One thing that unites us all as human beings is our power to dream. Whether you have a big, life-long dream or simply a small, short-term goal, successfully reaching any goal is going to require genuine motivation. Often times people find themselves standing before a hurdle on the path to achieving their goal, not because there is a problem with the goal itself, but because the motivation behind the goal is lacking. It might not always be easy to get yourself motivated every morning. Even the most intelligent, gifted, creative individuals can become entrapped in ruts and routines, simply struggling to get through the day rather than considering the big picture – their goals and dreams. The following tips for getting motivated will help you develop a stronger sense of daily motivation, as well as long-term motivation.
1) Set your parameters
The first and most important part of getting motivated is figuring out what exactly you are going to get motivated to do. This step might sound simple, but in reality focusing in on a clear goal and putting it down on paper for yourself could be more difficult than one might assume. Setting a goal requires that you think about your life – who you are, what you are doing, where you are going. This goal can be something simple like “lose five pounds before my trip to Jamaica” or something more serious like “Save money so my girlfriend and I can get married in the next five years.” The weight of these goals varies greatly and the process for accomplishing them will be utterly different, but the thing to remember is they both have to start the same way – articulation.
2) Identify the steps to success
Once you have taken the time to figure out what goal you plan to accomplish, the next step is figuring out the logistics of how you plan to complete that goal. This process may take some time and require serious evaluation of your current lifestyle. The psychology of motivation is not a simple one, as each individual will require different types of motivational stimuli to encourage them to achieve the goal. Once you have determined the course of action or the series of tasks in which you must engage to complete your goal, you will need to figure out some tips and tricks to keep yourself on the path to accomplishment. For example, if you are the type of person who is motivated by incentives, perhaps you can create a system that allows you to reward yourself once you have completed part of the goal. If you are motivated be achievement needs, perhaps you can set deadlines for your goals that you can share with family, friends, co-workers or anyone else who might hold you accountable for your goals. A person who is motivated by achievement would feel driven to complete the tasks because of the knowledge that someone will be judging them on the performance.
3) Get the right attitude
Remaining enthusiastic and positive is going to be essential for successfully achieving any goal. If you are not emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually invested in the goal, how will you ever motivate yourself to accomplish it? The trick to developing a sense of daily motivation is to try and become intrinsically motivated to reach your goal. When you have intrinsic motivation, the steps you are taking to achieve your goal will seem worthwhile and enjoyable. When things get tough and you are feeling no motivation, you might sit down and write out why your goal and the steps you are taking to achieve it are significant and important. Positive self-talk is one way to boost your self-motivation. Repeating simple phrases like “I am a happy person with great goals and many talents,” might actually translate into feeling like you are a happy person with great goals and many talents. Repetition becomes habit after enough time, and getting into the habit of being happy will help you realize your goals, whatever they might be.
