Finding motivation can be challenging, but some would say that staying motivated is the challenge itself. Whether you are just getting started on a goal or you need to find your motivation again, practice these exercises to reignite your motivation so you can accomplish your goals!
Remember your WHY
Think about this: Why did you start your goal to begin with? Why is this goal important to you? The reason why you started is what sparked your motivation in the first place, so reminding yourself of your why will keep you on the path of success. If you find that your why is not making you feel motivated, then it could be time to rediscover your why and what your goals are. It is okay if your goals and your reason why you want to achieve them change, especially if you have spent a long period of time towards that one goal. For more tips on goal setting and finding your why, read our blog here.
Analyze the obstacles
When facing a time where it is hard to stay motivated, it is important to figure out what is the biggest contributing factor that is holding you back. Obstacles can be anything from a busy work schedule, family priorities, lack of energy, and lack of preparation, just to name a few. Once you have discovered your biggest obstacle, write down some options of what you are able to change about the situation to see how you can overcome the obstacle.
For example, if having a busy work schedule is the reason you are not going to the gym, see if there is an option to delegate work tasks to create some time in your schedule or adjust your schedule so you can workout before or after going into the office. You can also try changing your workout routine, such as switching from a strength training routine to going for a run on your lunch break. Or if time is limited on weekdays but there is more availability on the weekends, workout for one hour both Saturday and Sunday, and this will be equal to four 30 minute exercises that you would have normally done during the week! Just make sure that you still prioritize your daily movement on days you aren’t able to do your normal exercise routine.
Another example would be lack of preparation being the issue when it comes to getting started or continuing on your goals. A great way to become motivated is by finding solutions that get you excited! Let’s use the same goal of going to the gym. Prepare yourself by knowing the exercise that you will be doing (i.e. running on a treadmill or a group fitness class) and having your gym bag ready to go with your gym clothes and water. And if you need to, purchase a new gym back and new set of gym clothes to wear the next time you go! Having new things or being more prepared can save time and make you feel excited to use them! By doing this, you also set yourself up for success and now have created a new habit, which will help develop determination towards your goals. Determination will continue in moments where motivation may not be present, carrying you through as you continue on your journey.
It is important to remember that with any goal you have, there will always be sacrifices you have to make when it comes to overcoming obstacles. There will be old habits that you need to break, new habits you need to develop, or you may need to completely change your routine from before (no matter how much you enjoy it). Don’t allow past habits and routines to prevent you from reaching your goals!
Take it one step at a time
Don’t feel the need to start every goal you want to accomplish at once. You don’t have to multitask when it comes to your goals because this can decrease the amount of progress made toward each goal in the end. Start with your top priority of a goal, and break that goal down into smaller ones, which can make it feel like you are working on multiple goals at once. Milestones will be the building blocks of your goal, so if your overall goal is to lose weight, milestones would include losing five pounds, ten pounds, fifteen pounds, etc., as well as fitting into new clothing sizes and breaking habits such as drinking soda and not drinking water all day. Along the way you will accomplish those milestones until your main goal is achieved!
Review the progress you have made
When you find yourself feeling unmotivated, it is good to review the progress you have made towards your goals. If you are getting started on one of your goals, you should find a way of tracking progress that works best for you! You can track your progress in ways such as progress photos (taking updated photos each month you are working on your goal), weekly weigh-ins, or even a checklist of milestones leading up to your overall goal. As you see yourself making progress, this will help keep you motivated! It is normal to lose motivation when you don’t see or feel the progress you are making, so it is important to keep track and celebrate successes along the way!
Write down the benefits
If you find yourself questioning if you should continue with your goal, write down a list of the benefits you would experience through achieving it. By having a consistent workout routine, benefits would include improved sleep, decreased stress, better mood, increased strength, as well as other health and physical benefits. For goals such as wanting to lose weight, benefits include decreased risks of chronic diseases, better lifestyle habits, increased confidence, and feeling the best you have ever felt. Creating a list of the positives and keeping it handy for when you need to remind yourself of what you will experience can respark your motivation. You can always recreate your list each time that you need to feel motivated as well!
Visualize your success
Picture this: you feel the best you ever have, you are more confident than ever, and it is all because of you. You put the work in towards achieving your goals, and now you are able to look back at everything you accomplished, but also everything you overcame. You are proud of yourself and now you are motivated to achieve your next goal!
It is important to visualize yourself achieving your goals, because otherwise, they may seem impossible to accomplish. If you find it hard to picture yourself achieving your goals, this could be because the goal is either unrealistic or there has not been much thought about why it is a goal of yours in the first place. When it comes to goals, make sure it is something YOU want to achieve (not others) and imagine each milestone you would come across in order to reach your overall goal. When picturing each milestone, imagine how that makes you feel and what that milestone means towards your progress. After you have visualized your success, you will now want to experience how you imagined feeling and now start your journey for yourself!
If and when you face moments where motivation is hard to come by, just remember that in those moments, it is a reminder to check in with yourself and the progress you are making. Motivation will come and go in waves, and anticipating those moments and utilizing these tools will help you overcome your obstacles and allow you to continue on your path of success.