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.
One of the most underrated tools for staying on course is visualization. Here's what it does and how to actually practice it.
Visualizations works to get you on your way to feeling like you're living up to your full potential. You will no longer feel like you're holding yourself back from achieving your goals and living the life you truly desire.
By harnessing the power of your mind, you can unlock a multitude of benefits that will improve your motivation, confidence, performance, and overall well-being.
Visualization is the regular practice of creating vivid mental images of your desired outcomes. It's a technique that has been used by successful athletes, entrepreneurs, and performers for decades to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
By consistently visualizing your desired outcomes, you can rewire your brain to believe that they are possible, which in turn, will increase your motivation, focus, and determination to achieve them.
So, if you want to break free from the limitations that are holding you back and live the life you truly desire, visualization is a powerful tool that can help you get there.
Increasing Motivation and Focus to Achieve Your Dreams
You'll be amazed at how visualization can boost your motivation and focus, helping you achieve your goals with ease. Goal setting is an essential part of success, but it's not always easy to stay motivated and focused on the end result.
Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you stay on track and keep your eye on the prize. By visualizing the outcome you desire, you can create a mental image of what success looks like, and this can be a powerful motivator. Visualization is a simple way to get you out of your funk and keep you going.
Mindfulness is another key component of visualization. When you're mindful, you're fully present in the moment, and you're able to focus your attention on what's important. Visualization is a form of mindfulness that allows you to focus your attention on your goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them.
By visualizing the process of achieving your goals, you can stay focused on the present moment, and this can help you stay motivated and on track. Visualization can also help you overcome obstacles and challenges.
When you're faced with a difficult situation, it's easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of your goals. By visualizing the outcome you desire, you can stay focused on what's important, and this can help you overcome obstacles and challenges with greater ease. Visualization will help you stay positive and optimistic, even when things don't go as planned.
Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you increase your motivation and focus, and achieve your goals with ease. By setting clear goals, practicing mindfulness, and visualizing the outcome you desire, you can stay on track and overcome obstacles and challenges along the way. Give it a try and you might be surprised at how much it can help you achieve your dreams and live a life of freedom and fulfillment.
Use Visualization to Boost Your Confidence and Self-Esteem
When you see yourself achieving your goals in a visual representation, it can boost your confidence and self-esteem. Visualization can help you build resilience by allowing you to see yourself overcoming obstacles and challenges.
By picturing yourself succeeding, you can cultivate positivity and a sense of empowerment that can carry you through difficult times. When you visualize yourself achieving your goals, you tap into the power of your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind can't distinguish between what is real and what is imagined.
When you repeatedly visualize yourself achieving your goals, your subconscious mind begins to believe that it is possible. This belief can translate into increased confidence and self-esteem, which can help you take action towards achieving your goals. Visualization can also help you develop a positive self-image.
When you see yourself succeeding, you begin to view yourself in a more positive light. This positive self-image can boost your confidence and self-esteem, making it easier for you to tackle new challenges and take risks. Visualization can help you break free from limiting beliefs and negative self-talk, giving you the courage to pursue your dreams.
Visualization is a powerful tool for boosting confidence and self-esteem. It can help you build resilience and cultivate positivity by allowing you to see yourself achieving your goals. By visualizing your success, you can develop a positive self-image and overcome limiting beliefs. So, take some time to visualize yourself succeeding and watch as your confidence and self-esteem soar.
Achieve Your Goals by Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Feeling stressed and anxious? Try using visualization techniques to ease your mind and relax. Mindfulness practices and cognitive restructuring techniques have been found to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety levels in individuals. By focusing on the present moment and letting go of negative thoughts, mindfulness can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, and ultimately reduce stress.
Cognitive restructuring techniques involve changing negative thought patterns into positive ones, which can help reduce anxiety. Visualization is a powerful tool that can be used in both mindfulness and cognitive restructuring techniques. By visualizing positive outcomes and experiences, you can train your mind to focus on the positive instead of the negative. This can help reduce anxiety and stress levels, as well as boost your confidence and self-esteem.
