10 Tips to Get Your Motivation Going
“I just can’t get motivated.” Or, “It’s so hard to maintain motivation.” Sound familiar? I hear that constantly from my clients whether it is an adult trying for the umpteenth time to clean out an attic or from a student working on an English term paper. For them, it is less about disorganization or even time management and more about the desire and the will to begin or the effort to keep going. So how do we teach motivation? That’s a tricky one. Here are some strategies.
Motivation itself is actually not necessary.
Believing we have to FEEL like doing something in order to actually do it can lead to not getting anything done. Sometimes if we just simply begin we can become motivated.
Most would say picture the end result.
See yourself where you want to be. I like to do the opposite. Reflect on where you’ve been. Seeing how far you might have gotten or even just standing still (no backsliding!) is powerful in keeping you on track.
Do the hardest or longest task first.
Especially students. That sense of accomplishment is so rewarding.
Build in rewards.
Frozen yogurt anyone?? Treating yourself to one of your favorites is a sure way to keep on track.
Create deadlines fake or real.
We need to “see” it to commit to it.
Work at your peak energy times.
And work in time intervals and not by task. Easier to wrap your brain around 20 minutes then it is to take on the task of cleaning that attic.
Buddy up!!
I can’t exercise without a partner. It is that simple. Identify what you need and call in the troupes. Accountability is key.
Strip away the layers.
The build up or anticipation is usually worse than the task or situation itself. We all know that. So when I get hit with the “I don’t want to’s”, I flip it upside down and say “don’t do it because you have to; do it because you can!”
It’s good enough.
Repeat after me. It’s good enough. Nothing else to say here.
Create energy around your tasks and to that point environment is key.
Red bull on steroids. Whether it is music, colorful office supplies or the local coffee shop, create an environment that will give you a natural caffeine boost!
So, what motivates me?
Fear is a huge motivator. It can be paralyzing for some but for me, it propels me forward. Truthfully it is probably an insecurity or self-doubt of some kind. I’m not proud of it but it is what keeps me going. Interestingly for most of my clients fear is the first obstacle we work on to get unstuck. Reach out to Leslie@orderoochaos.com and let me know what motivates you.
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Looking for more motivation?
You might enjoy our post called Raising a Resilient Kid: The Power of the Praise!