No matter how motivated we consider ourselves as folks, there are always going to be times when we are but excited to require action. Maybe sitting on the couch sounds more appealing than going for a run. Maybe the overwhelm of a large project prevents you from taking that first step, so you choose to “start tomorrow.” Or even it is a a lot of abstract lack of motivation, and you’re feeling unable to focus on your true passions and wishes.
To get down to business, it is a good, and practical, plan to actually stop and think about what makes some people apparently better ready to stay targeted, organized, and goal-oriented. Is it superior self-control? Do they have more motivation muscles? Are they inherently a lot of inspired?
The answer to all of those questions is no. Thus why will we struggle with this issue?
- Most people were ne’er taught these skills. Sure, i know the capitals of the fifty states and that i will hold my own in long division, however the abilities associated with executive functioning ar ne’er formally taught. It’s assumed that you just came out of the womb knowing a way to manage some time, prioritize and come out discomfort.
- We don’t set up our time, or if we do, we don’t learn how to stay to the set up.
- We take on too much and then feel force in too several directions.
For most folks, worry is that the biggest culprit behind our motivation, time-management and general life struggles. Several people unconsciously believe that we “should” be doing something apart from what we want, we procrastinate to avoid pain, or we don’t believe we need to take time for ourselves.
The truth is that motivation isn’t regarding productivity, it’s the failure to use your personal power, giving up your freedom in the method.
Meaning in those moments when their fears, self-doubt, or Netflix account is calling their name, I remind them of the explanations why they needed to stop playing tiny in the first place. In my expertise and with shoppers, I find that those with inconsistent motivation fall under two groups:
- Those who need the organizational skills to take action
- Those who need deeper help to motivate from within.
For people who want the organizational skills, here are the top three problems I see when clients don’t take action, as well as some tools to assist fix them:
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“I’m getting the wrong things done.”
This comes all the way down to prioritization and learning to sorting your to do list. I’m willing to bet that there are times when you worked all day, however at the end of the day, you felt pissed off that you didn’t get something vital done. You spent time putting out fires, taking care of others, however not obtaining any massive things out of the way. Am I right? the key is that achieving your goals is not regarding how much you get done, it’s regarding doing the correct stuff.
Divide your to do list into four categories and take daily action on each:
- High Importance, Urgent: These are the high-ticket things that relate to your goals or incredibly vital things in life, like your health. Example: Make doctor’s appointment for weird growth.
- High Importance, Not Urgent: These ar the big things that don’t have a looming deadline. Example: Make plans to visualize cousins.
- Low Importance, Urgent: Usually, these ar the annoying every day tasks that have a date they need to be completed by. Example: Return shoes to store.
- Low importance, Not Urgent: These ar the things that need to get done at some point, however the timing isn’t very important. Example: Purchase that book my friend suggested.
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“I need momentum to keep going with my goals.”
Each day, choose the three huge, or small stuff you need to realize that day that move you toward your goals and give you the most important bang for your buck. If three feels like lots to begin, pick fewer. If it doesn’t seem like enough, think about something you are doing when those three to be extra-credit.
This will make sure that you’re getting the proper things done and building on your track record of success. At the end of the day check in with yourself and ask, “Did I accomplish what I needed to? Did I do the correct tasks in the right order?” completing some of your top things is more vital than completing ten pointless ones.
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“I’m paralyzed. I can’t do it.”
After dividing your goals into bite-sized tasks, it can still be hard to take action. this can be very true when we’re attempting something new. However it’s all about developing a track record of success and building your self-trust muscle. Acknowledge that there ar times that you’ve felt paralyzed, however were ready to come out the discomfort and take action anyway. Write out a list of all the times you felt stuck, but managed to pull through. It can range from personal problems, to work, to anything else.
Then ask yourself, “What accomplishments am I most happy with in life?” Verify this list every time you’re feeling self-doubt begin to rise. Personally, I keep this list as a virtual post-it note on my laptop. Everyday, this almanac of my achievements cheers me on.
Now, for those in group #2 who struggle to take care of motivation on a deeper level, there’s really one key factor you need to know: Your possibilities of achieving your goal are only as strong as your reasons to do it.
What does that mean? If your goal is “to eat healthy,” you’re not going to do it. Why? As a result of that’s a boring goal. But if your goal is: “to eat healthy so that you are feeling great, have a lot of energy for fun things, stop wasting money on takeout, and save money for your future vacation” you’re far more likely to realize it.
When you have good reasons, you are armed and prepared for when the couch calls your name, you’re scared of failure, or your old fears pop back up. All you need to do is review your list of why your best self wants you to get off the couch.
