Most people would like to change at least one thing in their life. But it can be hard to find the motivation just to get started. It is helpful to understand what motivation means to you so that you can find your own ways to motivate you.
What is the motive?
Motivation is the drive to achieve your goals or needs. It is affected by:
- How much do you want to target?
- What you will earn
- Your personal expectations
Why is motivation important?
Motivation is important because:
It provides you with goals to work on
Helps you solve problems
Helps you change old habits
It helps you face challenges and opportunities
Stimulus
Most people struggle with motivation, but it’s even more difficult if you have mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. Here are some tips:
Set yourself a specific goal that can be achieved.
Think about how you will include this goal in your life, what you need to do to achieve it, and then put a time frame on it (such as a week).
Break your goal down into small, easy tasks and set regular reminders.
Use your family and friends as support – tell them about your goals and encourage them to help keep you motivated.
Ways to stay on track
Make your goal a part of your routine with a notepad or reminder app.
Positive self-talk is important and effective in managing depression or anxiety. Instead of saying “I can’t,” say “I can try.”
Mindfulness helps you relax and focus.
Start a class or join a support group. Support groups can be as effective as professional help.
Reward yourself when you complete a step or goal.
Ways to stay motivated
Here are some tips:
Regularly review your goals and progress. Seeing progress is a great motivator in and of itself, and it also improves your self-esteem.
Keep setting new goals. Think about what you want to achieve next week, next month, and next year. Enter one goal at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Maintain momentum. It takes up to 3 months to develop a new habit, so maintaining momentum and routine helps to feel spontaneous over time.
Find mentors – a mentor is someone with experience in the habit you want to change. Finding social groups or support groups with a similar interest can help you find a mentor.
Surround yourself with positive people. Positive friends and family reinforce your positive self-talk, which also helps manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Use exercise as one of your daily goals to improve your mental health.
What to do if you lose motivation
Relapses are normal, but developing resilience can help you continue and pick up where you left off. Here are some tips to help you find your motivation again:
- Review your goals and see if they are realistic in the time frame you set. You may need to break your goal down into smaller, more achievable goals.
- Remember why you wanted to get motivated or reach this goal in the first place.
- Take Motivation from Others – Feel inspired by reading a book, talking to your teacher, friends or family who have reached similar goals to the ones you’ve set.
- Sometimes you just need to take a break and start over.