“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Zig Ziglar
Some days you wake up motivated and ready to go.
Some days things feel heavy and it’s hard to get going and find that inner drive.
And there are often roadblocks, plateaus and valleys on the way to what you want, where you can fall into a slump. Or getting lost in a rut.
And you feel like your motivation has flown away.
That’s why today I’d like to share three of my favorites, and in my experience the most effective ways to find that motivation again.
1. Do the 10-minute charging exercise.
This is how you do this motivation exercise.
Sit in a quiet place. Close your eyes.
Ask yourself these two questions:
- What will my life be like in 5 years if I just stay on the same path as I am now?
- How is life likely to get worse for me and maybe even for the people around me?
It may be uncomfortable, but try to visualize the negative consequences as vividly as possible to boost your motivation to work toward that positive change.
Then ask yourself:
- What will my life be like in 1 year if I persevere and continue with this change? What will it look like in 5 years?
- How will life improve, not just for me, but for the people I love, if I stick with it?
With these two sets of questions, try not only to see the future in as much detail and vividness as possible, but also to find your own very personal reason(s) for making the change.
For example, getting in better shape can make you more optimistic and energetic. That’s great.
But to really find the core of your motivation, you have to wait a few more minutes for the more personal answer.
The answer might be that you want to make this change in your health because if you don’t, you may not have the energy to have fun and play as much as you want with your son while he is young. And as he gets older, you may be too tired from work to give him quality time every day.
If you want to change your money habits, it may be because you have always dreamed of seeing the pyramids of Egypt or visiting the Maldives with the person you love most in the world.
Write those deepest reasons on a piece of paper and put that note somewhere where you can’t avoid seeing it every day.
2. Let the motivation that sparkles in other people flow to you.
Another great way to recharge your motivation is simply by tapping into the motivational energy and perspectives of other people.
So talk to the people in your life about their dreams and what they feel most motivated to achieve and do in their lives.
But don’t feel limited to just the people you know in real life.
I often recharge my motivation by listening to a small portion of an audiobook by Brian Tracy or Wayne Dyer. Or I can watch a YouTube video Ali Abdal. Or read a chapter in a book on my Kindle.
Spending just 5 or 10 minutes doing this can, in my experience, very often change your mood and mindset and reignite your motivation.
3. Just get started and let the motivation overtake you.
Sometimes the two tips above may not work so well even though they are very powerful.
What can you do then?
Well, you can take a break and recharge your batteries because sometimes that’s just what it takes.
Or you can do what I often do when I’m having an uninspired morning.
I still get to work, despite the lack of motivation inside.
I do this by taking a small step forward and by just focusing on taking that one step. For example, I might tell myself that I’m going to spend 3 minutes working on a new article or editing part of something I’m creating.
Once that’s done, I take another small step and just focus on that until it’s done.
Doing that task may not feel fun or interesting at first, but it’s just a small step I have to take so that it feels acceptable.
Yet things don’t stay that way.
The next step is usually a little easier and maybe even a little more fun.
And with the next step, motivation starts to catch up with me and I start to have fun and really enjoy what I’m doing.
You probably won’t feel motivated every day. That’s okay.
You can get started step by step and soon the motivation will start to catch up with you.