There were seasons where I felt so fired up, like I could do anything. And just a few weeks later, I was like, gone. No motivation at all, and then I began questioning what was wrong with me. Then there were times when I figured that motivation is not something you have to get forever. You can build it, and once you build it, you can strengthen it, protect it, and maintain it, even when life gets tough, when results are slow, and when you’re exhausted.
Motivation is the one thing that keeps you going. It’s what will help you stay committed to your goals, to face challenges, and work toward the life you want. But as you already know, it’s not always easy to stay motivated for a long time.
Whether you want to start something new, build healthy habits, improve yourself, and so on, the key to success is high motivation. However, the good news is motivation is not something you are just “born with.” You can learn how to increase your motivation.
When you understand how to build motivation, you don’t have to rely on feelings. You can create powerful habits and systems that will move you forward and keep you going, even when you don’t feel like it.
Here’s how to build high motivation in a step-by-step guide.
Step 1: Know Your Why
Your “why” is your reason for having a goal. If your reason is weak, you’ll easily quit when things get tough or boring. However, when your reason is strong and personal, it’ll be easier to stay disciplined even when you’re tired, discouraged, or drained.
Ask yourself:
- Why do I really want this?
- What will change in my life if I have this?
- Who else will benefit when I become a better version of myself?
For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your “why” may be to feel healthier, have more energy, build confidence, become a better example to your kids or partner, or so on.
Write your why down on paper and keep it somewhere you can see it—notes app, your journal, or your wall. Whenever your motivation begins to drop, your “why” will serve as a reminder.
Read Also: 10 Peaceful Life Goals
Step 2: Set Clear Goals
Big dreams are good and exciting. However, they become overwhelming when they are not clear. That’s why you need clear, specific goals that spell out exactly what you are working toward.
Instead of:
“I want to be successful.”
Try:
“I want to start a small business in the next 6 months”
“I want to learn graphic design and build a portfolio”
“I want to save a particular amount of money this year.”
The more specific your goal, the easier it is to know the next step. And when you know what the next step is, you are less likely to feel stuck.
Break your big goal into small, actionable steps. Small wins will help you stay motivated because you will see the results of your effort.
Read also: 12 Becoming Her Journal Prompts
Step 3: Think Positively
Mindset is a big deal. It can either make or break your motivation. If you keep telling yourself that you are not good enough, you can’t do it, you will never be that person, and so on, then you are basically telling your brain not to bother.
On the other hand, when you tell your brain that you can learn, you can get better, you can improve, you can grow, you will subconsciously begin to move toward your goals. In other words, you will be motivated to push.
To build motivation, you must also work on your self-talk.
Instead of:
“I’m not good enough”
Try:
“I’m learning, and I’m improving.”
Instead of:
“I’m going to fail”
Try:
“I have failed before, but I can do better this time.”
You can also fill your mind with positive and inspiring stuff. You can do this by:
- Reading motivational books
- Watching uplifting videos
- Surrounding yourself with motivational quotes
- Spending time with supportive, encouraging friends
- Listening to helpful podcasts and audios
- Joining a community with like-minded people with similar goals.
The more good stuff you feed your mind, the easier it will become to build and maintain motivation.
Step 4: Build Good Habits
Motivation is awesome, but habits are what will keep you moving and consistent. The truth is you won’t always be in the “I’m motivated to do this” mood, but if you’ve built the right habits, you will still show up.
Start small. Do not try to build too many habits at once.
- You can start with exercising 10 minutes daily.
- Reading 5 pages daily.
- Writing a simple to-do list each morning.
- Saving a few dollars weekly.
- Listening to a 10-minute podcast daily.
- And so on.
Building tiny habits may look like nothing now, but trust me, they will help you build discipline, and discipline is what will make you keep showing up when motivation is low.
Step 5: Track Your Progress
Progress is very motivating. When you can see evidence of your growth, you will become more confident and more committed to your goals.
You can track your progress by:
- Crossing out completed tasks.
- Checking off habit tracker apps.
- Writing down weekly progress.
- Keeping a journal of things you did.
Don’t undermine small wins. It could be completing a chapter, sticking to a schedule for 3 days, or finishing a task you have been avoiding. All these count, and you should celebrate them because they are evidence that you’re moving in the right direction.
Step 6: Reframe Your Challenges
Challenges are a part of the journey. You will get tired, you will get distracted, you will be tested, and sometimes you will fail. All these are normal, but the thing is, between people who succeed and those who quit, there is a difference in how they handle challenges.
Instead of:
“Why is this happening to me?”
Try:
“What is this teaching me?”
“What can I do better next time?”
“How can I improve from this?”
When you view setbacks and challenges as lessons, you will always remain motivated because you will no longer see a difficulty as a signal to stop; you will see it as part of the process.
Step 7: Get Support
You don’t have to do everything alone. Support will help you stay motivated when you are tired or feeling discouraged.
Share your goals with people who genuinely want you to grow. This could be a friend, a mentor, a sibling, an accountability partner, or even an online community. When you have people who will encourage you, check up on you, celebrate your wins, it becomes easier to keep showing up.
Support also matters because it provides accountability. If someone knows you’re working on a goal, you will be more likely to show up and be consistent.
Step 8: Take Care of Yourself
Burnout will kill motivation quickly. If you keep pushing yourself without rest and proper care, your brain and body will shut down.
One way to build and maintain motivation is by taking good care of your body and mind.
- Get enough sleep.
- Eat healthy, nourishing meals.
- Take rest when needed.
- Do things you love and enjoy.
- Reduce stress as much as possible.
When you are tired and feel drained both physically and emotionally, it will be easy to become unfocused, inconsistent, and hopeless. When you care for your physical and mental well-being, it becomes easier to stay consistent, hopeful, and focused.
Step 9: Visualize Your Success
Visualization is a powerful technique to help you build motivation. When you imagine what you want to achieve, it will remind you what you are working toward.
Every day, take a few minutes to visualize:
- What your success looks like.
- How you will feel when you get there.
- How your life will be better.
- Who you’ll become in the process.
This simple process will help you stay focused and motivated, even when the going gets tough and you feel like quitting.
Step 10: Stay Open to Change
Not everything will go as planned, and that’s okay. Sometimes you may need to shift your goal, change your approach, or even try something new.
Being flexible doesn’t mean you are giving up. It means you are learning and growing. When you’re open-minded, you don’t become stuck or discouraged easily. You just keep moving forward, even if the path keeps changing.
Final Thoughts
Motivation is something you build, and you build it by your mindset, habits, support system, and daily decisions. It’s not a switch you flick on and off. If you do these things, you will have strong and long-lasting motivation that will not be tied to your mood. Start small, be consistent, and remind yourself that real progress is made one step at a time.
With patience and consistency, you will learn how to turn your goals into results and your dreams into reality.
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