After the initial stimulus, the hardest part always comes: maintaining the right motivation when the involvement tends to wane. Perhaps some novelty has taken over and the old goals are no longer a priority; maybe you've stopped for a couple of days and can't get back on track or you've got into trouble and have morale under your feet: however, if you can find the energy of the past and move on, you can do it! If you throw in the towel instead, you won't get any results. The choice is up to you: to reach the goal you have set for yourself or to let it go. Read on to learn how to hold on and make your dream come true.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Plan Your Success
Step 1. Hold on
When you start a new training regimen or set yourself any goal, you usually can't wait to get started, you are excited and you have boundless enthusiasm. You feel powerful and able to do anything. However, it doesn't take long before you realize there are limits, and at that point, the excitement begins to wear off. In order not to lose motivation, try a hold back when at first you feel full of energy and would like to break the world. Don't do everything you want, just 50-75%. Plan a course of action that will allow you to gradually increase engagement. For instance:
If you want to start running and at first you feel able to cover a 5km route, instead of doing this, start with 1.5km. As you run, think you can do more, but give up. Once you've finished your workout, you'll be looking forward to challenging yourself again by running 2km. Keep channeling that energy, harness it so you can harness it for as long as possible
Step 2. Plan small goals
At times, you may be distressed by the idea of having an important or long-term goal. After a couple of weeks you risk losing motivation because you still see that many months, perhaps a year or even more, separate you from the goal you have set. It's hard to stay motivated for a long time on one goal. The solution is to divide it into smaller goals to be achieved within set deadlines.
For example, if you are struggling to increase physical activity, break this goal down into more concrete and achievable steps so as not to lose the initial momentum. "Walk 15 minutes, 3 times a week" and "Run with a friend 2 times a week" are more precise and achievable goals than a more vague and complex goal
Step 3. Get started
There are days when you just don't want to know about putting your nose out of the house and going for a run, or drawing up a work schedule or planning whatever you need to achieve your goal. Instead of thinking about how hard all this effort is and how long it will take, just think that you have to get started. Don't wait for the urge to do it.
- For example, put on your running shoes and close the door behind you. After that, things will go on on their own. It's when you're sitting on the couch, thinking you need to work out and how tired you feel, that it feels difficult. Once you start, it's never as hard as it seemed. It's advice that always works.
- To cheer yourself up, try giving yourself a reward. For example, you might think, "If I want to sit on the couch watching TV, then I'll go for a 10-minute run first."
Step 4. Be trustworthy
If you have made a commitment even in public form, for example in a forum, on a blog, by email or in person, stick with it. Try to update the other people involved and be consistent! A sense of responsibility will help you stay on track because you certainly don't want to report that you've made a hole in the water.
Also consider taking drastic steps to deliver on your commitments. Give someone a sum of money, which will give you back every time you go to the gym, every pound you lose, or every kilometer you walk. You could even draw up a real contract
Step 5. Make friends with people you share your goals with
It is difficult to maintain the right motivation alone. However, if you find someone to reach a goal with (running, dieting, saving money, etc.), see if they are interested in your proposition. Alternatively, involve your husband or wife, brother or best friend. You don't have to have the exact same goals: the important thing is to support and encourage each other. Consider other options, such as a running group or an online forum to find people to talk to.
Sometimes it's hard to get something done on your own. Whether it's quitting smoking, participating in a marathon, or writing a thesis, it is vital to have a support network, whether it's in the real world, virtual or both
Step 6. Record your progress
You can simply put an X on the calendar, create a spreadsheet in Excel, or track your goal using a dedicated application. It will be really rewarding to rethink your progress and see for yourself how far you have come. It will help you keep going because you won't want to go too many days without pinning an X! Of course, there will also be some negative notes on your registry, but that's not a problem. Don't be discouraged. Next time try your best to give yourself good grades.
According to some studies, one feels more competent when documenting one's progress and with the feeling of having good skills, one tends to be more motivated
Step 7. Think about the rewards
Celebrate every little step you take towards your ultimate goal by treating yourself to some rewards. Try to establish a suitable gratification for each milestone in order to associate it with a moment of joy. By fair we mean: 1) proportionate to the goal (do not reward yourself with a cruise to the Bahamas if you only ran 2km); 2) it must not compromise the goal (if you want to lose weight, do not give yourself a whole cake for a day of proper nutrition, it would be counterproductive).
Step 8. Stop putting off
We all have days when it is easier for us to say "I'll do it tomorrow!". It is possible to consider procrastination as a form of laziness and, sometimes, it is in all respects. However, in many cases we tend to put it off because we set absurd standards that we know we can't reach - so we don't even try. Instead, try some of these strategies to stop procrastinating:
- Pay attention to the little things. If you have to finish a rather complex essay, do not consider it a difficult task. Break it down into smaller parts, including "research", "writing introduction", "writing paragraphs", etc. They will be more manageable.
