Everyone has different sources of fuel for their personal fire, which means that everyone's motivation for doing or achieving something is different. Motivation can come and go with the ebb and flow of life, but there are many ways we can continue to find motivation in life. This motivation can apply to our careers, our fitness goals, in school, or in life! Here are our seven simple ways to stay motivated, no matter what the path ahead may look like.
1. DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL.
One of the biggest reasons people let a dream slip away or give up on something is the fear of failure. This is completely normal. Fear dictates so much of what we do in life but once you overcome this fear, you can approach everything with confidence.
Walt Disney experienced bankruptcy and a mental breakdown before starting the Walt Disney Company. Henry Ford's first two cars were flops before starting Ford. James Dyson created over 5,100 failed prototypes before creating the first working Dyson vacuum. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school varsity basketball team - and you know how that ended. J.K. Rowling was newly divorced, jobless, and broke before writing Harry Potter. Vincent Van Gogh only sold a single painting during his life.
Failure is a promise of life. We will never be successful at everything all of the time. Facing the possibility of failure head-on helps us stay motivated and hungry for what will come next.
2. CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
Changing up your environment can be a powerful way to keep yourself motivated. If you are caught up in a routine, you are less likely to feel creative or inspired which can cause your motivation to lack. It is especially difficult to find motivation if you are not feeling positive or uplifted personally. Go outside, put on a song and dance, exercise, do something that gets your creative juices flowing like writing or drawing, or spend time with a loved one. A fresh environment can spark fresh motivation.
3. CREATE A DETAILED PLAN.
Having a focused, clear plan is a wonderful way to stay motivated. With a clear end goal, you will be able to create intentional and specific steps to help you get there. Ambiguity can be a killer of momentum and motivation because it leaves you feeling hopeless or confused. By creating a clear plan, you will be able to visualize exactly where you want to end up and will be able to put specific steps in place to It is said that a goal without a plan is just a dream. Do not let your dreams simply be dreams! Create a way to get there.
Details are a key piece in creating a plan. The more detailed your plan is, the easier it will be to stick to that plan and follow it through. The more detailed your plan is, the more likely you will be able to visualize it and lean into the emotions of the plan.
4. TREAT YOURSELF.
It can be incredibly grueling to stay motivated if there is no reward in sight. Always make sure you are rewarding your hard work. You can treat yourself when you accomplish something specific, like getting a promotion or cutting sugar out of your diet for a month. You can also reward yourself for the daily grind of life. Celebrate things that do not always feel like massive victories, like working out five days a week and rewarding yourself with a nice meal out. A reward can be something as small as watching a movie on a Friday night. The reward is a crucial piece in keeping endurance and motivation up.
5. GIVE YOURSELF DEADLINES.
Much like creating a plan, creating deadlines for yourself can be incredibly motivating. It keeps you focused and on schedule. Once you reach those deadlines, it also gives you something to celebrate! You can create a hard deadline that helps you feel an urgency for accomplishing something, which in turn creates motivation to complete it.
6. FIND YOUR PURPOSE.
With a clear sense of purpose, it will be much easier to find motivation. For example, if your purpose is your family, the motivation to work hard in your career will feel lighter, because your purpose dictates that what you are doing matters and that other people are counting on you. Hard work in any area of your life is a resource in molding yourself into who you want to become and leaning into that purpose. Motivation truly comes from within. If you have a clear purpose, it will serve as your northern star and motivation will guide you to that purpose much easier.
7. OPEN YOUR GRATITUDE JOURNAL.
A wonderful way to find focus and hope for the future is to ground yourself in the present and celebrate the good. A gratitude journal can motivate you by celebrating the gifts you have in your life and shifting your mind to a more positive state. Just as changing your environment can bring on fresh motivation, focusing on life's blessings can help you feel motivated for the dreams you are chasing.
Motivation comes from within and it impacts almost every single decision you make. What motivates you? We would love to hear from you. Share your motivation in the comments or email us at support@gratitudegifted.com.
SPREAD GRATITUDE.
CHANGE THE WORLD.
