What do you do when you feel low and short on motivation and desire?
As a Business Coach I am committed to keeping my clients motivated and excited about achieving their goals. However, to build and grow a small business you need to learn that you can generate your own enthusiasm, don’t sit around waiting for inspiration, it’s up to you and like any other skill, you can learn to be self-motivated and full of desire on demand!
Here are 6 tips to motivate yourself and get those challenging things done:
Keep your purpose in mind.
If you need motivation to do something, there must be a good reason you want to do it. Keep that big “WHY?” front and center, connect with it daily, put it on your white board, write it in your journal and calendar, post colorful stickies all over your work and home space.
Set appropriate goals.
Goals are the best motivational tool; however, they have to be realistic and get you excited, you have to state them clearly, in writing and you have to take ownership of them. If a goal is too small, it will not be motivating; if it is too big it will be overwhelming. Your goals have to get you excited. Remind yourself of your goals each day, set time aside to review them. Read them out loud and visualize your success. Imagine how you will you feel when your goal is reached.
Pay attention to your progress toward your goals.
Celebrate your successes small and big. Nothing motivates us like success and we often overlook the small wins, be proud of them, many small wins lead to the big outcomes and the big goals.
Take breaks.
Nothing destroys motivation and desire like burn out! Working non-stop is not an effective way to stay focused, motivated and enthusiastic. Studies show that most of us do best when we take a 10 to 15 minute break every hour. Go for a walk, get some fresh air; listen to some music, whatever takes you mind off your task and makes you happy.
Have gratitude.
It’s so easy to feel down when you are struggling and focused on what you don’t have. Remind yourself of all the people and success you already have in your life. When you focus on being grateful for a few minutes, your mood will improve and you will feel more motivated. Spend a few minutes each day listing all the things and people in your life that allow you to feel grateful.
Find a form of external motivation.
Sometimes we can generate motivation and desire through internal means. At other times we need external pleasure or pain to generate enthusiasm.
There are several ways to boost your motivation:
- Tell others what you are trying to accomplish, share your goals with a coach and mentor, your supportive friends and family. Once you have shared your goals, people will help you reach it, they will be your accountability partners.
- Promise yourself a reward, make it something meaningful.
- Hold yourself accountable when you fail. For example: if you cheat on your diet? Give $20 to a charity. While it’s hard to admit sometimes we are more driven by pain than pleasure!
Motivation is best when it occurs on its own, organically. However, that is not always the case, even for the most motivated of us there are times of challenge and resistance.
Practice these tips daily and you will learn to create your own motivation. Do not wait for inspiration to smile upon you!
When all else fails, get started. Even a small action can get the ball rolling and be really motivating.