We’ve all found ourselves at a point in life when we have a lack of motivation. Whether you’re a student who can’t get into that last push for a finished paper, or a working adult who’s looking for something more in life, you’re not alone. Millions of people every day suffer from a lack of motivation due to a number of reasons.
Maybe you’re tired of your job, and are looking for a new career. Or maybe you don’t know what to do with your life, and need some help figuring it out.
Regardless of your situation, there are ways to find motivation if you don’t give up. Here are just a few ideas on how you can get motivated when you find yourself stuck in a rut.
Look for Inspiration in Others
One great was to find motivation to look at what others are doing. When you see someone else achieve success, it can be inspiring and motivating. You can get inspired by their story, their accomplishments, or even just their attitude.
Set Goals
Set goals and make a plan. When you have a goal in mind, it’s easier to find the motivation to achieve it. It can also help to break down your larger goals into smaller steps so you can more easily track your progress.
Visualize Your Success
picturing yourself achieving your goal can be a great way to motivate yourself. The more detailed your visualization, the more powerful it will be.
Take a Class
Learning something new can often create energy and motivation. When you’re taking a class, you’re doing something with purpose and you’re constantly working towards a goal. Today there are hundreds of classes you can take online and in your spare time to help get motivated
Find a Role Model
Having someone to look up to can be incredibly motivating. Find someone who has the qualities that you want to have, and learn from them. Not only will you be able to better yourself, but you’ll also have someone to admire and look up to.
Start a Project
When you start something new, it’s often easier to find motivation. This could be anything from starting a blog, painting, or cooking every day for a month. Something about starting something new makes us more excited and driven to see it through.
Create a List
Make a list of reasons why you want to achieve your goal. This can be a great way to remind yourself why you’re working hard, and it can help keep you motivated when things get tough.
Make it Enjoyable
Find ways to enjoy the process. When you’re enjoying the process of reaching your goals, it can help motivate you to work harder. Find ways to make the process more enjoyable, even if it’s something as simple as listening to your favorite music while you work or finding ways to celebrate your small victories.
Build in a Reward
Reward yourself for good behavior. Rewarding yourself for good behavior is a great way to keep motivation up. Keep in mind that rewarding yourself doesn’t necessarily mean you can treat yourself to something; rewards can be anything that make the process more enjoyable, like taking a break to watch your favorite TV show or treating yourself to your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant.
Find the Benefit
Focus on ways you benefit from achieving this goal. Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged by focusing on ways you might not benefit much from achieving your goal, like ways you’ll help others or ways it will make other people happy. Focusing on ways you’ll benefit, even when they’re small ways, can be motivating and inspiring.
Keep Trying
Stay away from “all-or-nothing” thinking. Things are rarely black and white, so don’t expect them to be. For example, if you make a mistake, don’t think “I failed; I might as well give up.” Instead, remind yourself that you’re human and mistakes happen; try again tomorrow.
Remember We All Fail
Don’t assume this is your only shot at success. There are almost always ways around roadblocks or ways to improve on your current plan. If you don’t achieve your goal the first time, don’t give up; try again with a new plan.
No Comparisons
Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is never productive and will only make you feel bad about yourself. Everyone progresses at their own pace and has their own unique set of challenges; you can’t expect yourself to be like anyone else.
Have fun!
Sometimes motivation is hard to come by, but it’s important not to make things too serious. Find ways to enjoy even the smallest moments along your journey; better yet, find ways to make everything about this goal enjoyable. Enjoying the process will help keep you motivated when the going gets tough.
The Bottom Line
When you’re looking for ways to find motivation, it can be helpful to try different tactics. Whether it’s by setting more realistic goals or finding ways to activate your intrinsic motivators, there are many ways that will work well for each person.
There are many ways to find motivation, and these are just a few of the most common ones. It’s important to find what works best for you and to keep trying until you find something that sticks. Stay motivated, stay positive, and stay focused on your goals; you can do it!