Things to remember to stay motivated

Ask a random stranger what their aspirations in life are. Some would probably say that they want a job that allows them to travel the world. Others, perhaps, would say that they want to practice law or specialize in a particular medical field.

Now, ask them what they are doing to make these aspirations a reality. Chances are you’ll first hear awkward silence, and then a bunch of excuses. Some might even be on their way to becoming a lawyer or a doctor, but they’re struggling to find the motivation to go on. Staying motivated in pursuit of a dream is not an easy feat. To help keep you on track, just remember these basic things.

Goals

Every great endeavor starts with a goal. It sets the course on which you direct your energy and resources. The rule of thumb when it comes to setting goals is to always keep it realistic; take into account several factors, such as the amount of time or the number of people needed to accomplish it. This way, you do not get disheartened by the level of your progress. Setting a tall order for oneself is a sure way to discourage you even before you’ve started.

An effective tip on staying motivated in life to accomplish a particular goal is to list the reasons why you chose that goal in the first place. When you feel that you are losing your grip on things or are simply distracted, just take a peek at your list to remind you why you started, and why it’s important for you to finish.

Strategy

Working on a big goal can be particularly daunting but not if you break it into manageable pieces. You can look at it as a series of small tasks instead of one big task that you need to finish. This is because our brains find it hard to handle large chunks of information; it leaves it overwhelmed.

Motivation and productivity is a matter of physiology. With every small success that you gain, a part of the brain is triggered to release dopamine, a feel-good natural chemical. This essentially means that apart from the feeling of accomplishment, motivation is increased substantially. Sometimes the initial success in the completion of a small task is just the momentum you need to stay motivated at work, for example.

Rewards

The biggest myth when it comes to getting and staying motivated is to always be on the move once you gain your momentum. While partly true, it is not entirely correct. Even people with the strongest resolve to finish a task fall prey to lethargy and inaction if they do repetitive tasks for long periods of time. The key is to break the monotony.

Check your social media. Stand up and stretch your arms. Take a short nap. Go to the pantry and make a sandwich. These breaks offer a breather from the mundaneness of your work and keep you alert and energized enough to keep going. They serve as personal rewards that you get when you finish a portion of your task. When you’ve finally reached your goal, reward yourself with something bigger, like a tub of ice cream or a day trip to the spa. This is delayed gratification, and you’ll thank yourself later for not giving in to procrastination.

I hope you find these things helpful in staying motivated. There are a lot of other ways to sustain personal motivation. Tell me about it in the comment section below. You may also reach me through Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

References:

Gerber, Suzanne. 2013. “How To Stay Motivated And Accomplish Anything.” Forbes, July 19. Accessed September 12, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/07/19/how-to-stay–motivated-and-accomplish-anything/#16e10a3132a5

Mehta, Monica. 2013. “Why Our Brains Like Short-Term Goals.” Entrepreneur, January 3. Accessed September 12, 2017. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225356

WikiHow. “How to Stay Motivated.” Accessed September 12, 2017. http://www.wikihow.com/StayMotivated