It’s not hard to see that motivation is key to achieving any goal. Although some tasks may not be appealing to everyone, but successful people find the motivation to finish them as they realize that each task serves a larger purpose.
Although it is impossible to predict your motivation levels staying at 100%, there are ways you can increase your motivation to keep moving forward. These are five simple, yet powerful tips to stay motivated.
1. Discover Your Reasons To Stay Motivated
There are many good reasons to do anything, no matter how simple.
Although you may not find the right reasons to complete certain tasks initially, if you spend a few minutes to look at them carefully, you’ll be able to spot something worthwhile. You don’t have to do the tasks that you hate, but you can find good reasons to do them.
Each goal should have a reason. You will lose motivation if you don’t know your “why” before you start. This is not the best way to learn how you can become motivated.
Here are some ideas about what a good reason could be:
- Rewards: These could be in the form of money, such as a salary increase or a raise or any other type of award.
- Personal gain: You’ll learn something or improve your skills in a particular way.
- Achievement: Recognizing and feeling accomplished can be hugely motivating.
- You are one step closer to bigger goals: Many of the greatest achievements in history started small, and required simple tasks that were far more tedious than what you might be doing. Each task you accomplish brings you closer towards your ultimate goal. It is always good to acknowledge this.
2. Attitude Is Key To Motivation
Attitude is key to motivation. Different people might feel completely different feelings about the same task. Some may hate it while others love it.
This is why you believe it happens. It is simple. We find ways to make tasks interesting and fun when we lose motivation.
Let’s take sports as an example. While it may sound boring to many, others find that they enjoy going to the gym for half an hour every day. Finding a group sport within your community might be a better option for those who hate going to the gym.
It is simple to get started on any task by asking a few questions.
- How can I make this task enjoyable?
- What can I do for my fellow workers and myself to make this task enjoyable?
- What can I do to make this the most enjoyable part of my day?
One way to keep motivated is to expect a task will be fun. There are many tasks that can be enjoyable. It is important to find ways to have fun while you work.
3. Never Give Up
If you don’t feel motivated by something, it’s a good idea to stop and take a look at the situation.
Even though you may be doing all the right things and running a smooth operation, it is not always the most motivating. There are often simple tweaks that can be made to your existing approach that will change the way you experience things and open up new possibilities.
It’s not uncommon to say “one way or the other” when you want to achieve your goal. There is always a way. Most likely there are more than one.
You can always try another approach if one doesn’t work. Keep trying until you find one that works for you.
4. Track Your Success
You can easily break down any project you are working on into smaller pieces and stages. It is common to break down large or long-term goals into smaller tasks and milestones. This is a good idea for tracking your progress.
With most activities, we track our progress automatically. However, to stay motivated, it is important to recognize and not just track your progress. You simply note that you have reached a particular stage of your journey.
Recognizing means taking the time to see the larger picture and recognizing where you are at this point and what you still have to do.
If you are going to read a book or other material, make sure you start by reading the contents table. It will be easier to identify your progress while reading if you are familiar with the chapter titles and can memorize their total number. It is a good idea to confirm how many pages your book contains before you start it.
It is part of our human nature to want things to happen quickly or in a short time. We don’t feel satisfied until all tasks are completed, even if we break them down into smaller actions.
In many cases, however, the task can seem so daunting that it will take all your motivation away before you are able to achieve your goal. It is crucial to take small steps and acknowledge the positive achievements. This is how you can stay motivated over the long-term.
5. Reward Yourself
Do you feel down about doing something? Do you hate the thought of having to work on a task? Do you hate the idea of working?
From the very beginning, you should agree on deliverables that will merit your reward. Once you have achieved the agreed results, reward yourself with some form of reward. This will help you feel more motivated over time.
Some tasks can be done by taking a short break and relaxing for a while. You might want to grab a cup of fresh coffee or treat yourself with dessert.
You can reward yourself for completing more difficult tasks by going on a vacation, seeing a movie or buying something.
You will be more motivated to achieve new milestones if you give yourself rewards for your progress.
Final Thoughts
These are five ways to stay motivated. Now it’s time to mix and match them all!
Choose one of these techniques and adapt it to your circumstances. You can always try another method if it doesn’t work or you just want to be more motivated. You can mix and match different approaches to get the best results.
You will feel happier if you find good reasons to do your job. Identifying ways to make the task more enjoyable will also help.
It is easy to learn how to stay motivated. Schedule a reward if you are in need of one. You don’t have to know your “why” but you can take some time to reflect on it. Start tackling your goals by doing what you need.