Pillars of Motivation

Mental Health Training

Do you ever wake up in the morning, and the last thing you want to do is get out of bed? How about the mornings when you wake up, hop out of bed ready to take on the world? What's the difference between those two scenarios?

Motivation.

Motivation compels us to set objectives and, more importantly - forces us towards them. If you want to know how to tap into the power of motivation, then listen to the following tips.

Know What You Want

What is the point of motivation if you don't know what you want? Without having a clear vision of exactly what you desire, you won't be able to build up enough stimulus to get through the obstacles you are sure to face.

Know Why You Want It

This step is just as important as knowing what you want. Why do you want to reach specific goals? What will it mean to your life? Think about all the people you don't want to let down in your life. These are the "whys," and they are essential.

Set Goals That Excite You

It's beneficial to set reasonable goals that are easy to reach, and I would never suggest stopping that. However, it can also help to set some relatively wild or audacious goals. These goals might seem out of reach right now, but the allure of reaching them in the future might motivate you in the present.

Measure Your Results

Tracking and measuring your progress is key to motivation, and your motivation will naturally rise when you can genuinely see your efforts paying off. If you don't track and measure, how else will you know if you are making progress?

Reward Yourself

If you are tracking your improvement, make sure you reward yourself. Rewarding yourself will ensure that you stay motivated. You are more likely to keep plugging away when you can see that reward getting closer and closer.

Use Your Social Circle

Building accountability through your social circle is a great idea. When you have a big goal you want to achieve, let the people in your life know. Besides them potentially helping you along the way, it will also make you more accountable. The funny thing is that we are more likely to let ourselves down than our loved ones.

Fake It

Are you not feeling motivated or energetic today?

Try faking it.

This tactic won't work all of the time, but it could help you get through a slow morning or 2. Pump yourself up with some music. Chug some coffee. Jump around if you have to. Anything to make yourself feel a bit more energetic.

Take Action

Have you ever sat down to work and couldn't get started? Sometimes, all it takes to boost your motivation is accomplishing a straightforward task. Pick the single, most direct thing you can do towards any of your goals and do it. Most likely, this will motivate you to take on the next challenge.

Discover Your Inspiration

People get inspired by different things. To maximise your motivation, you need to figure out what inspires you. Maybe it's a specific type of music. Perhaps it's a view from your house, and it could be a motivational speaker or celebrity. Find out what inspires you and schedule some time to immerse yourself in it each day.

Actionable Stages

Think about all of your goals and desires. Now list why each is important to you. If you don't want to get overwhelmed, focus on one or two primary goals.

Keep thinking about the goals from the last tip. Now, think about how you can reward yourself for hitting your milestones along the way. When is a good time for a reward? What is a good bonus?

Find 2-3 things that truly inspire you. Maybe it's a TedTalk on Youtube, or it might be a music playlist you can put on whenever you need it. Regardless of what it is, find what inspires you, and immerse yourself in it.