- Remember that you can do your best. If your goal is to "get all good grades," you may be so intimidated by it that you never start. Instead, remodel it to "do your best when you study".
- Forgive yourself. According to some studies, people who are sick from procrastination spend a lot of time feeling guilty and little time working. So he thinks, "I put off yesterday and now I have more work to do, but I can do it." Then get to work.
Step 9. Take a course or consult an instructor
This way, you will have the motivation at least to introduce yourself and get involved. It's one of the more expensive ways to find the right stimuli, but it works. If you do some research, you may find some cost-effective course in your area or perhaps a friend can offer you a free counseling course.
Part 2 of 2: Think Positive
Step 1. Eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with more positive ones
It is one of the most important things in order not to lose motivation and must be practiced every day. It is essential to control your thoughts and recognize negative reasoning. Take the time to fully become aware of your negative thoughts. After a few days, try squashing them like cockroaches and replacing them with more positive ones. Eliminate the idea that something is too difficult and replace it by thinking: "I can do this!". It may sound trivial, but it really works.
Use affirmations. For example, try saying to yourself: "I'm not feeling fit today, but I'm strong! I can finish training."
Step 2. Think about the benefits
The real problem for many people is to focus on the difficulties. Waking up early is a sacrifice! You feel tired just thinking about it. Instead of focusing only on the fatigue, think about the benefits you will get from it.
Try to list all the reasons why you intend to achieve your goal and what you will get from it. For example, instead of thinking about how hard it is to wake up early in the morning, focus on the well-being that comes with it and think about how much better your day would be by gaining valuable time. The benefits will help you find the energies you need
Step 3. Get excited again
Think about why the initial enthusiasm waned and also ask yourself why you were so excited. Can you recall it? What prompted you to set your goal? What sparked your interest? Try to reconstruct that feeling, focus on it again and get your energy back.
- Try reading inspiring stories. Inspiration can come from people who have achieved what you want to achieve or who are currently engaged. Read blogs, books, magazines. Google your goal and read success stories. You will feel more excited than ever.
- Find a stimulating environment. Some people give their best among the people, while others have to get away from the rest of the world to perform better. Find out how to recharge and try to introduce this method into your lifestyle.
Step 4. Build on your successes
Every little step you take towards the ultimate goal is a success - celebrate the first too, when you've started! After that it continues for two days! Celebrate every little milestone. Keep the feeling associated with success to motivate you to move forward. For example, add 2-3 minutes to your daily workout. With each step (which should take at least a week), you will feel even more fulfilled. Proceed gradually and you will not fail. After a few months, you will realize that your little steps have taken you a long way to success.
Step 5. Go through the descending phases
Motivation isn't a constant companion, it's not always with you. It comes and goes, over and over, like the tide. Keep in mind that it may disappear and then re-emerge. So, hold on waiting for him to come back. In the meantime, study your goal better, ask for help, or keep busy following the tips offered so far until you feel more motivated.
For example, don't regard setbacks as failures - this way, a temporary lack of motivation would feel much bigger and more permanent, inhibiting any urge to try again. Rather, he thinks, "I had a terrible day today and I completely neglected my goal. It can happen. Tomorrow is another day. Today's crisis won't hurt me."
Step 6. Use the visualization
Visualize your success in great detail. Close your eyes and think exactly about achieving your goal, how you will feel, what it will look like, smell or taste like. Where do you see yourself when you get what you want? As you are? What do you wear? Create a clear mental picture. The next step is to practice visualization every day, for at least 5 minutes. It's the only way to keep yourself motivated for a long time.
Visualization alone is not enough to keep motivation intact. You also have to roll up your sleeves. However, according to some studies, people who combine this practice with real commitment are more likely to be successful than those who just do one or the other
Step 7. Make a contingency plan
Have an alternate plan handy for times when you want to quit. Write it down, because when you are in the vortex of indolence you will have no desire to invent one.
- The best thing to do is to become aware of these moments of failure. A great exercise is to get yourself a sheet of paper and put a check mark every time you think you are giving up. This way, you will be more aware when the urge to give up takes hold of you.
- Once you have learned to monitor the various failures, you will be able to understand when to apply your contingency plan. For example, if you notice that after 5pm you tend to run out of energy and would like to give up training, put your plan in place: train in the morning before you go to work!
Step 8. Find pleasure again
Nobody can be consistent when pleasure and gratification come after months of hard work. According to studies, any path that leads to a goal must be accompanied by feelings of joy and fulfillment, otherwise the desire fails. So, try to savor some aspects, such as the beauty of running early in the morning, the satisfaction of announcing your progress to others, or the deliciousness of a healthy meal. Live the moment. Then think about what the future holds and how you can shape your dreams at any moment.
