What gets you from an idea to an accomplishment? It’s called motivation. Merriam-Webster defines motivation as the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something. It’s a force or influence that determines our behavior and what we do next. It keeps you awake late at night to finish a project. It wakes you early to go for a run. It drives you to get from where you are today to where you want to be. Sometimes it takes longer than anticipated but you keep going.
How to get motivated?
- Know your WHY. Your WHY is your motive, the needs and wants that drive behavior. Without knowing the WHY of what you are doing, motivation will be difficult to find. It doesn’t matter what your WHY is as long as you know it. If you’re juggling a corporate job while building a business, remember that you’re working all hours of the day and night to build a better future for your family or to meet an income goal. When it’s what you really want, your motivation will drive you towards that goal.
- Clearly define your goal. How will you know you’ve reached your goal if you don’t know what it is? Clearly define what you want, have a path or milestones identified so you can measure success along the way. When the goal is clearly defined and you know the benefits, motivation will kick in.
- One or two goals at a time. All too often we work on too many projects at a time and end up disappointed. We feel we haven’t accomplished anything when that’s not necessarily true. Narrow your focus to what’s most important. I like having one work and one personal goal to focus on at a time. For many, motivation grows as you check tasks off the list and progress is clear.
- Start small. It’s just like that old saying about Rome not being built in a day. You can’t build your dream life in a day either. Now that you’ve defined the big goal, break it into smaller steps. Get the first 50 likes on your Facebook page. Run one mile. Each accomplishment builds on itself and will keep you motivated for the next steps. To increase motivation, celebrate each accomplishment along the way. When you identify the celebration when you set the goal, it generates motivation right from the start. The key is, you only get the celebration when you hit the goal.
- Be committed. To get and stay motivated, we have to be committed and excited about what we want to accomplish. No plan will keep your attention if you’re not committed to the end result. Keep the end result in front of you daily via a vision board, a goal board or even a post it on your mirror. Review your goals daily and go make them happen.
- Have fun. Find the fun in what you do daily. Motivation is hard to find when our brains are “should-ing” all over us and we’re putting pressure on ourselves to accomplish things. Don’t be so serious! Laugh, sing, dance or play every day. Fun makes us feel good which is key to keeping motivation alive.
Motivation doesn’t magically appear. It takes a clear vision, a plan, commitment and some celebration along the way to get the life of our dreams.
If you need help defining a goal or getting motivated, it’s time to call me, Lauren Holder, at 602-228-1019 or email lauren@myfocusnowcoach.com.