why? Because for every additional day you take off from pursuing your goals, you’ll increase the resistance you’ll face when you try to get back to the chase.
In short, don’t take to much time off from the hustle, it will kill your momentum. And dead momentum will undermine both your motivation and dreams.
7. Listen to Motivational Music
Sometimes, a little music is all it takes to help us get that spark back. Whenever you feel spent, just fire up some good music and it will usually get you back to 100%.
But don’t just turn on the radio and think that any ole song will do. It won’t. If you’re looking to music to help you get your groove back, your best bet is to listen to something that is tried and true.
Basically, any song that has in the past, helped you stoke your internal fire. So, go with songs that have given you goose bumps or have made you feel like you can conquer the world and create an empire. It doesn’t matter if it’s motivational rap songs, rock songs, or classical, so long as it helps rekindle your fire.
Indeed, music can be a used as a catalyst, it can be the kick in the pants you need to get you back on track and fired up to attack.[4]
8. Watch Motivational Movies
Everyone loves a good movie. They act as an escape from the challenges of the real world, giving us momentary relief in a world of fantasy. But that’s not why we recommend watching movies to get you motivated. We are recommending them because movies have the power to inspire us. The right movie can lift our spirits when we’re feeling down, it can give us hope when we’ve become discouraged. Even when we feel as if our determination has run its course, the right movie can give us a second-wind, it can makes us want to get back on that horse.
Movies, especially the motivational ones, can be energizing and uplifting, they can give us the much-needed motivation boost to help us keep moving in the direction of our dreams.
Put simply, movies are magical, and they can be used as an effective resource to help you put the wind back in your sails.
So, if you’re ever feeling stuck or low on motivation, take a break from the grind, pop in a good flick, and let that movie reinvigorate your will to achieve.
9.View Motivational Videos to Get Motivated
If you’re like me, you may always be pressed for time. And finding one and a half to two hours to watch a motivational movie may be impossible. If that’s that case, the next best thing is to watch motivational videos.
The great thing is, there’s no shortage of motivational videos. A quick search on YouTube or Google usually provides a great list of videos to choose from.
A good motivational video can give you the perfect jolt of “I can do this” to get you humming along again and hustling to achieve your goals. Here at the Strive, many of our staff say they watch motivational videos every few days to keep their spirits up. No doubt, they do this because movies act as a good reminder of what’s possible and they can help us maintain our enthusiasm for our goals.
So, for a quick daily jolt of mojo, motivation videos are great way to go.
10.Rest, Relax, and Recharge
Believe it or not, small breaks can improve your concentration and long breaks can replenish your overall job/work performance.
Clinical psychologist, Francie Lederer states that “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out.”[5]
And we agree with her assessment. Every time we take a break from our business pursuits, we feel like we come back stronger. We tend to have more energy for the tasks at hand, new and fresh ideas that we didn’t have before, and are now excited to put into practice. Yup, a little R and R always leads to renewed interest in achieving our goals.
No doubt, sometimes all we need to get rid of those feelings of being stuck or unmotivated is a little rest and relaxation.
11. Find Your Motivation Via Accountability
One of the best ways to get you past the resistance and motivational slumps you may face in life, is to find an accountability partner or group.
Inherent in the strive for a goal, is resistance and those reoccurring moments where you lose your mojo. But, when you have an accountability partner or group, you have a mechanism in place to push you past those low points when you can’t do it yourself.
Accountability partners are highly effective, which is why there is such a big market foraccountability coachingthese days.Of course, you don’t have to always buy a coach or buy into a group to find such accountability. You could just as easily create your own group on Facebook or find a good friend to partner up with.
So long as you trust your accountability partners to work with you, and notlet you off the hook, a self-created accountability group can be just as effective as an accountability coach you pay for.
12. Avoid Negativity
Reading the news, surfing negative sites on the internet, or talking to people who leave you feeling drained and negative will have an impact on your mood and motivation. And not a good impact at that.
Truth is, negativity is a motivation killer. The news will have you fearing everything under the sun, tempting you be overcautious and risk averse.
Negative friends and co-workers can also make you doubt your abilities. They’ll leave you feeling discouraged and pessimistic about what’s possible for you.
What you’re left with then, is fear of failure, doubt, and discouragement. All these things then lead to feelings of “What’s the point”? And that kind of attitude is never good for motivation. And little motivation means little achievement.
So, be sure to avoid the news, and avoid negative people. And instead, focus on feelings of gratitude. Read uplifting content and surround yourself with positive people. Obviously, you won’t be able to completely eradicate all negativity from your life, but by limiting your exposure to as much of it as possible, you will significantly improve how you feel about yourself and your pursuits.
And your attitude can make all the difference in how motivated you feel.
13. Trust in The Power of Pursuit
There will be times when you get discouraged, when you lack energy, when you’ll want to quit because you’ve stopped believing in the merits of the achievement. These moments come when you doubt that what you’re pursuing will ever come to fruition. When this happens most people want to throw in the towel.
If you ever get to this point, where your motivation seems to be at zero, you’ll be surprised to know that having a little faith can do wonders for you. To jumpstart your motivation with faith, here’s what you must do; surrender to the idea that your success is inevitable.
In other words, start trusting in the power of pursuit. Put your trust in the wisdom of all the successful people who have come before you. Heed their wise words…. wise words like:
So, If you feel like you are putting in the work, the effort, and the time, but your lack of results has you feeling down, just believe that things will eventually work out for you.
Trust that what you seek is also seeking you. Do this, and you will without a doubt, reignite the energy and enthusiasm behind your pursuits.
Following this step will work wonders for finding your motivation, trust us.
14. Use Force
Last, but not least, when all is said and done, and you’ve exhausted all other options to get motivated, your last resort is to strong arm your motivation.
You can know exactly how to get what you want, and you can follow all of the steps previously outlined to get yourself motivated and fired up for your goals again. But, if all else has failed, this is what you must to do. You must use force. We know, it’s not a sexy solution, or what you want to hear. But, sometimes, motivation requires action, and action requires force. And believe it or not, action often comes before motivation.
Truly, if you would just force yourself to take action, often times your motivation will kick in. The creators of Nike understood this, and that’s why their motto is “Just Do It!”
Sometimes, all we really needs is a good nudge. A small kick-start can help us get the ball rolling enough to have our mojo come back.
Now, if you’re not willing to take this step, then you’ll have to either quit or change your goal. Of course, if quitting isn’t in the cards for you, then you know what you must do. Force yourself to do what you’ve made up your mind to do. Because at the end of the day, nothing happens till you start moving and doing. So, motivation or not, if you want to achieve your goals, you’ll have to force yourself totake action.
Bonus Ways to Get Motivated:
Alright, here is one last bonus to help you truly get your motivation back up and primed for achievement. This bonus section consists of a handful of additional resources you can leverage to get you motivated and back in action.
So, here they are, enjoy:
25 Best Motivational Books of All-Time
100 Other Motivational Sites to Inspire You
Best Motivational Quotes For Daily Success
Conclusion
There you have it, 14 solid ways to help you get and stay motivated to achieve like a champ. Now that you know how to get motivated, whipping your motivational issues into shape should be a breeze.
No doubt, there will still be days when your motivation and drive runs low.But now you know where to find the keys…. right here on the TheSTRIVE.co.
Till you reach your aims,
STRIVE
PS – Check this out if you want to triple your output, deeply connect with your goals, and start achieving your dreams today.