How Do I Motivate Myself? Use These 7 Steps to Stay on Track

motivation

Individuals find diverse sources of motivation. Whether your drive comes from within or external factors, and whether you move toward goals or seek to avoid certain outcomes, here are 7 foolproof steps to help you navigate your path to success.

  1. Know Your Higher Purpose

Understanding the purpose behind a task is paramount for sustained motivation. The magnitude of your motivation aligns with the significance of your purpose. While money is an initial motivator, its impact diminishes once basic needs are met. True motivation often stems from meaningful pursuits in life.

Observationally, individuals accomplishing remarkable feats often do so with a broader perspective—they work for the benefit of others. Whether it’s their loved ones, fellow citizens, their community, or humanity as a whole, the pursuit of a greater good becomes a formidable driving force.

  1. Set Clear Goals

Contemplate your most recent accomplishment of a significant goal. Did you approach it sporadically, engaging in tasks whenever the mood struck, or did you adhere to a systematic plan with structured steps?

It’s likely the latter scenario. Remarkable achievements, whether winning the Olympics, constructing a towering building, nurturing a tree, launching a business, or forging a meaningful relationship, seldom occur by chance. Developing a well-thought-out plan and establishing clear goals lay the groundwork for systematically coordinating efforts toward the ultimate outcome.

Ensure your goals adhere to the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-framed). This not only enables effective progress tracking but also provides a profound sense of purpose and direction throughout your journey.

  1. Create a Detailed Step By Step Plan

Tackling large tasks can be daunting, often presenting challenges that are both intimidating and difficult to overcome. To effectively manage these tasks, it is essential to adopt a strategy of breaking them down into smaller, more manageable daily goals. Utilizing the WHO, WHAT, and WHEN approach helps articulate each task clearly, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of responsibilities and deadlines. 

Additionally, it is crucial to list the necessary resources required for the completion of each smaller task, including the timeline for their utilization. In situations where assistance is needed, it is recommended to specify who will be involved and where to seek help. This structured approach not only facilitates a smoother workflow but also enhances overall task management efficiency.

  1. Think And Speak Positively


The impact of positive thinking extends across your thoughts, spoken words, and written expressions, shaping not only your mindset but also influencing your actions and, subsequently, your outcomes. Research underscores the interconnectedness of thought patterns with speech and behavior, emphasizing the inadvertent influence on overall results. Read more on the research here.

Positive thinking transcends mere placebo effects; rather, empirical observations reveal its transformative power in altering outcomes. To delve deeper into the profound effects of positive thinking on performance, further insights can be explored here.

For those intrigued by the realm of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), an approach harnessing the language of both the conscious and unconscious mind for positive outcomes, we invite you to reach out. NLP serves as a powerful tool for achieving positive results, offering a nuanced understanding of the intricacies between language, thought, and success.

  1. Be Accountable To Someone

Understanding that we have accountability to someone else serves as a powerful motivator, fostering focus and determination in the pursuit of our goals. The external accountability factor can instill a deeper commitment to our objectives, propelling us towards success. 

Establishing a support system further enhances this accountability. Teaming up with like-minded individuals striving for similar goals or engaging a coach who actively monitors and supports your progress can be instrumental. These partnerships not only provide encouragement but also introduce an additional layer of responsibility, reinforcing the drive to achieve set milestones. Talk to us if you are looking for a coach.

  1. Be More Effective

Learn and implement better time management. Focus on the tasks that you have planned to do and complete them during that time. 

Plan your tasks based on how productive you are at that time of the day. Generally, most people are biologically wired to rest at night and are the most productive in the morning. It then makes sense to set aside the morning for tackling the difficult tasks of the day.

Having said that, you could be different. Some people think clearer and work better at night, when it is quiet and there are less distractions. 

  1. Reward Yourself

Acknowledge that Rome wasn’t constructed in a day. It’s okay if, on occasion, you can’t finish your daily tasks. Be forgiving if you miss a deadline and simply pick up where you left off the next day. Additionally, celebrate minor achievements.

Pursuing a goal is like running a marathon, which requires a steady pace. The celebration of small victories plays a pivotal role, injecting a fresh dose of motivation and energy into the pursuit of our objectives.

If you like this article, you may also like our Effective Communication, Change Management and Leadership Team Building programmes.

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