Visualization can also be used to create a sense of calm and relaxation, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. To use visualization as a stress-reducing technique, find a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes and focus on your breath, inhaling and exhaling deeply. As you breathe, visualize a peaceful scene, such as a beach or a forest. Imagine yourself in that scene, feeling calm and relaxed.
As you continue to breathe deeply, visualize any negative thoughts or emotions leaving your body, and replace them with positive thoughts and feelings. Incorporating visualization techniques into your daily routine can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, and improve your overall well-being. By focusing on the positive and letting go of negative thoughts, you can train your mind to become more resilient and less reactive to stress.
With regular practice, visualization can become a powerful tool in your stress-reducing arsenal. So take a few minutes each day to visualize a peaceful scene, and watch as your stress and anxiety levels decrease.
Imagine Improving Your Performance in Important Areas of Your Life
By incorporating visualization techniques into your daily routine, you can enhance your performance in various fields and achieve your goals more effectively in the areas of your life that are important to you. Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you envision your success and the steps you need to take to get there.
Whether you're an athlete, musician, or business professional, visualization can improve your performance and help you reach your full potential. Goal setting is an important aspect of visualization. By setting clear and specific goals, you can create a roadmap for success and stay focused on what you want to achieve.
Visualization can help you see yourself achieving your goals and can motivate you to take action towards achieving them. By regularly visualizing your goals, you can keep them at the forefront of your mind and increase your chances of success.
Mindfulness techniques can also be incorporated into visualization to improve performance. By practicing mindfulness, you can increase your focus and concentration, which can help you perform better in any field. Visualization can help you stay present and focused on the task at hand, rather than getting distracted by external factors.
By practicing mindfulness techniques alongside visualization, you can enhance your performance and achieve your goals more effectively. Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you improve your performance in various fields. So, take some time each day to visualize your success and watch as your performance improves.
The Power of Visualization Enhances Your Overall Well-Being and Happiness
Incorporating mindfulness and gratitude practices into your daily routine can help boost overall well-being and happiness.
Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, allowing you to better manage stress and anxiety. By taking a few minutes each day to focus on the present moment, you can increase your sense of calm and inner peace.
In addition to mindfulness practices, creative expression can also enhance your overall well-being and happiness. Engaging in activities like painting, writing, or playing music can provide a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. It allows you to tap into your inner creativity, express yourself, and feel a sense of accomplishment.
Moreover, incorporating gratitude practices into your daily routine can help you cultivate a more positive outlook on life. Taking time to reflect on the things you're grateful for, whether it be your health, your relationships, or your job, can help you feel more content and appreciative of the present moment. This can lead to a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment in your daily life.
Incorporating mindfulness practices and creative expression into your daily routine, along with cultivating gratitude, can help enhance your overall well-being and happiness. By taking the time to focus on the present moment, express your inner creativity, and appreciate the good in your life, you can cultivate a more positive outlook and lead a more fulfilling life. So, take a few minutes each day to engage in these practices and see how they can transform your life for the better!
Conclusion
Incorporate visualization techniques into your daily routine, you can increase your motivation and focus, boost your confidence and self-esteem, reduce stress and anxiety, improve your performance in various fields, and enhance your overall well-being and happiness.
Take some time each day to visualize your goals and dreams, and imagine yourself achieving them. Picture yourself overcoming obstacles and succeeding in your endeavors.
With consistent practice, you'll begin to see positive changes in your life and achieve the success and happiness you deserve. Keep visualizing and watch your dreams become a reality!
If you want to put this into practice, this free planning worksheet is a good starting point for getting your goals out of your head and onto paper.
My own visualization right now centers on doing meaningful work with the right team. If that kind of intentionality appeals to you as an employer or collaborator, here is what I do.
This challenge kicked off in June 2022 with my friend Mandy. We were ambitious. The rules were simple: 1,000 words a day for 30 days. It lasted about a week before life had other plans.
I'm keeping this post up because it was genuinely fun while it lasted, and the idea is still a good one. If a 30-day writing challenge is something you want to try, everything below still holds up. This was really harder than I thought it was going to be.
