One of the biggest challenges in meeting goals is finding the motivation to stick with them. If you can stick with a goal for an extended time period, you will eventually get there. It just takes patience and motivation. So, let’s get on with this guide to using motivation to achieve goals.
How Does Motivation Work?
Before we get into how motivation can help you to achieve goals, it is vital to know what it does and how it works.
Well, be it your professional or personal achievement in life, motivation is what drives you towards a goal. It helps you keep going when things get tough. There are all kinds of motivation, ranging from positive to negative.
For instance, having a boss who threatens to fire you is your motivation – you will obviously work harder to complete a project with that kind of pressure! Well, that’s an example of negative motivation.
On the contrary, positive motivation is when you really want to do something; you will definitely do a better job.
So, motivation, in its best form, is a way for you to want to do something. For instance, there might be times when you do not want to get up early in the morning. In those times, you might just want to sleep. But if you have a reason to want to get up early, you will jump out of bed with excitement.
Tips To Motivate Yourself To Achieve Your Goals
It is important to start out with the correct motivation because a good start can build/ create momentum that you can sustain for a long time. In case you start out right, you have a better chance of succeeding. Below are the tips for using motivation to achieve goals.
- Start Out Small
You must start out small. Begin with an easy goal in mind and then grow from there. For instance, if you wish to exercise, you might think that you have to do intense workouts. No! Instead, take small, baby steps. Just do five to ten minutes of exercise. Commit to it for one week. It is so easy that you know you won’t fail. Once you have done your 5-10 minutes of exercise, increase the time to 15-20 minutes. Then gradually try to improve that, too, but don’t be hard on yourself. Remember – take baby steps!
- One Goal
Many people begin with too many goals and try to achieve them all at once. This saps energy and motivation. It is the most common mistake that almost every individual makes. You cannot maintain energy and focus if you try to achieve two or more goals at a time.
Therefore, it is better to choose one goal, focus on it completely, and then move on to the next one.
- Examine Your Motivation
Examining your motivation is one of the most crucial ideas that can change your life.
Know your reasons. Give them some thought and write them down. If you have loved ones and you wish to achieve goals for them, then this kind of motivation is more powerful than you think.
Achieving goals for yourself out of self-interest is good, but you must do something that you really want to happen and for all the good reasons.
- Commit Publicly To Your Goals
None of us wishes to look bad in front of other people. We will go the extra mile to do something that we have said publicly.
One kind of motivation you can have is to commit publicly. Commit to yourself in front of your friends, family, or co-workers. Hold yourself accountable, and don’t just commit once; try to offer progress updates to everyone you have committed to at least once a week.
- Get Excited
So, it begins with inspiration from others, but you have to take excitement and build on it. For instance, one way of accomplishing your goals is talking to someone about them, reading as much about them as possible, and visualizing what it is like to be successful.
Once you have done that, it’s only a matter of carrying that energy forward and keep going.
- Build Anticipation
Another way of using motivation to achieve goals is to build anticipation.
This will sound hard and many people will skip this step. But it really works.
If you want to find some inspiration and accomplish a goal, don’t start right away. Of course, many of us will want to start right away. That’s a mistake!
Set a date in the future – a week or month – and then make it your start date. Mark it on the calendar. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. Remember – by delaying your plan a bit, you are building anticipation, thus increasing your focus and energy for the goal.
- Print It Out and Post It Up
Print out the goal you wish to achieve in big words. Make it your mantra and post it on your refrigerator or mirror. Post it at home and work. You can also put it on your computer desktop. If you wish to have big reminders about your goal, it’s good to keep your focus and excitement going. A picture of your goal might also help!
- Beware Of Your Urges To Quit
Sometimes, in the midst of motivation, self-doubt arises.
We all have urges to stop, however, they are mostly unconscious. One of the most powerful things to do is start being more conscious of the urges.
A good exercise is to go through the day with a small piece of paper and put a tally mark every time you get an urge. This exercise will simply make you aware of your urges. Further, you can have a plan for when those urges hit and plan for it beforehand. Write down your plan as once those urges hit, you will not feel like coming up with a plan.
Conclusion
Using motivation to achieve goals is vital for personal and professional success. You can effectively harness your inner motivation by understanding what drives you, setting clear and attainable goals, and maintaining a positive mindset. Consistent efforts and the ability to adapt to setbacks are crucial in this journey. In addition, surrounding yourself with supportive individuals and reflecting on your progress can help sustain your motivation. Thus, a well-motivated approach enables you to overcome obstacles and stay focused, therefore making your goals more achievable and your path to success clearer and more fulfilling.
