How To Stay Super Motivated

“Motivation is what gets you started …”

Whether it be studying, goal-chasing or just getting started on something, sometimes the motivation just isn’t there and it makes it a bit difficult to get into things and accomplish what we set out to accomplish.

Staying motivated isn’t always an easy thing to do; especially when doing tasks we don’t particularly enjoy doing such as studying or exercising.

I do various things to keep myself motivated, depending on what I’m doing… In the gym, for instance, I listen to music that gets me really pumped up and keeps me feeling energetic. I try to match my running or cycling with the tempo of the song.

Have you heard about the theories of motivation?

I learnt a little about them in pursuit of my human resources management degree and they are quite interesting but I’m not gonna bore you by being all sciency and technical (that’s not me), I just want to touch on them just a little…

There are 3 motivation theories I’ve learnt about; Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, McClelland’s theory which identified 3 needs (achievement, affiliation and power) as well as Herzberg’s 2-factor theory aka the Motivation-Hygiene theory.

These theories discuss the different factors that make up, or should I say, affect our motivation levels and as you’ve seen from people around you, individuals have different levels of motivation and are driven by different things.

You can read up more on these motivation theories by doing a quick Google search if you’re interested…

Let’s talk a little about how to stay motivated.

If you want to stay super motivated then this is how you do it:

Write your goals down and keep them visible

Seeing your goals helps to keep them alive and serves as a reminder of what you’re walking towards.

I have stuck mine on my mirror so I see them every day even if I’m not purposefully paying attention, they are always right there.

Ideally, you want to stick notes reminding you of your goals in a place that you frequent. Your study spot or fridge would be great too.

If your goal is to achieve your dream body, keeping a visual representation in constant view can go a long way to serve as a reminder of what you’re working towards; especially on the days when you’re feeling super lazy and unmotivated. Vision boards are an awesome way to do this. You should check Pinterest for ideas if you’re unsure of how to go about creating a vision board for yourself.

In the study, I stuck my vision board at eye level at the desk where I study so that I see it every time I look up, you know, just in case my books start to feel like a drag.

Remember WHY you started

When the task at hand seems daunting and you no longer see the point of it all, remember your WHY, why did you start?

Are you doing this because you want to be able to afford your dream house? Are you trying to live debt-free? Do the jeans you tried on yesterday fit you now?

Keep the end goal in mind

This kind of goes back to the above point…

When you feel like giving up always try to remember what the aim of what you’re doing is. Remember the reward you’re going to get in the end. That’s the end goal you gotta keep in mind.

In the middle of a workout when my muscles want to give in, I remember the reason I’m doing said exercise is to get that bikini body. Even on days when I’m feeling lazy, I think about how good I’ll look on the beach if I stick to my workouts and get my ass up and before I know it, the session is done and dusted. I have never regretted working out…

This kind of goes back to the above point…

Make it fun and exciting for yourself

Sometimes some tasks can become a bit boring and draining so to keep that from happening you must make it enjoyable for yourself.

For instance, you can turn whatever you’re doing into a game for yourself to make it more fun and interesting.

Reward yourself

Once you’ve accomplished even a small task, reward yourself for a job well done. It doesn’t have to be anything big, for instance, after a study session you can take a break and go for some ice cream or watch your favourite series.

If you’re looking to do a little reading on motivation then you should check out The Motivated Mind by Raj Persaud.

I found it among my father’s books in the study and it was quite an interesting read.

You should also try to always remember that nothing worth having comes easy, you gotta put some work in. You reap what you sow.

Life is a mental game. It’s all in the mind. If you tell yourself that whatever you’re doing is going to be fun and go in with a positive attitude, you’re more likely to feel motivated and to complete the task at hand.

As I’ve said before, try to make things fun and exciting for yourself, even the boring things you don’t want to do.

P.S When you set goals for yourself they need to be S.M.A.R.T (Specific.Measurable.Attainable.Realistic.Time-Sensitive). Don’t just say, for example, ” I want to lose weight”. How much weight do you want to lose? 5kgs? By when?

How do you keep yourself motivated? Share it with me in the comments.

P.S Today is day 8 of Blogtober! How are you finding it so far?