15 Keys to Maintaining Daily Motivation
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle.
Maintaining motivation is not a question of discipline but of habit, and it is about staying focused on your goal. Put one of these keys into practice or combine them, and you will have the necessary motivation for all your activities!
15: Record your progress for each of your goals.
Create a table and regularly track the progress of your goals by marking a cross next to them. Some will be able to mark their progress daily on Joe's Goals or Traineo. Maintain your effort even if you are not regular in tracking, because inevitably you will have days without.
14: Hold back your enthusiasm.
When setting a new goal, hold back. Only commit to 50% of what you want to do. And gradually increase your level of expectation.
13: Don't stay alone, join a group with whom you can stay focused on your goals. Sign up for forums, join or create a local group.
You will have the opportunity to exchange, create bonds, receive advice, tips…
12: Visualize your goal.
Write it on a visual that you can see every day (a magazine photo, or download photos from istockphoto or Flickr) on your desk, bathroom mirror, fridge, PC background. Write your goal every day.
11: Partner with someone for your success.
Staying motivated by yourself remains a challenge. Find a partner with similar goals (sports, financial goals…). Have regular check-ins to encourage each other.
10: Just do it.
There are days when you don't feel enough energy to do what you planned (for example, going out for your sports session). In this case, instead of thinking how difficult it will be, tell yourself that you must start the activity without thinking. Start with the smallest action (putting on your sports shoes and tying your laces). Once started, your subconscious mind will have difficulty backing down and you will realize that it won't be that difficult.
9: Make it enjoyable.
One of the reasons we put off an activity is that we associate it with something difficult. This may be true, but the key is to make it pleasant or even fun. If this activity is perceived as a reward, your motivation will remain high.
8: Give time to time.
Easier said than done…The problem is that we want quick results. Don't expect to be able to run a marathon overnight or become the best salesperson on the team in the blink of an eye. Be patient, the key lies in consistency: set persistence as your first goal.
7: Set mini-goals.
You don't eat an elephant in one bite. Important long-term goals can discourage many. After two weeks, you may lose your motivation in view of the efforts that remain to be made over the next few months…Solution: break down the main goal into a series of mini-goals.
6: Reward yourself often.
And not just for long-term goals. Make a list of your goals and write an appropriate reward next to them. By "appropriate" I mean proportional to the size of the goal (don't reward yourself for running a 10k with a Caribbean cruise), and not a reward that goes against it (if you are trying to lose weight, don't reward yourself by eating a high-calorie meal).
5: Find your inspiration.
Inspiration is one of the best tools for maintaining your motivation. Sources of inspiration can be diverse: blogs, forums, meetings, books, magazines, quotes from famous authors, music, photos…
4: Get a coach.
Investing in a coach will help you keep your motivation intact, take stock and decide on future actions to put in place, and have relevant criteria for judging the progress in your goal. An outside eye is the best guarantee of your success and can be suitable for all goals, personal or professional.
3: Write down your goal.
Write down the powerful reasons, in black and white. Regularly meditate on your goals and the reasons that drive you to do them (for your children, to be loved…) Whatever the reasons, look for the higher reason that will be able to transcend you. Write it down.
2: Clearly visualize your goals daily for 5 to 10 minutes.
Visualize the results in detail. Close your eyes and think about the smallest details when you have achieved your goal. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? The key to success lies here in the daily practice of this exercise. This is the only way to maintain your motivation.
1: Keeping a journal can be a great source of motivation.
A journal where you will record what you have accomplished, but also your reflections, your mistakes, what you have felt. To be consistent in this exercise, take notes immediately after achieving your goal for the day. Make keeping a journal a pleasure.
