Staying Motivated
Whether you have goals to improve your eating habits, exercise more, or develop a new skill you may initially begin these endeavors with high motivation and good intentions. Over time, you begin to become less structured and disciplined in your routines. Sooner or later you become unmotivated and stuck in a rut. Below are 7 keys to help you keep motivation high so you can reach any goal you set out to accomplish!
Determine your WHY. Taking time to sit down and determine the “WHY” behind the changes you are trying to make hold power. It is crucial to develop a deep understanding of the reasoning behind wanting to make change. How will your life improve or be different if you continue towards the path to change? How will you feel? In the same way, how will your life be if you do not make the change? What will it cost if you do not achieve your goal?
Set SMART goals. A SMART goal stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Rather than saying “I want to lose weight,” breakdown the goal into steps to help you achieve it.
Specific: Use words of action. State what you plan to do with numbers and tasks.
Measurable: Provides a way to evaluate. Uses metrics.
Attainable: Within your ability. Realistic to accomplish.
Relevant: Helps make progress towards long-term goals.
Time-bound: Includes a realistic deadline. Pin your deadline on a calendar where you can see it daily. This greatly enhances the probability of meeting the deadline on time versus someday.
Be Realistic. There is nothing worse than taking on too much too fast and becoming burned out within a week. For someone starting from ground zero, it may be overwhelming to eat enough fruits and vegetables, train 5 days a week, drink enough water, and get 8 hours of sleep. Be realistic with yourself when committing to behavior change and start slow. For example, as you build confidence consistently exercising 3 days per week you can begin to implement 4 days of exercise weekly.
Do not Procrastinate. If your motivation tends to slip as the day goes on, tackle the most difficult task first thing in the morning. Utilize time-blocking strategies and set a timer to keep you focused on the task at hand instead of multi-tasking.
Reward Yourself. Meeting deadlines and rewarding yourself for meeting deadlines is a great way to celebrate your wins and keep the momentum going. There are a number of ways to reward yourself. A few examples include:
Manicure or pedicure
New workout clothes
Coffee date with a friend
A weekend trip or date night
A lowkey night to yourself
Be Accountable. Studies show that those who write down their goals and have an accountability partner such as a coach or friend along with you on your journey are more likely to reach their goal. Staying accountable to someone also enforces following through on the things we say we will do, long after the motivation to do so has passed.