Introduction
Having a lack of motivation isn’t uncommon, especially when you’ve got things to juggle, challenges, or you’re just simply feeling stuck. Whether you’re trying to stay focused on your fitness goals, get through work, or keep momentum with your personal development, we all lose motivation at some point. The good news is that it’s possible to regain it quickly with strategy and attitude changes.
Why Do You Lose Motivation?
The first step towards regaining motivation is to understand why your motivation has dipped. Here are a few possible reasons for loss of motivation:
1. Unclear Goals
If there are no clear goals, or they are not realistic, it is hard to stay on track. When there is no clear target, we become distracted and lost, and it is easier to quit. People who never write down or define their goals can experience this loss of motivation easily.
2. Burnout and Overwhelm
You can easily burnout if you take on too much or work without getting good rest. Once your body and mind are spent, you will find it very difficult to stay motivated. If your brain is constantly in overdrive with no opportunity to unload, your brain will start resisting productivity.
3. Fear of Failure
There may be some fear of failure within you, that drives self-doubt about taking any action. Fear can slowly drain your excitement and drive. You may feel like all you can do is procrastinate or abandon your goals just to avoid disappointment.
4. No Observable Progress
If you’re not seeing results, it’s easy to feel like your time and efforts are worthless. It’s this discouragement, some people eventually want to give up. The thing with motivation is it thrives on progress, thus even small progress can spark renewed motivation.
5. Negative Self-Talk
If you are constantly telling yourself you aren’t good enough or can’t succeed at something, you create a mental block that will extinguish your motivation. Often we lose motivation before we give ourselves a shot at succeeding because of what our inner critic tells us; they can be far worse than outside obstacles.
Reigniting Motivation Fast
Now that you understand the reasons why motivation decreases, let’s discuss legitimate and fast ways to spark your motivation again.
1. Review Your “Why”
Think back to why you started in the first place. Tapping into your core reasons may give you a renewed sense of purpose and motivate you to carry on again. Whether it was to grow personally, create financial freedom for your family, or somehow validate the worth of your effort, knowing your “why” will keep you anchored.
2. Take Goals and Break Them Down into Small Steps
If you’re overwhelmed by a big goal, break it down into small, actionable steps. When you complete even mini-tasks, it helps to build momentum and gives you a mini-motivator. For example, instead of aiming to write a ‘book’, your goal today can be to write one paragraph.
3. Change Your Environment
Sometimes, changing our scenery of where we feel stuck can help get us unstuck. If you’re feeling stuck in your head, try cleaning your office, taking a walk, going to another room, or just moving around. Physical space impacts mental space.
4. Use Positive Affirmations
Affirmations like “I am capable”, “I have what it takes”, and “progress not perfection” can help change your mindset and provide a boost of confidence. Make a practice of repeating these affirmations daily to help develop a more supportive inner dialogue.
5. Recognize the Small Triumphs
Be mindful of every small win or achievement, no matter how small. When you celebrate progress, you increase dopamine levels, which aids in increasing motivation. Jot a record in writing or create a checklist to mark down your accomplishments over time.
6. Step Away for a Short Moment
Sometimes you just need to step away for a short moment to kind of reset your energy. It can be as simple as taking a power nap, going for a walk or just simply taking a few deep breaths can recharge your brain. Taking a break does not mean you are lazy, it is re-energizing time.
7. Keep Positive People Around You
Spend time with people who inspire you, seek out inspirational reading, listen to encouraging podcasts, etc. Positive energy is contagious and can help inform your own headspace.
8. Visualize Success
Close your eyes and image yourself achieving your goal. Visualizing is a way to help your brain program itself to take the steps necessary to turn your visual into the real thing. It can also help build confidence and clarity through mental rehearsal.
9. Reward Yourself
Have a reward structure in place. Whenever you complete a task or reach a goal, reward yourself. It helps reinforce positive behavior and gives you something to look forward to.
10. Be Consistent, Even If You’re Unmotivated
It’s natural for motivation to fade in and out. It’s called discipline that will help you keep the train rolling. Dedicate yourself to showing up even when you are obviously not feeling it. In the end, being consistent will turn into progress, and progress will turn into motivation.
In conclusion
It’s common to lose motivation, and it doesn’t mean that you are failing. It is simply a reflection to stop, consider, and change. By identifying the root cause and executing changes quickly and deliberately, you will regain motivation and momentum. Motivation is not serious. It is a muscle to strengthen. The faster you act to overcome the loss of motivation, the harder it will become for you to lose motivation in the first place.
If I could impart any gift to progress, it would be “progress over perfection.” You can do it! Be patient, be present, and trust the process.
