Ben Skute
Even the best of us, me included (and I’m the best of the best), feel demotivated sometimes. That doesn’t mean we have to accept it. Here are 14 tips from experts on how to take back control and feel motivated again.
Each of the suggestions/tips on this list is suggested by a Fupping contributor.
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#1 We are what we hear
When you eat a donut and a coffee, it's no wonder you don't feel physically motivated to do much. Yet we wonder why we feel unmotivated or negative when we are inputting reality television, talk radio or office gossip into our brain! Putting daily inspiration into our psyche through podcasts, motivational books or audio has a huge impact on how we feel and think.
Contributors: Rebecca Cafiero from Elevate Your Life Project
#2 Motion Creates Emotion
Moving our body literally gets the creative juices flowing! It circulates our blood, which feeds our brains and organs. Many entrepreneurs find their best ideas happen in the midst of an energetic workout or while getting fresh air and exercise on a jog. Get an accountability partner to get to the gym, as the motivation usually shows up once you start sweating!
Contributors: Rebecca Cafiero from Elevate Your Life Project
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I love putting on the music from “The Greatest Showman”! It is SO inspirational! You simply can’t sit still!
#3 List of simple pleasures
Every Monday at work, throughout the day I make a mental list of simple pleasures- a new herb plant I'd like to pick up for my kitchen, a nail polish color I want to try, a recipe that looks good, an outfit I'd like to recreate, etc. Nothing too large scale (we're not talking vacations or $300 shoes), just inexpensive treats and small self-care rituals I'd like to make time for.
After I've made this list of little things that make me happy, I sprinkle them throughout my schedule. That way tomorrow, my Tuesday feels a little less drone. I'm not just getting up, working 10-6, coming home, exercising, and heading to bed (yawn).
Contributors: Michelle Ecker from Desiggne
#4 Think ‘Vision’ rather than ‘Goal’
Why am I calling them ‘visions’? Because many people shortchange themselves when they create “goals”. People tend to create “realistic goals - so instead of shooting for the stars, they play it safe and create goals where they can picture how they’re going to accomplish it.
I tell my clients to create visions that they’d love to experience and accomplish in their lives without considering the ‘How’ behind it. Considering the how while you’re dreaming, ruins the dream. If Walt Disney had been fixated on the “how” behind his dreams, rather than just envisioning what he wanted to create, then we wouldn’t have a Disney World today.
Dream big, and we can worry about the 'how' afterwards, but don't limit yourself just because you can't see all of the steps just yet.
Contributors: Joyce Rojas from My Success Studio
#5 Set Yearly Visions
Isn’t it interesting how we can get into a car and know exactly where we want to go, why we’re going, and approximate time we’ll be getting there, but when it comes to our life, we just go with the flow? That’s not the best strategy. In order to move forward in life, you need to set clear and measurable visions of what you want.
As New Year’s Eve approaches, rather than plan whose party you’ll be getting drunk at, begin planning how you want the next 12 months of your life to look. This will help motivate you because you have a clear vision of what you’re working towards and why you even bother getting up in the morning.
Many people wake up and go to work to “pay bills”. How motivating and exciting is that?! Not very motivating. When you create life visions of what you want and know that you’re waking up every morning in order to fulfill them, you become more motivated and positive. You’ve hacked your mindset from going through the motions to working towards the fulfillment of a personal vision.
Contributors: Joyce Rojas from My Success Studio
#6 Exercise is the Gateway to Feeling Motivated
When you exercise, your body releases many “feel good” chemicals that not only improve your physical fitness, it improves your mind and mood. It’s a great way to relieve stress. Exercise is a win-win proposition as its benefits to the mind and body are immeasurable. These “feel good” chemicals can cause you to feel more motivated because you are already active, and you will want to stay active. Your motivation levels will go way up when you exercise.
Contributors: Beth Shankle Anderson from The Style Bouquet
#7 Meditation is Its Own Self-Motivator
When you calm your mind and participate in either a silent or guided meditation, you are controlling your mind. You are preparing your mind for activity and motivation. Meditation is like exercise for the mind. The better that you become at meditation, the more motivated you will be to make positive changes in your life.
