We all know that it’s important to get motivated to do whatever it is we’re doing. But just because you’ve been motivated in the past doesn’t mean that you will stay motivated going forward. In fact, there are times when, after a few weeks, you start to feel less motivated, whether you are dealing with work, exercise schedules, or saving money.
If you want to see continued results, you need to stay motivated, even when things get tough. After all, if you can’t stay motivated, you could lose all of the progress you made previously.
Identify What’s Slowing You Down
One of the most important things to do once you feel yourself losing motivation is to identify what’s slowing you down. When I start slowing down with my work, and I’m not longer motivated to complete my assignments, the culprit is often burnout. When I have a hard time exercising each day, it’s usually because I’m bored with the routine, or because I feel like I have other things I could be doing instead.
Take a look at your situation, and identify what’s slowing you down. Understanding the why behind your dragging motivation is very important, since it gives you something to attack.
Look for Multiple Reasons to Stay Motivated
Another strategy for maintaining motivation is to look for multiple reasons to keep going. This is vital for me with my diet and exercise plan. My main reason for diet and exercise is to reach and maintain a specific weight. However, it’s hard to stay motivated when you don’t see results as fast as you would like. This happens to me all the time. I feel like I’m working hard, and denying myself tasty treats, and nothing is happening. It’s been especially frustrating for me lately, as I’ve added strength training exercises and my arms are still flabby — on top of the fact that I’ve gained weight recently.
In order to stay motivated to keep with my exercise program, I have to find more than one reason to keep it up. I try to make sure that I focus on losing inches, not just weight. I also make it a point to acknowledge that I feel more energetic when I exercise and remind myself of the better health I have (including keeping my cholesterol under control without medication).
Looking for multiple reasons to stay motivated can help you in other areas as well. You can consider money, recognition, and improved performance as reasons to stay motivated. You can also visualize future results, and work for a specific goal. When you start a project or embark on self-improvement journey, list at least five reasons you have for taking this action. That way, when you feel yourself losing motivation, or you are unhappy with some of the results, you can fall on these other reasons to stay motivated.
Acknowledge Any Progress You Make
Finally, make sure that you acknowledge any progress you make toward your goal. Too often, we focus mainly on the end result. This can become overwhelming, since the end seems far away. You need to measure your progress along the way. Acknowledge how far you’ve come to this point. Compare yourself now to where you were at first. Recognizing that progress, and perhaps rewarding yourself for the progress, can help you stay motivated for the long haul.
Sometimes it’s not easy to stay motivated, but it’s an important part of moving forward with your life.
How do you stay motivated in your own life?