How fun is it when we get inspired or get an idea that gives us that spark? Maybe you’ve been brainstorming topics for that book you’ve always wanted to write or you’re trying to pick out a paint color for your home, you’re on a walk and inspiration hits. It’s so gratifying and gives you a burst of energy to get started.
What’s next? You need to ignite that spark or turn that burst of energy into something more. You need motivation. Motivation is often referred to as your “why” when it comes to goal setting and building or breaking habits. Why put this idea into action? It is the driving force behind one’s actions. It’s your incentive, your reason, your inspiration. Knowing what motivates you and what keeps you going, helps you stay mindful and guide your process. It turns your inspiration into action.
But motivation is not enough, as it can come and go or fade over time. It doesn’t mean you don’t want to write that book or can’t wait to change that paint color on your house, but sometimes life gets in the way, and it just feels easier to hit the snooze button and say, “I’ll just need 10 more minutes. I’ll write extra pages tomorrow” or whatever version we’ve all told ourselves before. Most of us don’t wake up every day and pop of out bed every morning with unlimited motivation and sometimes it’s hard to understand why when we start with so much excitement, energy and anticipation.
So, why does motivation fade?
Lack of Clarity and Planning:
Taking on a new challenge or starting a new habit you’ve never done before is motivating. An important part of the process is having a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish and why, as well as having a plan to follow. Many people get off track quickly if they have not put a structure in place to help set them up for success or don’t know what next steps to take. For example, you want to start lifting weights so you show up at the gym but don’t know how to use the machines and leave frustrated. The unknown feeling that comes with starting something new and a lack of planning can be overwhelming and is a common demotivator.
The Progress Plateau:
Goals are great, and we often start out with a lot of energy and excitement about potential changes, but it can be challenging at times to stay motivated when you’re not seeing progress. It feels so validating when you start a new habit and the gains (or losses, depending on the goal) come fast but after a month or so progress stalls. Or you get started and nothing, or at least it seems that way. It can feel discouraging and make it hard to keep going.
In situations like this it can be easy to fall into those regular old habits and become demotivated and disengaged. old habits because they are “comfortable”, they are what we know. Sometimes without even realizing it, we start resisting the changes we are making. Our brain tries to keep us “safe” but what it really does is impede progress and often takes us back to where we started and sometimes even further behind than where we started.
When we need more motivation, here are three ways to keep going.
Commit and Be Consistent:
It starts with consistency and self-discipline. I know some think that discipline is a dirty word because it’s often associated with punishment and correcting “bad” behavior, but discipline is also what keeps you going. It’s a commitment to yourself. Consistency is not about perfection. It’s about committing to yourself and taking one step every day or every week towards your goal. It’s about creating a plan and sticking to it, even when you need to modify it because something comes up which it will. It’s also about giving yourself the love and care you deserve that you often give so freely to others and not yourself. Start by committing to yourself, showing up consistently, and the rest will follow.
Acknowledge Your Progress:
Do you find that you’re often comparing yourself to where you are now against where you want to be? If this is your mindset, you’re always looking at how far you have to go versus how far you’ve come which can feel defeating and demotivating. Too often we don’t take the time to recognize the incremental progress we make. We grow and change daily. It’s essential to recognize ourselves and our efforts. When you acknowledge your progress, you’re recognizing the impact of what you’ve already accomplished on your journey, no matter how small. It’s the small, incremental progress that starts to add up. If you’re minimizing your successes all you’re going to see is all that’s ahead of you.
Here are a couple of strategies that can be helpful when acknowledging your progress. Get a journal and write how you’re feeling, the wins you’ve had and the positive effects of your progress. Occasionally, take time to review your journal entries to see how far you’ve come, especially when you need some extra motivation or a reminder of why you started. Another option is to use a habit tracker. Tracking your progress when you’re working towards a new goal or integrating a new habit into your routine provides a visual where you can see the progress you’re making, what’s not working and where you may be able to make improvements. It also focuses your efforts and leads to quick wins that will motivate you to keep going. One saying is, “What you track, you attract.” What do you want to bring into your life?
Believe in Yourself:
In life, we can either be our biggest cheerleaders or our harshest critics. You get to choose. Believing in yourself is essential to your success as it helps you focus and increases productivity. It also shifts you into a growth mindset and helps you realize your potential. With this shift, it boosts your resilience. So, when you hit a roadblock or experience failure, which will happen, it won’t through you off course. Instead, you’ll be able to use these moments as opportunities to learn, reflect and take forward the knowledge gained to improve your approach and keep going. When you believe in yourself, you can also look back on your previous successes and remember all that is possible for you.
It is 100% normal for motivation to fluctuate. Being consistent, acknowledging your progress and believing in yourself will help you stay on track as motivation comes and goes. Following these steps will help you realize your potential and ability to accomplish anything you set your mind towards.