My Game Plan for this 30 Day Writing Challenge
I just plan on writing daily in here. There will be drafts that I’ll add to or combine. This may changed as the challenge progresses
My Topics to Write On
This is my running topic and articles list. Anything related on Adventure, Professional articles in marketing or general business, how to articles that have helped me.
Subtopics of having an adventurous lifestyle
Mindset
Safety
Planning and Packing
Past adventures
New Orleans and those places
Local Eats
Professional Topics
SEO as a Long Term Strategy
My Goals
I want to get more content on here and for work's website as well. I won't post what I've written for work, but I will talk about what I wrote.
Another goal of mine is to be more efficient with writing and using tools that help me grow as a content writer and write in general.
The last goal is to become more accountable for what I want and to make it happen with consistency.
My Process
Starting off, figuring this out at the beginning of Day 2, select a general topic or article from my list and get an outline going before work. I need to write down the list to reference.
Mandy’s Game Plan for this 30 Day Writing Challenge
Mandy told me that she has a website and she plans to write on content for it. She is organizing and writing in Google Docs to help keep her organized.
This a personal entry. I've been thinking more intently on life in general. Since I've been working on some guides on goals and productivity, I've been thinking on what I want. Life is getting shorter and there's so much that I want to do.
And that's not just professionally or personally, but in all areas of my life. In general, this is a high-level brain dump for me. I'll list out the where I was, where I am, and where I want to be on both professionally and personally.
Professionally
Where I was
Previous work experience in:
ERP systems
E-commerce
Accomplishments at my current position
Within 6 months I designed, created and maintained an e-commerce store from scratch while also being new in the industry.
Since then have doubled sales year over year. Year 3 is also forecasted to double sales.
Where I am
I currently work at an industrial hose company where I do the marketing digital and print, maintain online orders, and 2 e-commerce websites.
I don't want to continue to do the same thing that I am doing. As of right now, I am positioning myself to be in a strategic position within the scope of marketing.
I have also been working on a additional sources of revenue. I use to do a lot of contract work, but haven't in the last few years.
Where I want to be
I want to be somewhere where I can go. At the time when I firs started to write this at the beginning of June 2022, he company that I worked for was bought. Before that, I was somewhat stagnant in position and such. After the buyout, it opened the possibilities of opening more doors.
I definitely don't want to be stuck doing the same things that I have been. I want more growth.
Plan your next 5 years, make it happen in the next 6 months.
Anonymous
I’m not sure where I saw this, and not exactly sure how capable the quote is.
I do know that 6 months is a good amount of time make things happen in any area of life. Thinking about 5 years ahead and breaking it down to six months increments is a good way to process the years.
Personally
Where I was
On a personal level, there were several years that everyday was the definition of insanity. There had to be a stop to it and entrusting people. I had to come to terms that someone who was suppose to be a life partner no longer was (and this was during). I had to realize that said person didn't care anymore and did not want to be held accountable.
Well, that all ended and just had to keep moving forward. During and after a divorce, you have your emotions, loneliness, rollercoaster type of ride life for a while.
It wasn't so much that I had to "find me" again, but more of how to I get back to the "real me". If that doesn't make sense.
I once had a friend tell me during the start of my divorce that I needed to "find out who I am". My response was "I know who I am". If I remember correctly, she said that's not what I mean. I get what she means, but we weren't exactly on the same page.
Where I am
I'm better off financially that I was.
I'm more outgoing than I was,
I don't feel as lonely anymore.
I am active doing the things that I love to do.
I'm more adventurous than before. I never would have thought I would have gone skydiving, not once now, but several times!
Where I want to be
I want to be able to go to more places.
I want to experience more things - locally and abroad.
I want my home and environment to be better.
Most of my energy right now is going toward the professional goals in this post. If you are looking for someone with this kind of self-awareness and track record, take a look at the portfolio.
About
Cathy Gray is an eCommerce and digital marketing professional based in Atlanta, GA, with nearly a decade of experience helping B2B businesses sell more online. Outside of work she's chasing waterfalls, kayaking rivers, and finding dark skies to camp under.
