How to Get Motivated in 3 Steps

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I don’t care who you are, staying motivated is hard to do. Everyone as one point or another loses motivation and has to find a way to get it back. The issue is, how do we get motivated when we are just stuck in a place that we can’t get out of? Below I break down three steps to help you get motivated.

How to Get Motivated: Step 1 – Pick a Goal

Too many times when we want to change our life, we try to do too many things at once and end up falling on our face. The amount of new routine is overwhelming and we typically jut give in and resort back to our old ways. We all know that come New Year’s Day most have a resolution of losing weight. If you go to the gym like me, we hate this time of year. For the first couple of months, the gym is packed regardless what time we go. But as March and April roll around, the gym is back to normal because most people have given up on their resolution. Why? Because they tried to do too many new things at once.

Look at your life right now. Now fit in the gym three times a week along with finding new recipes for healthy eating, shopping for the ingredients and cooking them. Just reading that is overwhelming! You can see why so many people fail now. Instead, pick one goal. Let’s say it’s go to the gym three times per week. Focus only on this goal. Yes you can work some healthier eating into the mix, but focus just on the gym for now. Once you have built that into your routine, now you can introduce a new routine, eating healthy.

How to Get Motivated: Step 2 – Find Inspiration

When I have a goal I want to accomplish, I find pictures related to that goal and put them in a notebook for me to review. If I want a Porsche 911, then I cut out pictures of that car in magazines and place them in my notebook. Another trick I do is find inspirational moments in movies and watch them.

When I am feeling down and thinking about doing the opposite of my goal, I refer back to my notebook with the pictures or watch those movie clips and get inspired. This forces me to “flip the switch” in my mind and I begin to focus on achieving my goal and get motivated about it.

How to Get Motivated: Step 3 – Stick it Out

At points during your journey, you are going to want to give up. Its natural so don’t be too hard on yourself when it happens. The key is to stay the course and keep pushing yourself. Remind yourself why you have the goal and refer back to your notebook of inspiration to help you remain motivated.

I suggest you also talk with close friends and family members about your goal so they can help you by accountable. Be certain though to speak up during this time as well. Sometimes we think that asking about someone’s progress will encourage further motivation but it could actually have the opposite effect. If you are finding yourself getting irritable when others ask about your goal, be sure to speak up and talk about it. Doing so might bring clarity as to why you are in the slump in the first place.

Final Thoughts

Overall, getting and staying motivated is work. It’s natural to lack motivation at times in our lives. The key is to not let a lack of motivation become the norm. By applying the above steps you can improve your motivation and start reaching your goals. Good luck!

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jon Dulin

Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.