Brad Larsen wrote the following article that just says it all:
"Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis." - Zig Ziglar
Even the most motivated of us can feel unmotivated at times. In fact, sometimes we get into such a slump that even thinking about making positive changes seems overwhelming.
These motivational fluctuations are part of life, and there are bound to be days when we just don't feel like showing up. It's not that some people are motivated and some aren't ... It's just that some people are eager to change and others may not be ready.
Are you ready to change? With some small steps you can get started down the road to positive change. Being motivated is a wonderful state of being, where we all would all like to spend more time.
The good news is that you can re-create this state pretty much whenever you want. Utilize some of these strategies regularly, and self-motivation will come naturally when needed:
1. Seek inspiration. Positive, optimistic, energetic people will always shift your vibration in the right direction. Search them out and become their friend. Read inspirational books or blogs about your goal often and then visualize what it would be like to reach that goal.
2. Avoid Energy Vampires. Naysayers, pessimists, and braggers will suck up your energy. Avoid at all costs these energy thieves. Sadness, whining and complaining doesn't play well with motivation.
3. Get Support. Find your support network, either in the real world or online, or both. Keeping yourself accountable is easier when you bring other people into the mix. Ask a friend or colleague if they'd be willing to help keep you motivated for a short-term project.
4. Commit publicly. Broadcast your plans on your social media networks. By letting everyone know what you're doing, you will inherently feel responsible to stay motivated.
5. Stay Positive. Find the good in the bad. Negativity can eat you alive if you let it. Don't let the little things get you down. Try squashing negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought.
6. Think of a Personal Mantra. Spend time thinking of a motivating mantra to keep you focused. A phrase or a few positive sentences about reaching your goals should help keep you moving. Put it somewhere that you will see every day. Sending yourself daily reminders also helps.
7. Stay focused. Keep your sights on the big picture. You have to have a long-term goal and a personal mission that you are striving to achieve. Focusing on and reinforcing them at certain intervals is surely one of the greatest motivators of all.
8. Create Personal Challenges. Personal challenges are short-term goals, usually from 15 to 90 days. Using personal challenges strengthens your inner power. The more you do, the more motivated you feel to do even more.
9. Simplify. If you feel like what you're trying to accomplish is bigger than you, scale it back. Choose one goal, for now, and focus on it. Spread tasks out over a few days. Break multifaceted tasks into smaller, more achievable goals that you can cross off more frequently.
10. Make a List. Having a written list of tasks to accomplish is the only way to get anything done. Spread your work for the week over each of the five days. When you finish a task, cross it off the list.
11. Assess Your Progress. If you work constantly, you will make progress. Watching back with satisfaction at what you created will surely boost your energy.
12. Just Do It! Once you get started on something, you'll almost always get into it and keep going. If you still find motivation lacking, try getting started on something else. Something trivial even, then you'll develop the momentum to begin the more important stuff.
13. Reward Yourself. To keep yourself motivated, promise yourself something special when you achieve your short term and long-term goals.
14. Do Something Enjoyable. Start the day by doing something that you like. By getting your head in a happy place, you're putting yourself in a better situation to want to get down to business when you're finished.
15. Set a Time Limit. There's nothing better than plain old pressure to motivate someone. Set a time limit to help you stay on track. Watching a clock countdown will give you the gusto to keep going in hopes that you can beat it.
16. Know Yourself. Keep notes on when your motivation sucks and when you feel like a superstar. There will be a pattern that, once you are aware of, you can work around and develop.
17. Don't Aim For Perfection. Accepting that you can be "better" instead of "perfect" leaves room for growth. And that means you have a reason to do more. And that's what we usually call motivation, right?
18. Stick with it. Whatever you do, don't give up. Think of your goal as a long journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. Stay with it for the long term, ride out the ebbs and surf on the flows, and you'll get there.
If you only work when you feel motivated, you'll never be consistent enough to become a success. But if you build small routines and patterns that help you overcome the daily battles, then you'll continue the slow march toward greatness.
http://www.standard.net/stories/2014/02/26/18-small-ways-get-motivated-out-slump
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