Staying Motivated at All Times – 7 Tips

Most of us who lead structured lives at study or work find it easier to stick to a schedule and progress steadily towards a set goal—an exam, a presentation or a promotion—because of external motivators which force us to do so. Staying motivated is hard.

This may be the fear of failing exams, of being bypassed for choice assignments or of losing a job. Those of us who are lucky enough to be in charge of our own time and goals, find it a challenge to stick to a goal and persist despite various distractions and setbacks. It is here that the role of self-motivation comes to the fore.

Meeting Mohan after all these seven years brought me mixed feelings of joy and sadness. Joy, on meeting him as a businessman, a matured person vastly different from the new graduate he was when we last met. I was more concerned with his crestfallen look because of his tough journey through all the financial and personal problems he has to surmount.

Mohan left all smiles having refreshed and yes, all that he needed was some practical tips to staying motivated at all times! Here they are:

1. State your goal and purpose

A clearly-defined goal and purpose statement helps us commit to the goal. Put up the purpose statement in a place where you can read it read it often.

Imagine the end result and visualize that as often as you can. This is one way of carrying you through the difficulties that may dot your way.

2. Create a schedule or daily timetable

Once the purpose and direction have been made clear, create a strategy and timeline for the same. Commit definite time to the goal everyday. While setting the timetable, ensure that the same is not too rigid and that there are buffers built in for unscheduled delays.

Knowing that you are on track definitely gives you a high and the energy to keep going.

3. Break up goals

A big goal may seem intimidating and difficult to achieve. The trick is to break up a big goal into many small goals which are achievable and contribute to larger goal.

For example, a weight loss target of 30 pounds in 6 months seems impossible to achieve while a split target of 2.5 pounds each week appears achievable.

4. Review progress regularly

Review progress and reward yourself for achievements: While we gain a lot of satisfaction once we achieve the ultimate goal, it is important to reward ourselves for any milestones achieved in pursuit of the goal.

Always identify the bright spots and give yourself a pat on the back in appreciation of the good work.

5. Be organized with your time

Success is but a series of small, steady achievements. When we are on our own, it is very easy to give in to procrastination. It is very important to stick to the schedule and allot time to the project everyday despite sundry distractions.

6. Stay positive

Self-motivation may ebb and flow with circumstances. Talking positive all the time to ourselves enables us to be in touch with our feelings and our personal motivations. We need to pep ourselves up with encouraging talk and remind ourselves of what we are capable of.

Reading an inspiring book, listening to inspirational talks, speaking to like-minded people can help immensely in staying positive. It will pay to work with motivated people to share the excitement and rev up your spirit.

7. Learn something new every day

An open mind and acquiring new knowledge is one of the mainstays of business that helps keep us upbeat, positive and energized. It opens our minds to new possibilities and expands our horizons.