In order to stay motivated: what works and what does not work
Whether your goal is to lose 20 pounds in six months, ride a bike on Mount Kilimanjaro, or get promoted at work – each of these goals requires some hard work and motivation. However, it is sometimes difficult to find the kind of motivation that drives us to take action and achieve our goals.
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- Motivation must come from within, so it's important to find what personally inspires you rather than relying on others' methods or incentives.
- Being flexible with your goals allows you to adapt to unexpected outcomes and still feel successful and motivated.
- Dwelling on negative patterns, known as the Tetris effect, can drain your motivation and keep you stuck in an unproductive mindset.
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- Rewiring your brain to focus on positive experiences can help you build better habits and increase long-term motivation.
- Breaking large goals into smaller, manageable steps, like using the "Zorro circle" technique, helps maintain motivation through the sense of progress.
- Planning your efforts and incorporating enjoyable aspects, such as involving friends or choosing a fun activity, strengthens your commitment and makes goals easier to achieve.
- Using vivid, positive mental imagery of success can boost your belief in your abilities and enhance your motivation to reach your objectives.
When getting motivated is just as difficult as reaching the same goal, it's time for a new strategy.
Try to use these tips on do's and don'ts to shape your strategy and find the motivation you need to achieve your highest goals.
What not to do: Use someone else's "incentive"
First and foremost, motivation is something that comes from within you – it's not your mother, not your favorite talk show, not your friend or hamster pet.
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If someone pushes you to try a particular motivational strategy, make sure it works for you.
If One Direction's latest song motivates your best friend to get her work done faster, that doesn't mean that's what will motivate you.
Find what works for you and use it as your motivation!
What not to do: Not allowing yourself to be flexible about your goals
Let's say you want to audition for a leading role on a Broadway show "Rent," but instead be given a supporting role, or get a lead role for the "wicked" show.
Instead of excluding these roles, you need to understand that goals are sometimes different from what we plan.
This does not make them less valuable or important.
When you allow yourself to be flexible towards your goals, you not only accept your achievements, you celebrate them and use them as an incentive to reach your ultimate goal.
What not to do: Tetris (negative) effect.
The unfortunate energy of negative emotions - equal to negative motivation - is usually stronger than its positive counterparts.
Why: Biology shows that we are simply forced to pay more attention to negative experiences and threats.
The Tetris effect describes how our brains get stuck in negative patterns, especially in relation to repetitive tasks, experiences, and behaviors.
Repeating the task reduces the amount of brain energy needed to complete the procedure. Therefore, negative tendencies can become a strong negative state of mind that we usually succumb to.
What to do: Tetris effect (positive).
The good news is that just as our brains can be plugged in and running negatively, they can be reconnected to positive patterns. By consciously looking for more positive aspects of our lives, we can rewire our brains to naturally seek good rather than evil.
Having more positive thought patterns motivates us to see more possibilities and reach higher levels of success.
What to do: Break your goal
Sean Akor, author of The Happiness Advantage, explains that when you narrow down your goals, you gain more control over achieving them. This principle is called the "zorro circle". In Zoro, the Lord of Swords draws a circle in the sand and explains that he can only duel within that circle. Only after taking control of that circle can he start fighting outside it.
When you break down the end goal into smaller steps or small goals, the motivation is always high because smaller wins are repeated.
What to do: Make plans
Making strong plans to implement changes or reach a specific goal is often a huge motivator, especially if your plans involve a little fun.
Let's take the common goal of regular exercise – those who plan to go jog with a friend or sign up for strong yoga classes are more likely to stick to them than someone who simply says to himself "I really like to start doing more exercise."
Accompanying a friend or signing up for a class you enjoy puts you responsible for your commitment and gives you more motivation to keep up!
What to do: positive images
Instead of thinking to yourself, "In three weeks, I want to be able to run four miles," say and imagine, "In three weeks, I'm going to run four miles." Draw a glowing mental picture of doing this particular thing. Listen to the clapping in your head as you cross the finish line, and try to smell your new shoes. Imagine the scene around you, and imagine yourself reaching your goal successfully.
The more energetic your mental image is, the more realistic you become, and the stronger your motivation becomes.
Self-discipline is essential to stay on track.
Be committed to yourself, and motivation will follow.
It is also important that we are not too ourselves when we fall behind or go off track. Instead of scolding yourself for it, or even worse: giving up altogether – take a break. Breathe and remember why it started in the first place.
