12 Strategies for Staying Motivated, So You Reach Your Goals

12 Strategies for Staying Motivated, So You Reach Your Goals

Without motivation, you’re dead in the water. Nothing gets done, and worse, you can’t find the energy to change that situation. The last thing you want to do is to fall into the vortex of broken dreams and lost promise. How do you change that? Simply by not getting there in the first place. The trick is to STAY motivated, even when you’re not feeling it. How?

1. Stop procrastinating. Chances are if you’re procrastinating you’ve stopped working, and motivation is already slipping to dangerous levels. When this happens, you need to give yourself a sharp kick in the backside and keep going — no excuses.

2. Cut out distractions. What’s going on around you? Is something taking your attention away from your work? Maybe it’s time to work wearing headphones, or to isolate until you get your momentum back.

3. Change of scenery. If you’re still having trouble, it might be because you’re growing stagnant. You’ve been working too long, and you need to clear your head. Take a walk. Go for a drive. Or if you’re stuck at work, then take your laptop to an empty conference room — anything to create a change.

4. Exercise. Nothing stimulates the brain and gets it going again like exercise. You don’t have to commit to an hour-long run to get your motivation back. Even a short jog around the block will get your heart pumping and your brain producing endorphins to jump you back into high gear again.

5. Meditate. Or in contrast to the last item on the list, slow down. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Find your center and your calm. Relax and let go of what’s going on around you.

6. Stop worrying. While this one is easier said than done, the main idea here is to let go of the things you cannot change so that you can keep looking forward without anything inhibiting you.

7. Listen to music: Put on music that puts ideas into your head, and a bounce to your step. The genre doesn’t matter. It’s how the music makes you feel that counts. Use whatever gives you get up and go to get back in motion.

8. Make a Daily To-Do list. It might be you’re losing motivation because you’re too overwhelmed by big goals. Break those goals down, and then drop those bite-sized pieces on a daily To-Do list. Be careful not to overload the list with too much. You want to set yourself up for success – not failure.

9. Find someone who motivates you. Maybe you need a mentor. Or it could be a biography of someone who you find motivating is just the thing to inspire you back to action when you’re flagging. Give yourself time to meet with your mentor, or to read on a regular basis.

10. Visualize success. Most important, see yourself completing the project in as much detail as you can imagine. A positive visualization of success tells your subconscious that you can succeed. Sometimes that’s all you need to get your energy back.

There are many more things you can try that aren’t on this list. The important thing to remember is that we’re all different. If something motivates you, then use that to keep your project on track. Only you know what you need to succeed, so get out there and do it!