Stay Motivated: Getting And Staying Motivated
Stay Motivated: Getting and Staying Motivated
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a rut, unable to make progress towards your goals? It's frustrating when I get that way and just can't seem to get out of my hole and I have to remind myself of what I've been through and got out of it, whatever the situation was. It's like a circular loop that gets nowhere. Ha like the movie Groundhog Day and you just want the repeating to stop.
Motivation comes and goes. What keeps you moving is having a few things in place for the days it doesn't show up. I'll start with what works for me, then get into a bigger picture.
Quick Exercises and Tips for Staying Motivated
These are the things that have helped me stay on track.
Put it where you'll see it. I printed photos from past excursions and taped them to my office door. I see them every day and they remind me what I'm working toward. This really helps me especially when I just don't want to be at work for one reason or another.
Make time for nothing. Once or twice a month, I take an afternoon or a full day to veg out. It's never scheduled: it just happens.
Disconnect completely. For me that's camping somewhere without cell service. When that's not possible, I'll take a few hours with a sketchbook and just doodle or color. Other times, I'll go to my local spot where an old mill used to be, chill by the water and let my mind flow to the sound of the waterfall. There's been times when I've fallen asleep when it's nice out.
When I'm stressed or overwhelmed, these pull me out of it. I step back, reset, and come back ready to go. Whether you're working towards a big career change, trying to get in shape, or aiming to improve your personal relationships, there are ways you can use to overcome obstacles and stay on track.
Identifying Obstacles to Progress
Most people set a goal and skip this step. Then the first setback hits and everything stalls.
Be honest about what's in the way. Maybe it's procrastination. Maybe progress feels too slow to matter. Maybe it's outside stuff: not enough time, not enough money, or people who don't get what you're trying to do.
Name it. Once you know what it is, you can plan around it.
Setbacks will still happen. Treat them as information: what went wrong, and what would you do differently next time?
Get Support And Accountability
Doing it alone is harder than it needs to be. Tell someone what you're working on: a friend, family member, mentor, or a group working toward something similar. When someone is asking how it's going, it's a lot harder to quietly give up.
The right people help on the bad days too. They remind you why you started when you forget.
The other week, I reached out to my ATL Mom. I worked for her when I was in college, and she's turned into a friend and mentor. When I talked to her, I said I was in a pickle. After I told her the issue, she told me "Cathy, you're not in a pickle. That's a great situation to be in actually. Go ahead and do it. It won't hurt you. After you do it, let me know how it turns out."
We all need someone in our lives like this. As an introvert, I can hold things in and be my own worst enemy with overthinking and fear.
Break Down Goals To Stay On Track
A big goal on its own is overwhelming. I learned that the hard way.
After my divorce, I knew I needed change but didn't really know how to get there. As an introvert, I knew I could be content with just going to work and going back home. That wasn't what I wanted or needed. I wanted to get back to being outdoorsy and get myself out there again. Then COVID happened.
I wanted it so badly that I went down the rabbit hole and created lists upon lists of things I wanted to do. Then I got myself overwhelmed with lists: events, getting back in touch with people, making new friends, work, home improvements. All of it at once, all in my head.
So I broke it down. I made a goal to do at least one outdoorsy thing a month, reach out to an old friend, do something for myself, try a new food, and do something different. If I didn't get to one of them because of time, it wasn't a big deal.
Establish a Routine for Consistency to Create Success Stories
Consistency beats intensity. A routine takes the decision out of it: you're not waiting to feel like it, you're just doing the next thing.
It doesn't have to be big. Same time, same place, a little progress. That adds up faster than you'd think.
In my case, I found a life planner helpful to keep it all together. I'm old skool: I write it down so I won't forget, and writing it down reminds me I have something going on so I'm not double booked. Since I made it a goal to do at least one thing per month, I can easily look back at the month or week.
Over time, doing an outdoor activity became normal. They were planned out a month to 6 months ahead, so I had something to look forward to and was "needing" to do it.
Staying Motivated and Focused
Keep your end goal in front of you. Literally, if that helps: it's why those photos are on my office door.
[INSERT IMAGE: printed photos on office door]
On the page that I printed out, what I DID do was in color and what I wanted to do was in black and white. The visual distinction separated what I'd done from what was still ahead.
Find what inspires you: books, videos, people who've done what you want to do. Everyone's different, so try a few until something sticks.
And when you have an off week, don't beat yourself up. Pick it back up.
Celebrating Milestones and Progress
It's easy to keep grinding without noticing how far you've come. Stop and acknowledge it.
When I started, there were several times I was being hard on myself and let my thoughts tell me I hadn't progressed much or at all. But I had the proof that I did!
Other times, I'd get so wrapped up in work that I convinced myself I hadn't taken any time for myself. Sometimes the planner proved me wrong. Other times it showed me it really had been a while, and that was my cue to get back out there.
My treat to myself was trying a new restaurant. Since I was really trying hard at work, I would either take a longer lunch break and bring my work with me or order delivery at the office. It's small, but it was enough change.
Share The Wins
Sharing your wins with friends, family, or coworkers keeps you accountable. It can also be the nudge someone else needs to go after their own goals.
Mine happened by accident. When I was ordering different foods for lunch, my coworkers would smell it and ask about it. At a point, we started ordering together to try something different.
Don't Let The Negativity Stick
Not everyone will cheer you on. Some people will find something to pick at, even when it has nothing to do with them. Don't let it get to you: a lot of the time, it just means you're doing something they're not.
We had a negative Nancy in the office. When we ordered Indian, she'd say the food stunk. Never to us directly, but we shared a wall and I could hear it. When I'd ask everyone if they wanted something from a particular spot, she'd say no, she didn't want to eat that, it was gross.
So we just never asked her again.
Keep Going
Nobody is on 100% all the time. When you lose momentum, go back to the basics: what's in the way, what's the next small step, and who's in your corner.
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