5 Ways to Stay Motivated

With all the things that we have to do on a daily basis—and the new stuff that gets added randomly—staying motivated is a job in and of itself. You start off excited, or at least determined, to check off those boxes but as time ticks by, and new challenge rise, that level of energy starts to wane.

Suddenly, you have every excuse in the world to justify why something can’t get done. I don’t have the time; there aren’t enough resources to get this off the ground; I’m tired; I’ll do it tomorrow; I’m the only one who cares about this. Blah blah blah! Sound familiar?

That squishy pink thing between your ears makes powerful choices between full steam ahead, procrastination, or full-stop. To stay motivated, you have got to stop making it so easy to give up. You have to replace those excuses with encouragement or one of two things will happen; it won’t get done at all or you’ll do it but with a bad attitude and hating the process the entire time.

I’m going to use the word think a lot in this post because there is a direct link between your brain and your body. Your mind tells your body what to do, so your thoughts are critical to staying motivated.

I thought about and compared the situations where I was really motivated to the times when I threw in the towel before I barely started, and I learned a few things that I want to share with you. Here are six ways to help you do all the stuff that has to get done—and feel good while doing it.

Stay Positive.

This might sound corny but, for real, don’t you just feel better about getting something done when you have a positive attitude? It makes you excited to start and determined to see it through—especially if it’s challenging. Optimism is imperative to your energy levels, mental health and tenacity. No one wants to be around a Debbie Downer, so don’t be one!

Be a Self-Motivator.

You know what it takes for you to get stuff done, and you won’t always have cheerleaders yelling from the sideline, so practice being a self-motivator. I’m a procrastinator by nature and the longer I take to do something, the greater the chance it won’t get done. I have to tell myself to “get it together” all the time and, no lie, sometimes I even say it out loud! When I push myself at the gym, I usually say something like, “let’s go girl, you got this”, and somehow the strength comes out of nowhere. I can’t feel my arms but, hey, I finished the set lol.

Don’t Give Yourself an Out.

Even as I’m writing this post, I’m trying to talk myself out of doing the 30 sit-ups I committed to before bed each night this week. It’s late, I’m already in bed, my yoga mat is downstairs, I already went to the gym today…blah blah blah…excuses, excuses, excuses!

It’s like as soon as you make up your mind to do something, your resolve is tested. As human beings, we like to find loopholes to justify our decisions to quit or postpone. We tell ourselves things like, I don’t have the 4-year degree to apply for that job or I’ll change my eating habits after the holidays. Once you present an exit, more often than not, you will take it.

Set Milestones, and Establish Rewards.

Breaking down projects/tasks into small digestible pieces can help combat the overwhelm, stress, and anxiety that comes with trying to do—or think about—too much at once. Setting milestones can help you stay motivated because as you reach each one, you feel a sense of accomplishment, and the push to move to the next mark. Your achievements are worthy of reward and recognition; lose 10 pounds and buy the necklace you’ve been wanting, graduate college and splurge on that new laptop…you get the idea.

Remember Why You Started, and Keep the Big Picture in Mind.

Keeping your connection to the beginning and your eye on the prize is crucial while you’re in the middle. Reflect back to why you started in the first place. What was it that got you excited? An interesting new career direction? Fitting back into a dress you love? Traveling overseas for the first time? Remember that! Keep your “why” close^* so it can fuel your motivation.

As you go through the process it’s normal to focus on the next step, the next phone call to make, the next form to fill out—something as ordinary as scheduling doctors’ appointments for your entire family. But think about how good you will feel once those appointments are organized in the calendar and off your plate. Remember, you’re not just booking routine check-ups, you’re committing to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you and your family through consistent health and wellness practices.

*Bishop Anthony W. Gilyard, Bethlehem Judah Christian Fellowship, COGIC.