M O T I V A T I O N
It’s what gets you up in the morning, drives you towards a goal & keeps you heading for success when the going gets tough.
There are essentially 2 types:
𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 motivations focus on positive things that will happen by taking action. Also known as reward motivations. E.g. ‘If I eat more healthily & exercise regularly I will get fitter and feel better’.
𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 motivations focus on the backlash that will occur by not taking action E.g. ‘If I don’t reduce my intake of processed foods my risk of chronic disease will increase.'
Both types can be effective in different circumstances, but it’s much easier to do something because you really want to, rather than because you want to avoid a certain outcome if you don’t...
But how?
👉🏼 Set goals. When you set a goal, you make a decision to act in a way that will help you achieve what you want. Goals provide direction & focus – they should be measurable and specific. [See my recent post: “Show the world how strong you are”]
👉🏼 Choose goals that inspire you. You’re much more likely to stay motivated if you’re working towards something that you genuinely want to do/achieve, rather than what others dictate
👉🏼 Identify key things that interest you within goals that don’t. Sometimes we‘re set goals/tasks that we don’t want to do. E.g. ‘I don’t like walking, but walking to work will save me money and boost my mood, which will both really benefit me’
👉🏼 Vocalise your goals. By telling someone or writing it down, you’ve basically made a promise
👉🏼 Map your progress. When you’re working towards something, it can be highly motivating to see a visual representation of the progress you’re making E.g. Using a simple, personalised tracking sheet to tick off daily achievements towards action steps
👉🏼 Break up goals. Breaking up a task into realistic, manageable chunks helps build confidence
👉🏼 Use rewards. E.g. Buy new shoes with the money saved after a month of walking to work
👉🏼 Don’t go it alone. Join a class, find a coach or friend to share the experience with. Other people’s encouragement can be a big motivation booster, particularly in the face of adversity
