You’ve heard it before: “How do you stay motivated at the gym?”, “I have no motivation to do these chores.” It’s like it’s the secret to getting anything done. Here’s why you can’t rely on motivation.
Why You Can’t Rely on Motivation
I’ll cut to the chase: motivation ain’t gonna cut it long term.
There have been so many times where I feel extremely motivated to do something but literally 5 minutes later, it’s gone and I dread doing anything.
If we relied on motivation, we’d never get anything done because what do we do when it’s gone?
What You Can Do Instead of Depending on Motivation
1. Have smaller goals
Sometimes, the idea or outcome of something is more exciting than the actual work. The actual work is daunting and overwhelming. I totally get that.
Breaking your goal down into smaller chunks can make the process more tolerable and manageable.
Say you want to move to another country. The end result of being in another country is wonderful. But the actual steps to get there? Buying a plane ticket, finding somewhere to stay, figuring out any visa requirements, deciding where to work, wondering if you’ll have enough money, etc… none of those are as exciting as actually being there.
But take it one step at a time. Rather than staring at everything you need to do, just put one foot in front of the other and get to work.
2. Be consistent
Don’t lose momentum as you work towards your goal. Do your best to tackle something every day or as often as you can.
I’m the kind of person where if I don’t work at something regularly, I’ll lose my motivation, I’ll “forget” about it, and everything gets pushed back. But once I make it a habit, it’s harder for me to break it.
The gym’s a great example. Before I was a regular at the gym, it was so hard for me to workout. I would quit often and it was never a part of my routine even though I wanted it to be. But once I got some momentum going, it became hard to stop. Not all days will be fun or perfect, but I made it a habit and that consistency is what helps me get closer to my goal.
3. Remember your “why”
When you feel your motivation dwindling, remember WHY you want to accomplish this goal. There must be something that sparked this desire in you. Remember it and use it to refocus yourself.
It’s easy to want to quit when things get hard. But if this is something you truly want, use your “why” as the thing to get you going again.
4. Be kind to yourself
At the end of the day, you’re a human being with fluctuating emotions and feelings. You may get frustrated with yourself when you can’t bring yourself to work towards your goal. That’s OK.
Sometimes forcing yourself to do something can backfire. When you rely on motivation, it can only take you so far. And no matter how hard you try, you end up making no progress at all. Take a break and give yourself some time to regroup. Come back with fresh eyes and a clear mind. Chances are you’ll feel much better and more prepared to make some progress!
Small Progress is Still Progress
Goals are great but depending on what they are, they can be daunting to achieve. When you think you’re moving along very slowly, remember that small and slow progress is still progress. You may not get there as fast as you thought you would, but you WILL get there. Trust yourself that you can do it.
What do you do when motivation fails?