Contributors: Beth Shankle Anderson from The Style Bouquet
#8 Reading Can Expand Your Mind and Relax Your Body
Doing any kind of recreational reading relaxes the mind and body. It’s a great way to de-stress. You are also learning something new along with enjoying the physical and mental aspects of reading. Choose to read an inspirational or motivational book or magazine during your downtime so that you get the benefit of learning a new skill or hobby to practice when you are active and become motivated.
Contributors: Beth Shankle Anderson from The Style Bouquet
#9 Know the Why behind your Visions
The first step is to know what you want. The second step is to know why you want it. If you want something but don’t know the core reasoning behind why you want it, then it won’t motivate you. Why do you want to accomplish this specific goal or vision? I use a technique I call the ‘5 levels of Why’. Participants are asked “Why” 5 times in order to get to the real reason behind a goal they want to accomplish – it’s what I call a Soul Goal. For example, if someone’s goal is to be a millionaire:
- Why?
- So I can just be free
- Why do you want to be free?
- So I can spend time with my family
- Why do you want to spend time with your family?
- Because I don’t get much time with them.
- Why not?
- I’m busy working.
- Why?
- To make more money and become a millionaire.
Notice that this person is working only to ultimately spend more time with his family, but in doing so is taking time from his family. If you don’t know the core ‘Why’ behind what you do every day, you’re sleepwalking through life.
Contributors: Joyce Rojas from My Success Studio
#10 Goal Setting
- Set reachable goals (it's good to challenge yourself, but you don't want to set goals that are unattainable or you will set yourself up for failure)
- Put your goals in writing or on your computer or phone so you can refer to them regularly.
- Create a mechanism to remind yourself of your goals.
- Track your progress towards attaining your goals.
- When you achieve a goal, do something nice for yourself as a reward for attaining the goal.
- Make sure the goals you set are in manageable chunks so you don't become overwhelmed.
- Find motivation for yourself in the motivating words of others. There are plenty of websites and resources you can look through to find motivational speeches, quotes, etc.
- If you don't achieve your goals, don't be too hard on yourself. Make it a teachable moment so you know how to adjust your expectations in the future and can set more reasonable goals for yourself the next time.
Contributors: Dr. Steven Rosenberg, Ph.D. from QuitItNow
#11 Momentum
Start hanging around other motivated people. If you have a friend that is motivating, than ask if you can spend more time with them, maybe shadowing them in whatever area you are looking to get motivated yourself.
Contributors: Daisi Jo Pollard Sepulveda from DaisiJoReviews
#12 Clarity
Taking a few moments at the beginning of every day and at the end of every night can allow for the opportunity to clear our heads. During this time, grab a notebook or a piece of paper and write down your thoughts. It helps to break down the things that are standing in your way from being motivated. One by one look at how you can counteract each issue that’s preventing you from jump starting motivation.
Contributors: Daisi Jo Pollard Sepulveda from DaisiJoReviews
#13 Objectives
It can be overwhelming and even demotivating if you try to tackle everything at once. So it’s important to break down your goals and create a strategy that will both keep you motivated and create momentum.
Contributors: Daisi Jo Pollard Sepulveda from DaisiJoReviews
#14 Create a Dream Journal
You are not listing goals, so don’t worry about whether or not you are creating a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goal. This is simply a list of your dreams. Allow yourself to think big and long-term. Write each dream at the top of a page then turn the page and write the next dream at the top. These are things you want to accomplish, enjoy, or attain. I suggest a 50/50 journal. 50 dreams to accomplish in 50 years.
Occasionally, open your dream journal flip through the pages and write every little step of progress you have made toward your dream. These can be small accomplishments that are related to your dream.
For example: If your dream is to travel to Italy and you have looked at travel blogs or internet information then you have made progress in your dream. As you continue to list the small steps you will notice that the trajectory of your life is actually leading you toward your dreams. Soon you will be motivated to set specific goals to accomplish your dream.
Contributors: Anita Wilson from Alias In Town
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Yes! We are what we listen to!