Let’s face it:

We’d all like to be a tad more motivated in our lives, right? After all, the more motivated you are, the more work you can do, and the more fulfilled you’ll be. What’s interesting is that we sometimes feel this whirlwind of excitement to do things, and other times, we can barely get ourselves to do the bare minimum. Indeed, motivation is tricky. Today, we’ll go over some ideas to help you stay on track and maintain your motivation to work toward your goals.

A Common Misunderstanding About Motivation (And How to Play It In Our Favor)

We often see motivation like this:

Get motivated and do something.

After all, we’re constantly bombarded with videos, articles, and books on the topic of getting motivated. But, the fact is, motivation often comes after the action. Think about it: Have you ever had to do something, but you didn’t feel like starting? And then, once you began (be it your homework, a workout, a task at work, or something else), you start feeling this rush of energy, pushing you forward? Creating a bit of momentum can snowball into a massive spike in motivation to do something. So, rather than wait around to feel motivated to do something, just get started, even if it’s in a small way. Chances are, you’ll be motivated soon after.

Make A Schedule For Your Actions

Which of the two statements sounds better to you: “I want to hit the gym tomorrow.” OR “I’ll train from 6 to 7 pm after work tomorrow.”

If you picked the second, that’s good news. The reason why most of us don’t get around to doing different things is that we go about it vaguely. And this applies to more than just fitness. If you don’t set aside a specific time of day for a task, there’s a much bigger chance that you’ll procrastinate. So, make a schedule for the things that you want to do. For example: “I’ll read ten pages every night before bed.” OR “I’ll eat dinner with my family every day at 8 pm.” OR “I’ll meditate for 5 minutes every morning, upon waking.”

Make Big Goals, But Stay Consistent With Manageable Actions

Big goals are by no means a bad thing, as they serve to give us direction and often bump our motivation temporarily. But big goals without action are just dreams. So, once you’ve set goals for different things, break them down into smaller goals. For example, weekly or monthly objectives. Then, ask yourself, “What actions must I complete to meet these objectives.” Breaking them down will provide you with manageable actions that you can do each day. 

Remember That Discomfort Is Temporary

Many people struggle to exercise consistently because it feels like a significant burden that takes a lot of time and effort. But, here’s the thing: A week has 168 hours. If you set aside three hours for exercise, that would be less than two percent of your entire week. Think about it for a moment: Just two percent! But can you imagine what significant improvements three hour-long workouts can bring you, so long as you stay consistent? In a year, that’s 156 hours of exercise. So, remember that, in the grand scheme of things, these discomforts are temporary. What’s more, you will never regret having done the right thing.