How To Keep Going When The Road Gets Tough
6 effective ways to get and stay motivated, set and achieve goals, train discipline, deal with procrastination, and be positive
GROWTH
I believe most of us have certain goals in our minds which we’re going for, like academic achievements, weight gain or loss, career... And, unfortunately, sometimes it happens that the road gets harder and harder. That leads to the state where we start feeling unmotivated and want to give up and give in. Self-motivation can be a powerful weapon against all the difficulties that lie along the way. Actually, it’s a key to success, something that distinguishes successful people from those who didn’t make it.
In some way, motivation is personal: something may work for some, but not for others. Despite this, here are the best common habits that can help you to keep going even if you are not feeling it.
Goals Are Golds
Visualizing goals ahead of time and following deadlines help a lot to be focused and organized. One thing you should consider is that these goals have to be realistic, the ones that are relevant and which you can achieve during the time-bound you set for yourself. You should understand the purpose behind what you’re doing. After reaching one goal, set the next one, preferably more challenging. Planning a journey this way is a great tool for measuring progress and avoiding vague expectations that lead to a lack of motivation and procrastination. Also, remember — focus on quality. You don’t want to do a lot of work that is not good at all.
Build Your Own Ritual & Routine
Add something you do every day and that’s it. Daily routine trains discipline which consistently keeps you motivated. It can be something creative like drawing and writing, working out, or even just a daily walk. Everything is good unless you have a pattern, it is what provides a mindless way to initiate behavior. This makes it easier to start habits, and thus to perform them in sequence.
Find Inspiration Or Be It
Look for someone more successful in your field, your role model. We are social creatures and we consistently influence others and, vice versa, get influenced. Find someone who can influence you in a good manner. It will be a game changer, looking at the path of people who have everything you want to achieve.
Also, you should become an inspiration for others. Help them, give some advice, and speak about your plan. It will boost your self-esteem, thus increasing motivation.
Turn Back and See the Progress
The urge to give up will vanish as you turn your back and see all the work you’ve done before reaching the point you made. Always review your progress, and keep it positive. You’re doing amazing! Go further! The dream is waiting for you to come!
Reward Yourself
After achieving something you put your mind to indulge yourself, bring positive feelings and emotions into the hard work you do. Rewards are divided into two groups: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic reward is the feeling of joy, happiness, pride, and curiosity after finishing the task, and extrinsic reward stands for merits we receive from the external environment: this can be wage, recognition, and etc. But, despite the fact we can deal with only intrinsic rewards, extrinsic motivation alone is unlikely to help us truly excel. So, I suggest you focus on the internal state, it will be beneficial for continuing and improving your road.
Reach the Balance
These days people romanticise hard work a lot. “Put your head down and work, work, work”. In fact, it is the unhealthiest mental thing you can do to yourself. Hardworking alone will bring you to nowhere but emotional drain and burnout. You should learn how to manage your energy and time smartly and create your own flow. Know the limits, the points where you should take a break from all these plannings, work stuff, and even creativity. It will save your mind, willingness, and motivation to keep going.
As said before, motivation is a crucial thing for success, but remember: discipline is what keeps you afloat. So, train your motivation, make good habits, and keep eyes on your dreams.
“At some point, the pain of not doing it becomes greater than the pain of doing it.”
