These 7 simple and effective ways to stay motivated can be easily implemented in your routine to achieve sustainable success.
Whenever one tries to make a change in behavior, whether it be for weight loss, health benefits, or increasing productivity, one may face setbacks or failure. But, what is important is not giving up and trying again. In order to do that, one needs some motivation. Everyone is motivated by different things. Understanding what motivated YOU can make the difference between success and failure.
What drives one person to stay motivated is unique to that individual. If one understands themselves, the more effective their efforts will be.
Here are 7 simple and effective strategies to stay motivated:
Paint your vision in your mind.
If you want to succeed, paint a clear, compelling vision that you can relate to, and that resonates with your goals. Make this painting so colorful that your desire to get it is immense. You can only achieve what you can see. This can bring you up when you are down. Keep it as wallpaper on your phone or as a poster printout in your room or office.
Have an action plan.
Goals must have a defined action plan to achieve them. This helps you move slowly and steadily towards your goals. A goal without an action plan is just a dream. Develop small short-term goals that are feasible with your available resources. These short-term goals are like a rung on the big ladder. Step by step, you will reach your goal.
Instill positivism.
Maintain a positive “I can do it” mental attitude, and positive results happen. Avoid negative words about yourself, such as bad or failure, or I blew it. Even if you have a setback, that’s ok. Keep going with a positive mindset. Anyone can go off your program at times. It is ok. We are only human. This does not mean that you blew it or you are a failure. Don’t beat yourself up. Simply get back on your program at the very next meal. Try to figure out what you could do next time when the same thing happens again. The quicker you’re back on your program, the more you’ll want to stay on your program. It is becoming a comfortable, enjoyable, and preferred behavior.
Stop multitasking.
Do not divide your attention among multiple tasks. This will lower your efficiency and productivity in all tasks. Focus on one task and accomplish it before going to the second task.
Reward yourself. There is nothing that can inspire a good behavior change than positive reinforcement. Set aside healthy rewards, such as a trip or fun outings, after accomplishing a short-term goal. This will motivate you to keep achieving your short-term goals.
Cherish all your wins.
Do not just focus on the goals, but also on the JOURNEY towards that goal. If your goal is to lose weight, also focus on all the short-term accomplishments, such as drinking more water, walking more now, or eating fewer sweets now. All these small goals are your wins. Appreciate it! It will motivate you.
Keep it fun.
If you seriously want to stay motivated, find a way to make it fun. Fun is not the enemy but a great motivator.
It is possible that sometimes you might try every technique available, and the moment is still difficult. It happens. But that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. It just means your results have not quite accumulated enough to effect a noticeable change. It doesn’t mean nothing is happening. It just might be too subtle for you to notice. Keep doing it anyway. It accumulates. Continue trying, and from each seemingly failed, imperfect human attempt, the structure of the old, destructive habit will be eroded another little bit . . . you will be that much closer to success which is eating only when hungry.