Do you get caught up in the daily routine, finding it difficult to stay motivated? I mean, “how can I stay motivated with pages of to-do lists?”
This is one of the most common challenges my clients express, so this month I’m sharing my Top 50 ways to Stay Motivated. It’s not magic. It’s not something you “have or you don’t.” It’s something you can create to get and keep yourself on track!
- Hang with positive people
- Limit your time with negative people
- Better yet, shift conversations to the positive with those people
- Have motivating conversations
- Stop focusing on what’s not working
- Concentrate on your abilities, on what you can do
- Congratulate yourself for even the smallest achievements
- Talk about why you want to achieve your goals and keep your intention front and center
- Seek out the company of people you admire
- Watch a competition (one requiring dedication and focus, not a hot dog eating contest!)
- Write out your “why” and put it on your screensaver
- Break big goals into small, do-able actions
- Read a biography of someone inspiring
- Make a pact with a friend to have positive, problem-solving conversations
- Limit time spent wallowing (literally, set a timer)
- When discouraged, feel it then change your mental channel
- Remind yourself of prior successes and learn from them
- Celebrate your skills and talents
- Connect your skills and talents with working on your goals
- Take micro breaks in order to recharge and come back refreshed to the task
- Focus on what you can control. because that’s where your power is
- Let go of what you can’t, because it’s unhelpful
- Set out a reward for yourself (I did that last month and achieved my goals with 2 weeks to spare!)
- Schedule enjoyment for after a not-so-fun task (but one that gets you to your goal)
- Challenge the “have tos” and “shoulds”
- Reflect your personal empowerment by saying “I choose”
- Ask for help – if someone’s working with you it keeps you going, too
- When faced with temptation ask, “What do I want more than this?” (Thanks to Rob Bell for that question!)
- Make sure your goals are your goals, not your partner’s, parent’s or doctor’s
- Have a mantra or phrase for when things get tough and repeat it often
- Create a vision of what success looks like and read it daily
- Remind yourself of a time you’ve overcome obstacles in the past
- Ask your partner or a friend for specific support when you’re feeling down
- Don’t wait to “feel” motivation – create it yourself
- Identify multiple ways to experience success
- Mentor someone else – it keeps you accountable
- Schedule play time, then working on your goals becomes less of a chore
- Treat yourself well, like you deserve it (because, of course, you do)
- Meditate to start the day feeling centered
- Create a pleasing environment (home, work and car)
- Buy clothes you feel good in
- Volunteer and see how it makes you appreciate your life even more
- Look for opportunities to be grateful
- Read a daily inspirational quote (I use the Full Focus Planner)
- Ask others how they stay motivated and learn from them
- Identify multiple ways to achieve your goals so that you have options
- Be okay with less than perfect, because that’s the only real option
- Expect failure – because it happens – that way you’re not surprised and it doesn’t derail you
- When you fail, identify what it makes possible
- Be compassionate when you fail because self-flagellation is so unproductive!
As you employ these strategies you’ll notice crossover, that one breeds another and the next one. Your behaviors become easier the more your practice, which is to say they become habits. The more you create habits that support you, the less effort required to actually achieve your goals.
Who doesn’t want that?!
Thank you, thank you. Once again so on point, and right when I needed to be reminded about being positive and motivated. You are the best!