How does one stay motivated to achieve goals when sabotaging tendencies surface? Passion and enthusiasm ignite motivation, but motivational techniques are required to keep moving forward, as are practical tools to end procrastination and resistance.
How to Motivate Yourself with Passion
Motivation comes from inspiration and passion. A person has an idea, a goal or a vision for the future. This ignites their enthusiasm to take action on it. One step at a time, they piece together their plan. It's not just about achieving an end result; it's about the process along the way.
Here are four motivational techniques to use to get motivated to achieve goals.
- Connect with your values and passion. If a person's goals are linked with their values, they will have the passion to keep moving forward. Making a list of ones' values and passions such as adventure, communication, creativity, inventing, or connection, and then noticing how they fit with the goal, helps a person to stay motivated. Whenever motivation drops, just remember the values being honored and the passion being expressed.
- Imagine achieving your goals. This is a great motivational technique to start with and then use whenever the goal seems too difficult or too far away to achieve. Spend five minutes with eyes closed envisioning achieving the goal – see it, feel it, be it. Imagine it being easy and fun to achieve.
- Imagine life when the goal is achieved. See the end result of achieving the goal. Notice the benefits in all areas of your life. Whenever motivation drops, use this technique to re-ignite enthusiasm.
- Imagine life without the goal. Another technique is to imagine what life would be like in several years if the goal was not pursued or achieved. The bleakness of not having positive change in one's life is sometimes enough to jump start motivation.
How to Stay Motivated
Connecting with values and passion along with using the imagination to envision the goal are wonderful ways to ignite motivation. But taking action on a regular basis is what's needed to actually achieve goals.
Here are five practical tools to stay motivated throughout the daily process.
- Chunk down goals into small steps. It can be overwhelming to only focus on the end result as there are many steps to take along the way. Once motivation has been ignited by envisioning the end result, break down the action steps that will lead to achieving the goal. Write them down and then focus on just one at a time. Before you know it, each step will be complete.
- Set deadlines on the calendar. Make a commitment to achieve each step by a certain time period and treat it like an important appointment by writing it down on a calendar.
- Check off your accomplishments. Keep your action steps list nearby and check off each one as it is completed. This will build confidence to take the next step.
- Work with a personal life coach. Coaches offer wonderful tools, support and accountability to help people achieve goals.
- Have a support buddy or create a success group. Working with another person to achieve goals creates an environment of support and accountability. Meeting regularly with a group of people all committed to achieving success is another way to stay motivated.
How to Stop Procrastinating and Overcome Resistance
Even with all of the motivational techniques above, procrastination and resistance may still come up and sabotage progress.
Here are four suggestions for stopping procrastination and overcoming resistance.
- What does procrastination look like? Procrastination is different for each person. For some it comes in the form of suddenly being too busy to work on an important goal. For others it is forgetfulness. And for some it may manifest as accidents, depression or fear. Identifying what form it takes in your life is the first step to end procrastination.
- Notice the feelings associated with procrastination. Whatever form procrastination takes, notice the underlying feelings. Instead of avoiding the shame, sadness, anger or fear, just feel it and be with it. When a person owns their emotions, the turbulent feelings subside and confidence ensues.
- Recognize resistance. Resistance is a form of procrastionation. It's often fueled by anger and fear. Identifying the fear helps to break through resistance. Is there a fear of success or a fear of failure? What is the worst thing that could happen if the goal is not achieved? What is the worst that would happen if it is achieved? Shedding light on fears by naming them chases them out of the closet and out of your life.
- Brainstorm how to deal with sabotage. Once the sabotage tricks of procrastination and resistance have been identified, brainstorm as many ways as possible to deal with these. Be wild and zany with your ideas and then narrow them down to the best choices to implement.
Connecting with passion, envisioning the end result, and ending procrastination and resistance with practical tools will help you stay motivated to achieve your goals and dreams.