How to Get and Stay Motivated

We can find motivation even during times of stress with these helpful tips from Aura Health.

Understanding Motivation

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." — Malala Yousafzai

I remember dreaming about being a famous writer who would drink copious amounts of coffee and write all day. Writing was my passion, and it was all I wanted to do. I wasn't motivated to do anything else. 

I thought that I had to be passionate about work to be motivated to do it. But even our dedication to the things we are passionate about will fluctuate. We all have to motivate ourselves to do things we'd rather put off.

Often, we know that we need to do things, but we can't find the motivation. We know that a 20-minute workout will make us feel better later, but how do we get out of bed an hour early? We know that meditation will calm our minds, but we find ourselves in a procrastination loop or struggle to make time.

Building your personal motivation means recognizing your personal intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. What lights you up? It might help to make a few lists. Draw a line down a sheet of paper and on the left write an I for intrinsic. On the right, write an E for extrinsic.

Under intrinsic, write down all the ideas and values that keep you going. These are thoughts that remind you of the value of your actions. Under the extrinsic category, list any people, places, things, and rituals that motivate you. You may want to repeat this exercise for different goals.

Setting Clear Goals

The best way to set clear goals is to ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This means the difference between saying "I need to meditate more" and "I would like to meditate for 5 minutes every day before I go to work for one full week, which is doable because I usually have an extra 5 minutes."

The difference in these two goals is that one is vague, whereas the other shows specifics and accounts for the individual's unique schedule, which makes the goal more likely to be achieved. If you try SMART goals and still have difficulty, try breaking goals down into smaller, manageable tasks is an excellent way to begin to practice refining your goal-setting process.

Creating a Positive Environment

If there is a goal you have that is outside of your comfort zone, the best thing you can do is surround yourself with supportive people. I often have an accountability partner when I set a goal for myself. For instance, if I want to write three pages a week toward the completion of my novel, I will tell a good friend that this is my goal, and at the end of each week, she'll ask how I did. Because I know she will ask, some days I find getting motivated to write easier.

Eliminating distractions and negative influences is another powerful way to find motivation. You've probably heard this one before, but I'll say it again: try to eliminate digital distractions, such as social media or texts from friends why you are working on your goal. If you are working in a busy and distracting environment, it's also recommended to put on headphones or close your door if you are able. By eliminating distractions, you can find more focus, which helps to keep motivation. 

Building Consistent Habits

To keep motivation means building a habit or ritual that will help you achieve your goal. This means thinking about your routine and input. Some of the basics that help me find motivation and keep motivation are as follows:

• Find a daily routine that encourages progress by integrating some reward system. For instance, hold off on your latte until after your 5-minute meditation. This will make the latte feel like a treat.
• Track your progress regularly to stay focused by journaling about your efforts.
• Read motivational books or listen to inspiring podcasts. One book I recommend is Atomic Habits, which helps with goal setting and finding motivation by breaking tasks down into small, digestible actions.
• Seek out role models and mentors who seem motivated and purpose-driven. These can be teachers, friends, co-workers, family members, or bosses. Ask those who inspire you how they stay motivated.  
• Cultivate a sense of self-belief by affirming that you can achieve success.

Maintaining Long-term Motivation

We've discussed how to boost motivation when you feel unmotivated, but how do you keep motivation for the long term? One way is to reflect on your achievements and growth. If you can keep your goal for a day, that is cause for a small celebration. Write down your accomplishment and share it with a friend. If circumstances change and your goal becomes more difficult, then give yourself a little grace as you adapt to the new challenges. Our goals will sometimes change as our lifestyle or circumstances change, and that is okay. Showing yourself compassion will help you to stay flexible and adapt to new challenges.

I recommend trying a loving-kindness meditation to cultivate more self-compassion when you feel unmotivated. As you build your intrinsic motivation, you will find that another tactic you can use is referring back to your values and purpose. When you feel like you are losing sight of a goal, return to the reason you set that goal in the first place.

We set ourselves up for success when we consider both extrinsic motivation and the intrinsic motivation, so reflect on how you are getting reinforcement from the world through rewards. This doesn't just mean money or recognition. It can mean the way you feel after a good exercise routine or the joy or positive feeling of completing tasks you never thought you'd finish. When you reach a milestone or accomplish a small goal, be sure to pause and enjoy the feeling.

With these small steps, you can address a lack of motivation by addressing it from all sides. Remember that we are dynamic, so a combination of rewards, values, realistic tasks, self motivation, and a support system can combine to help you accomplish just about anything and keep momentum along the way.