The Keys to Motivation - Attainment & Maintenance

     Motivation is what pushes us to success.  Without motivation, we would not accomplish the personal or professional goals we set for ourselves.  Therefore, it is important we not only attain a healthy level of motivation but maintain that level to push forward.  This can be difficult, because life has a habit of being difficult, and not everything goes to plan.  People end up losing motivation because of the difficulties, but I am here to say the grass is greener on the other side.  Here are the keys to the attainment and maintenance of motivation.

1. Understand Perseverance

     Success is like a flower.  When a seed is planted, the flower does not mature instantly.  Rather, flowers take time to grow, having to be watered, fertilized, and given enough sunlight throughout the process.  Eventually, after enough time has passed, having been cared for properly, and sometimes with a little luck, the flower grows into something beautiful.  Success and achieving goals share the same process.  We do not reach success by hoping to achieve a goal.  Success is attained by perseverance; pushing through the difficult strides, working hard, and realizing many goals take time to achieve.  What many people tend to do is plant the seed, expect the flower to grow within a day without much love and care, and leave it to wither when it does not.

     This realization is the best way to maintain motivation because it keeps you in tune with reality.  The seeds of success will grow slowly, but surely.  We may not achieve overnight success, but this does not mean we should lose our motivation.  No goal worth achieving was made within a day or two.  It takes time to reach success.  Comparatively, we will not achieve our goals without working hard, pushing through the struggles, and never giving up.  When we hit a wall, or difficulties arise, it can be discouraging, and we sometimes feel the need to give up.  However, everyone goes through these hard times.  Stay motivated by remembering the struggles are part of the process.  You can and will succeed if you continue to chip away at the obstacles you face.

2. Celebrate Small Wins

     Our motivation stems from the achievement of an end goal, something which can take a fair amount of time to reach.  When we begin working towards a goal, we are usually filled with motivation.  This is because it is a fresh, new goal we are newly focused on.  As time passes, progress can slow down, and it can take more time and effort to make progress.  This can be demotivating if you are thinking specifically about the end goal.  When we think of the end goal and how far we may be from reaching it, we can lose the interest, as well as the motivation, to overcome obstacles when they arise.  We are forgetting to give ourselves credit where credit is due, and that any form of progress made should be celebrated.

     We need to stop thinking of the big picture and focus on the journey.  The end goal is a win, sure, but we are forgetting about the smaller goals which make the end goal possible.  Every late night work session, time spent altering strategies, and progress made is an achievement in and of itself.  We need to reward ourselves for the work we do and the progress we make.  When we reward ourselves for the small wins, we increase our motivation to push forward.  We feel rejuvenated, thinking about the next small goal we can achieve to replicate the same feeling.  Do this enough, and you will achieve the end goal.  However, you will be pleased with the journey there more than the end result, and that is what truly matters.

3. Take Time Off

     Everybody needs a break once in a while, but when it comes to personal goals, many people seem to believe taking a break is a sin.  Because we want to achieve a goal, we absolutely have to be working towards success every second of every day.  When time is allocated to other projects, guilt or anxiety can kick in, because we believe the time spent elsewhere is time wasted.  We put too much pressure on ourselves when doing so, and when this happens, motivation diminishes.  Remember, success is not achieved through brute force or personal neglect.  We need to keep our motivation up, and a good way to do so is by putting ourselves first, not the project.

     Being well rested will give you the motivation to continue without the fear of burnout.  Whether it is a personal or professional development goal, we need to take care of ourselves in order to succeed.  People are like cars, having to refuel every so often in order to reach the destination.  Running on fumes will do nothing but cause frustration, exhaustion, and a loss of motivation.  Remember to take a personal day from time to time.  Do not feel guilty or anxious about doing so, because rest and relaxation is part of the process.  You have all the time in the world to succeed, and the work you could do today can be done tomorrow with a clear mind. 

4. Maintain a Positive Attitude

     Negative thoughts and feelings are often a cause of low motivation.  When we allow these thoughts to cloud our minds, we seldom work towards progress.  It eats up precious time we could be using to better ourselves, achieve goals, and succeed.  What we need to do is keep a positive attitude, especially during difficult times.  Positivity can make a huge impact on our mental fortitude.  Instead of worrying about something, positivity can help us face the problem head-on.  Remember, worrying and thinking negatively does nothing but set ourselves up for failure.  Positivity is the key to maintaining our composure and pushing forward.  The fewer negativities that affect us, the more motivation we will have to push on.

     Some may believe maintaining a positive attitude is difficult, but those are the negative thoughts talking.  It can be done, but you have to be consistent and put in the work.  Starting off small is impactful; smiling more, thinking positive thoughts, and encouraging yourself are all great methods.  The more you do, the easier it will be to push away hindering negativities.  One day, it will be second nature, and negative thoughts will be less impactful than they once were.

5. Leave the Past Behind

     We may lose motivation because of our dwelling on past actions or events.  We end up thinking about what we could have done differently, but nothing can be changed.  It is normal to have these thoughts, but in order to maintain motivation, we need to stop ourselves from succumbing to the past.  The past is in the past and should be left there.  What happened then does not define the future, only you can.  Who you are now is different than who you were previously.  As such, the future gives us the chance to write our wrongs, learn from our mistakes, and work towards achieving goals.  Everybody makes mistakes, but it does not mean they will be made again.  Dwelling on those past mistakes is what causes relapse, believing you are weak or unable to change because of past actions.  However, this is not the case, and everyone has a chance to succeed, no matter how many times they have relapsed, made the same mistake, or failed.  Do not dwell on the past, work towards change in the present, and enjoy the success made in the future.  Use that as a spark for motivation.

Have anything to add?  Let me know how you feel in the comments!

Song of the Blog

Today's Song of the Blog is "If Today Was Your Last Day," by Nickelback!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrXIQQ8PeRs

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