Why this topic? Because I believe it will be helpful. I just have started my adventure with working online and I’m totally imperfect in what I do, but I am trying my best! I still have worse days, lack of motivation or totally leisure-mind-day. It’s normal. But I deal with these obstacles quicker and easier with every day :-). So read my list and work with me! :-D
-START
What the hell she is talking about!? It is obvious! – you probably think now ;P Well, maybe it is obvious but definitely sometimes it’s the hardest step. It took me a year to mobilize myself to start working online. I joined Steemit in August 2017 but wrote my first post a few days ago, in January 2018. Before I finally started to write this post I spent more than an hour on dancing in the front of my mirror heh, scrolling through Instagram and planning my menu for this week. In one word – I did every unnecessary thing I could, just to not be doing what I should. That is how our brain works. Discourage us to do every new thing. We have to fight with ourselves to break this barrier and start. No matter if we want to start whole the project or a particular part of it. Every time you sit in the front of the computer you do your little start but with every next time that will be easier.
So… MOVE YOU’RE A.. AND JUST DO IT!!! :-D
-Don’t get discouraged
Okey, you are done with the first step! Congrats! But this is just a beginning of the new adventure full of obstacles. Yea, it doesn’t sound nice ;-P But it’s true and you have to be prepared for that. Every new thing you do is hard. Working online isn’t an exception. Do your best and wait for effects. Give yourself half/one year. Of course it’s very likely you will notice effects of your work earlier but don’t expect a miracle after a few days or weeks. Most people getting discouraged right at the beginning. But please imagine yourself a child who learn how to walk. It is falling down and getting up many, many times before he or she will master this activity. Try to learn from children – don’t think: oh it’s pointless – just do what you should. Everything comes with time.
-Do not listen to ‘good advices’
What do I mean? Big part of society (me included) rising up in middle-class families. Parents working 9 to 5, sometimes all life in the same company. They have been repeating you since your childhood you should have best grades, go to university and find a ‘good job’. 9 to 5 is letting you to life peacefully but without roaring success, big dreams and adventures. (Of course it’s a huge simplification, but I want you to understand the general context) They did so because they LOVE us and believe they showing us the best way. But times are changing. XXI c gives us new opportunities, new ways, new challenges. Of course working on your own account is much more risky than 5 to 9 job but gives you freedom. Freedom connected with time, money, self-development. It’s worth to take the risk, isn’t it? But a huge group of people who do not take this risk (parents, grandparents, friends etc.) will be discouraging us. They don’t do it because they are mean. Just the opposite! They love us and take care of us. They don’t understand our choices or (especially the older generations like grandparents) work in the front of the screen. That is why we should love them, respect them, help them and talk with them; but ignore all discouraging ‘good advices’, take the risk and work on our dreams!
-Find someone who pulls you upwards instead of pushing you down
That point is related to the previous one. Try to avoid people who push you down. Of course I don’t say about your relatives, who may do it unconsciously, because of their concern and love. What I mean is you should spend time in the company of ambitious people, with wide horizons and big dreams. Find yourself friends who will encourage and support you. What is even more important choose your life partner wisely. Find somebody who has similar aims, life goals and ambitions and he or she ‘will give you wings’. I base this on my own experience. My partner is my driving force. I owe him my strength and motivation. Without him I probably even wouldn’t start. He showed my great opportunities and helped me to believe in my own capabilities. We have similar life goals and want to gain them together!
-Specify what is more ‘painful’ for you
For most of people taking risk or trying new things is somehow painful. Of course, not in literary meaning but in spiritual one. We are afraid and our brain wants to take us back. We don’t know how to solve problems; we have to deal with new obstacles and learn new, sometimes difficult, stuff. This all is really painful for our brain. We leave things over day after day and do nothing in result. But we have to decide what is more painful – temporary obstacles (normal in every new action/situation) or living life far from our dreams. Bounded to one place, to time schedule with (theoretically speaking) stable but not satisfying salary… If you really want to change something in your life set priorities and DO IT!
-Create in your head visions of the future
I’m the Master of dreams xD. For example, I can imagine myself some situation so strong that I start crying because this vision touches me so much. Really xD Sometimes it can be really irritating xD. But in general it’s really good and helpful to create visions of our future. We specify our goals and they get more realistic for us. More often we think about them, the stronger our motivation will be. Example: You want to move out to some warm country. Great! But try to make this dream as much realistic for U as you can. Close your eyes and imagine yourself the touch of the powder sand, delicate sound of the ocean, rays of the sun on your skin. Think about your dreamy house or situation. Read blogs of people who live there, watch as much photos as you can. In one word – focus on your dreams and motivation naturally comes.
-Find solutions for your excuses
I don’t know how to comment this. It’s clear. Our subconscious does everything to prevent us for doing new action. Excuses are the strongest weapon of our brain and everybody has to deal with it. The key to success is to be aware of this and ‘kill’ all the excuses before they ‘kill’ our fire.
-Plan ahead
This help you a lot with ‘killing’ one of the most popular excuse: ‘I don’t have time’. Organize your week and try to adhere to it. How you do it is a matter of your personal preferences. My boyfriend use his electronic calendars or one electronic ‘to do list’. I love to write all my plans down by hand. I love my paper calendar, colors, lists and small sticky notes around my work area. (Btw if you want to know how precise I set my plans and how my calendar looks like let me know in comments.) No matter how – just do it and enjoy your productive week!
-Put off your phone
Damn it! Just do it! I know it’s hard but if you don’t do it Facebook, Instagram or chatting with friends completely bolt down your time.
-Make it as pleasurable as it can be
You are after busy day, maybe still working your job to support yourself until you succeed, like I do, and dreaming about a time of relax, but online working is waiting for you at home? Take it easy. You can do it in your bed in pyjamas, on the lawn chair in your garden or in some cozy café. Take a cup of your favorite tea, bottle of juice or even a glass of wine ;-) Order a pizza like my boyfriend did when I started my first Steemit post ;-) If you can concentrate turn up your music or light candles. And… it’s quite nice evening, isn’t it? ;-)
-Find the balance
It’s great to be devoted to one goal! Focus, concentrate, work hard and sacrifice your time but... don’t forget about some free time. You like partying with friends? ( I love! :-D ) Don’t resign from it! Maybe you should limit the time you spent on the entertainment but don’t resign from it completely – it only cause your burnout and hump.
-Appreciate EVERY little success
Someone buys first, little product from your new online shop? The coin you invested in jumped a few percent? Your Steemit post gain the first dollar? Great! Don’t ignore those little successes. Be proud of them. Remember – the way to aim consist of thousands little steps!
-Reward yourself
My favorite part ;-D Set yourself little goals and reward yourself when you gain it. Buy yourself something nice, go to the restaurant you always want to go, or visit the place you are interested about. Show yourself, that challenges you face to, are worth all your efforts.
Ufffff, I know that was terribly long text but I hope at list a little helpful and valuable. Leave upvote if you like it, and show in comment me you are here. I’m dying to know your opinion and ideas for ways of finding motivation.
GOOD LUCK GUYS! :-D