How to Get and Stay Motivated

How to Get and Stay Motivated

‍Sometimes you’re motivated and feel you can accomplish anything, other days you struggle to handle simple tasks. Does it sound familiar? You’re not alone. It’s natural to experience motivation peaks and valleys. However, good news is that you can cultivate and boost your motivation by applying a few simple strategies.

What is motivation?

Motivation is the force that drives our decisions and influences behavior. Whether you’d like to learn a new skill, master a second language, eat more vegetables, or be more active, motivation is necessary to keep you on track. Also, it’s critical to our survival – motivation directs us to positive stimuli, such as food and water, and helps us evade negative situations, such as stress, pain, or danger.

Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

There are two types of motivation: intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external). The former is driven by internal forces such as personal enjoyment and satisfaction. You go for a daily walk because you enjoy nature. In contrast, the latter is related to external factors, such as awards, praise, money, or social status. For example, you work hard with the goal to get promoted. Studies have found that it’s intrinsic motivation that is associated with creativity and enhanced learning. 

Why you may lack motivation

Lack of motivation can be influenced by several factors, including anxiety, burnout, depression, low self-esteem, stress, or poor sleep. Additionally, there are some barriers that may stand in your way to accomplish goals, such as fear of failure, lack of specific knowledge, lack of time, overwhelming responsibilities.

Set SMART goals

Cultivating motivation requires some effort and careful planning. Always set realistic goals. You can apply the SMART goal-setting principles. The acronym stands for:

• Specific: the goal is clearly defined
• Measurable: the progress is measurable
• Attainable: the goal is achievable
• Relevant: the goal is aligned to your values
• Time-bound: the goal has a target date

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Identify potential setbacks

Experiencing setbacks or barriers can derail your efforts. Take some time to identify potential setbacks and have a plan. For example, if your goal is to exercise five times a week, but you frequently travel for work, list your options and resources available at each destination: hotel gyms, parks, swimming pools, etc.

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Use productivity tools

Staying on track will be easier with productivity apps. ClickUp, Focus To-Do, Daily Planner, Habit, and TimeBloc are all great options to help you organize.

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Find support

Research has identified a correlation between social support and improved health behaviors, including smoking cessation or regular exercise. Try exercising with a friend, joining a support group, or commit publicly and hold yourself accountable.

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Make it fun

If you’re striving for a goal that involves activities that you don’t really enjoy, you may find your motivation dwindling. There’s no sense in engaging in something that you don’t find fun or rewarding. For example, if your goal is to be more active, choose an activity that you genuinely enjoy. If you dislike running, simply give swimming a try.

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Celebrate progress and incentivize

Keep track of your progress along the way. Reward yourself and celebrate once you reach a milestone. Extrinsic factors, such as vacation, eating out in a nice place, can be excellent motivators. Celebrating small wins will encourage you to push forward.

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The bottom line

With some strategic planning, you can accomplish anything. Especially if you really want it and it aligns to your values. Be realistic with your goals, track your progress, find enjoyment in what you do, celebrate small wins, and remember – you can do it!

Inspired by: https://fullscript.com/blog/how-to-get-motivated