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10 Ways To Increase Your Motivation When You Feel Stuck
Do you struggle with knowing how to get motivated? Maybe you’re currently in a slump and you feel stuck and lost as to moving forward to the next step. Finding motivation can be tough, but with a little push and perseverance, you can learn how to get motivated.
Motivation is not never-ending, in fact it is very finite and it can be frustrating when you know you have to or want to do something… but you just can’t find the will to get started. I know every single one of you has been there, because this is a very human experience. You are not lazy for losing motivation- you are normal.
The tips below can help you find that spark whether it is a huge task or a small one. You have to start somewhere and usually getting started is the hardest part. These little pushes can help you find that forward momentum you need to get started and start feeling motivated.
Getting started is the hardest part of starting a new habit or goal. Check out 10 tips to get motivated right now. #motivation #getmotivated #personaldevelopment
10 Tips To Get You Motivated Now
10. Watch Inspiring/Motivational Videos
Search YouTube for motivational videos. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this. Especially when I don’t feel like going for a run in the morning, I cue up “running motivation” and somehow watching other people triumph in running helps get me out the door.
Pick a specific topic (studying motivation, work motivation, work-out motivation, eating healthy motivation, etc.) or just look into general motivational videos to pump you up!
9. Take It One Step At A Time
One of the biggest things that stops people from getting started is the fact that a task seems so huge and daunting. The magnitude of the task in your head then causes you to keep putting it off because it seems so overwhelming. Break down the task to only the first step and just do that one step. Or, if you are feeling overwhelmed with a ton of new habits you want to start- just implement one habit at a time. Starting small can help you get the motivation to get started, and often getting started will turn into forward momentum to help you continue.
Example: Instead of jumping into eating healthy and working out 5 days a week from not doing anything, start small and just try working out 2-3 days a week first. Then, once you have that habit in place, gradually ramp it up until you feel ready to change your eating habits.
8. Write It Down
The simple act of writing down your end goal can make it more concrete. Post it up on your refrigerator, the wall next to your desk, create a vision board with magazine cut-outs, or make a Pinterest board with inspiration. Do whatever works for you and will give you a positive reminder when you see it.
7. Visualize
Imagine yourself accomplishing your goal. Imagine the process, the outcome, and all of the sensations and emotions you will experience in between. The process of imagining success, and pushing through when you lack motivation or have a failure, will help you persist when the going gets tough and your motivation is lagging.
But don’t take my word for it, read all about how Michael Phelps used visualization to help him become a peak performer.
6. Squash Your Self-Doubt
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you are your own worst critic. So take a look inside and identify where your self-doubt lies so that you can conquer it. Everybody experiences moments of self-doubt, and this often gets in the way of motivation and success- but only if you allow it to. So identify your self-doubt, challenge it, and move forward towards success.
5. Look To Your Mentors
Whether it is a parent, a boss, a friend, a celebrity, an entrepreneur, or an online influencer… I can guarantee you that each and every one of your mentors has experienced a lack of motivation. Find support or guidance from them personally or via their content with how they have conquered a lack of motivation. Because if they have done it, you can do it too!
4. De-clutter Your Space
This may seem so unrelated, but a cluttered space is really a cluttered mind. Sometimes the disorganization in your living space, office, or on your desk can increase your overwhelm and stop you from getting started. Taking a few minutes to clean and organize can help you start with a fresh mind so you can get right into things without the distraction of clutter.
3. Make Things Fun
This is helpful especially if this is a task you really don’t want to do. Find a small way to make things a little more interesting so that it turns into something you can enjoy, instead of an arduous task. For example, I enjoy listening to podcasts while I clean. This takes my focus off of the often non-enjoyable task of cleaning, and gives me something to look forward to, and can also count as double-productivity points if I am gaining some knowledge or tips from the podcast. As a result, I feel more inclined to do the task beforehand, and more accomplished afterwards.
2. Remember Your “Why”
Sometimes feeling unmotivated can make it easy to forget what is truly important to us and why we want to begin the task at hand. So, when you are struggling with how to get motivated, think back to your why. Why do you want to do well in school? Why do you want to blog? Why do you want to eat healthy? Whatever the goal- you have a reason- reflect and use that as your little piece of motivation.
If you need some help identifying your “why” and your values, check out my blog post about values here.
1. You Don’t Need Motivation
My number one tip is that you don’t need motivation to get things done. Many times, motivation comes afterwards, or not at all. If everybody waited for motivation to come before doing things- nothing would get done!
The most important thing is taking action when it matters, because nobody else will do it for you. I hope this post helped you find at least one way to get motivated if you are currently in a slump, or next time you find yourself in one!
Let me know in the comments below if you have ever experienced a lack of motivation, and if you have any tips for how to deal with it.
2 Comments
Great Podcast with lots of useful tips. I am always in search of helpful tips and recommendations for my clients. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting also your point re multitasking vs mindfulness where I tend to have a similar view as you have for simple tasks such as cleaning. However, lately I have been reconsidering this a bit because I see also a certain risk with that. People nowadays in general tend to separate their mind from what they are doing with their body a lot. I think it needs more practice bringing the mind back to the body but of course that is not easy.
Thanks so much, Babett! You bring up a great point, I definitely agree that people tend to separate their mind from their body more nowadays. I like to come from the perspective of self-compassion: I think it can help to ask yourself in any moment, “what do I need right now?” Sometimes it can be difficult to be fully present, and that’s okay, but it is definitely a goal to work towards!