You are back from your vacation and you’ve been planning to write about your experience. But, you just can’t get yourself to start writing. Again, the doctor’s asked you to take walks regularly, but you are far too lazy to do so. Yes, we know, motivating yourself and getting things done can be very challenging.
You may consult a motivational speaker, but it’s you who has to put in the effort to get things done. The person you consult may only be your friend, guide, and philosopher, but the real effort needs to come from you. We understand how challenging motivating yourself can be and to help you, we share 5 ways you can motivate yourself.
Don’t compare yourself with others
You often end up comparing yourself with those who seem to be achieving their goals when your own progress hits rough weather. Doing so only eats away your confidence and weakens your willpower—important assets in your battle to reach your goals. Comparing yourself with others who seem to be doing well only creates negativity.
The best way to march towards your goals is to have faith in yourself. Comparing yourself with your peers is a very bad idea. You might feel that your peers are doing well while deep within, they might be struggling with their own challenges. You need to stop thinking about others and focus on yourself.
Change how you approach life
The key is to stay positive and avoid negative vibes. It’s best to steer clear of depressing thinking that makes you feel down. You should take life head-on and march ahead. Here’s the trick. When you enter your office, your approach should be to look forward to earning the appreciation of all instead of looking to avoid the brickbats.
If you adopt the positive approach of looking forward to being admired by all, you are seeking success instead of merely avoiding failure. Hunting for success makes you a go-getter and your chances of achieving success are boosted.
Accept criticism
It’s difficult facing the brickbats when the chips are down, but when you do, don’t let your emotions get the better of you. When you face criticism, take the time to see if it’s from a credible source and if it’s constructive. If the criticism comes from a well-wisher who’s himself good at the job, take it as a lesson on improving yourself.
Do bear in mind that especially in your workplace, people’s perception of you matters. Constructive criticism helps you spot the chinks in your armor. It helps you make changes in yourself that make you a better and more capable person. The criticism might well be a major shot of motivation you’ve long needed.
Celebrate small milestones
Especially when the path’s a tough one, the slightest bit of progress you make can be a major shot of motivation for you and the entire team. You’ve just made a sale to a customer who’s particularly hard to convince. It’s a significant achievement. Take the time out to enjoy this achievement with your team. At the end of the week, when you look back on what you achieved, it’s a very special feeling indeed.
The small milestone you achieved of convincing the stubborn customer is sure to boost your confidence tremendously. It convinces you that you are good at what you do. We suggest that you maintain a chart of the milestones you achieve. Merely taking a glance at the chart before getting to work is sure to fire you up.
Pick smart people for company
True, it might feel a bit overwhelming being in a room full of intelligent and capable people. Probably, that’s why you aren’t really looking forward to the next professional conference you’ve been asked to attend. But, when you are among smart people, it might just be the trigger that drives you to seek more and work harder than you usually do.
We, therefore, recommend you to mingle more with really smart people. The knowledge and abilities they possess will shake you up and encourage you to push yourself into acquiring more knowledge and capabilities. That way, you’ll work harder and get closer to achieving your goals.
Conclusion
Yes, it’s one thing to set yourself goals and another thing to actually get anywhere near achieving them. The two are different ball games altogether. Merely consulting a motivational speaker will be of little help until the drive to achieve comes from within you. Being positive and believing in yourself make the basic mantra.
You must take the initiative yourself and make conscious efforts to bring about changes in yourself that take you closer to your goals. We are sure that the 5 ways to motivate yourself to achieve your goals we have suggested will help you reach your goals with the right balance of effort and a confident approach.