Motivation is very important. It’s not difficult to see different forms of motivation in everyday events that we witness. Cheerleaders are employed in various ventures to serve as motivators. Their roles are sometimes under estimated but should not be.
Sports teams and huge companies have put measures in place to help spur on their players and workers. It has been identified that sometimes simple skill and natural ability is not enough to get the job done hence, the need for motivators.
It is not any different when it comes to the life we live on a daily basis. Goals we set are not normally achieved not because of lack of skill or ability but simply because we lack self motivation.
Maybe we cannot all afford personal cheerleaders but let’s be our own motivators and cheerleaders. Motivation is essential in our daily lives whether it’s just getting out of bed or finishing a book.
‘People often say that motivation does not last. Well neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily’.
-Zig Ziglar
Let’s see how we can spur ourselves on and the tools necessary for that.
10 ways to motivate yourself
1. See the Finish
It sounds a little silly to say see the end even before you’ve started but it works. Look to the end and the benefits of your future accomplishments even before you begin the journey.
In other words, dream. Think of it this way. You cannot say you have accomplished something until you actually finish and put in your last full stop. Perfectly picture that end and all the joy that will give you and then begin your journey.
Some people get stuck in the middle due to recurring fears of incompletion or fears of previous mistakes repeating themselves. Just keep going and actually finish. When you finish you can say you have achieved or created something. You can say I’m done. Picture that.
After it’s done you can look back and amend the mistakes you might have made. The satisfaction of finishing something should spur you on.
On the road to being a published author, you must complete your project first. Then that’s half done. After that you can tune up on your work and smooth up the edges. Picture that and let that be your fire.
You don’t want to spend your life thinking what could have been so do yourself a favor and finish.
2. Take a look around
It is often said that nothing is really new. It is a bit of a cliché but that is indeed true. Any task you find yourself stuck on has probably been somewhat completed by somebody. Get social. Look around. Look for impediments those people had to overcome and how they finally overcame them.
Sometimes you realize that people overcome bigger blocks than what you may be struggling with. Seeing this will put some fire in your belly to want to get past your impediment.
Looking at other people’s struggles is a very important step in self motivation even though it may sound ironic. The quote ‘I used to complain about having no shoes until I met somebody with no legs’ actually works.
3. Don’t be too hard on you
Don’t discourage yourself. Some people find it easier to say ‘maybe I can’t’ than saying ‘ I’m going to do this’ it makes them feel better than to actually try because then they can say they were right all along when there is a failure.
But you can’t fail when you keep trying. Do not glorify that negative behavior when you hit an impediment. Cheer yourself on. Reward yourself after crossing each milestone. Use the satisfaction of completing a level to spur you unto the next one.
Avoid negative thoughts. Thoughts that derail your self worth and confidence should not be tolerated. If you are good enough to get started you are good enough to keep going.
Remove yourself from discouraging situations. Don’t listen to destructive critics. Look for critics that give you a way to improve what you have. Remember that the finish is the most important not the start hence the phrase ‘the end will justify the method’.
4. Careful with your range
It is good to achieve big things but people usually start small. Take baby steps. When the hill is too high to climb you might tire yourself out climbing the first step.
Start with small and work your way up. Ant hills are huge but it takes time to be built. Give yourself tasks you have the means to achieve. This gives you the growing and a constant confidence of completing it.
You might want to be a great standup comic. You feel you have the skills to do it. Start around the house. Crack people up at work. Work on the confidence to get started. Once that is done you’re on your way. No one can convince you otherwise.
Even though the territory you are aiming for are relatively new to you, your confidence in your own ability will take you there. Self motivation in the end is about what you tell yourself to get over the line. It is a mental fortitude you possess to dismiss all doubts in your abilities.
5. Look Back
We normally feel great about a journey when we are almost there. Why? Because we see that what we have covered is more than what is left. This is a great self motivator.
Look at the barriers you have crossed in the past. Look how far you’ve come. You cannot turn back knowing the majority is accomplished. That gives you the confidence that if you had the strengths and ability to conquer all your past fears then that same ability can carry you through to the end.
To some people looking back can be a bad thing when it comes to getting out of bad relationships. Here looking back is a means of satisfaction of all previous hurdles conquered and the expectation of conquering more to come.
6. Optimism
It is underestimated how much pessimism can hamper progress. Being positive is not to be taken lightly. When you are positive you ask the right questions.
- Where do I go from here?
- How do I not let this not stop my project?
- What good lessons can I take from this?
- What are the positives from this situation?
Being positive makes you a forthright thinker. It makes you constantly look for ways to get out of sticky situations. Positivity breeds out positivity. Leave no room for negativity.
Always give yourself options. See more than one door. Look for ways to improve. Don’t breed negativity. Move forward and persevere. Take a deep breath in times of desperation and keep going. Don’t stop.
‘If you try you can fail but if you don’t you can’t win’.
Remember such quotes every time you think of quitting.
7. Listen to the right stuff
People react really well to the right stuff without even being conscious of it. Music, speech, good friends can all be things that give you the right spark. You don’t need to hear things that make a difficult situation more difficult.
Create a playlist of something that brings out the optimist in you. Listen to things that relate to defiance in character. Some people compare themselves to gladiators to get things done and when it’s done feel like heroes. Find your own persona. Create a beast within. A beast that won’t stop till the job is done.
Listen to motivational speeches. People who accomplished things not just people who talk. Surround yourself with the right voices. Memorize some phrases that get you going. When you are down, remember some of them and re energize. Don’t surround yourself with negative people. Socialize with those who share your vision and are always willing to urge you on.
8. Don’t dwell on it
Some people have a compulsion to absolutely finish a difficult task before moving on to the next no matter how much time it takes. No! Don’t dwell on it. Leave it alone and take a walk around the block.
Free your mind. Have a think about it. Move on to other things. You never know, the idea might just come to you. Don’t drive yourself crazy. Tackle something else with a more tangible solution.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Don’t beat yourself up. Sometimes the solution may be staring you in the face. Once you calm down and are completely focused you will find the solution or the series of steps that will lead you to the solution. Don’t tire yourself out. Let the ideas come to you naturally. Don’t force it.
9. Excuses and procrastination are a No No
It is easy to tell yourself things that make you put off your tasks. Whether it’s making excuses or procrastinating. People simply re prioritize their tasks just to make themselves feel free.
That is just the fear of impending tasks. When it gets closer we get cold feet and tell ourselves we are not good enough to accomplish them. We do this passive aggressively by making up excuses that take us as far away from the tasks as possible.
Avoid excuses and face your fears head on. If you don’t, you won’t realize your strengths and things you need to improve. That is a non-starter.
10. Mental Fortitude
It goes without saying but every successful person who has created something had the right mentality and attitude. They had a defiant attitude through adversities. In times of struggle and self doubt they always came through.
In the end, it shouldn’t matter what obstacles there are. Have the mentality that you will conquer all no matter what. This incredibly proves your focus and confidence. You start seeing challenges even before they are obvious. This makes you know how to handle situations in advance.
Get your mind right. Focus. Success comes from mental strength. Mentally strong people are not down for too long. They rise as quickly as they fall and then get on with it. Develop your mental strength. That is a recipe for success.
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