Do These 5 Things to Make Sure You Stay Motivated

You’re midway through the project, and you’re losing interest. Motivation is about to go out the window, and you feel helpless to keep it. What can you do to stay motivated, so that you’re able to stay on track through the remainder of the project? Try these tips:

 

1. The first thing you need to do is to visualize your success. Before you go another step, you need to see yourself at the end of the project with everything accomplished to your satisfaction. Why? Because what we tell ourselves will happen – will happen exactly how we tell ourselves. So if you’re caught up in thoughts of failure, you’re already likely to crash and burn. Likewise, if you see yourself at the finish line, with the project completed, you’re much more likely actually to succeed. So keep a positive image in your head, and keep going.

 

2. Next, stop worrying. Yes, that’s easier said than done, but the more you worry, the more you’re going to derail not just your motivation, but any energy and enthusiasm you still had for the project. To do this, you’re going to have to look critically at what you’re doing and ask yourself if there are things you can change. If so – change them. If not, then let them go. Motivated people don’t get caught up in worry, but instead, they make it a habit of looking to the future.

 

3. If you intend to stay motivated, then you’re going to need to be consistent in action and in setting positive goals. Motivation flags when neglected, so to keep the energy where it’s going to do the project the best, you’ll want to make sure that you’re constantly moving forward. That means checking your motivation levels daily and then taking action to keep those levels up. Even if you’re taking the weekend off from work, you should take at least a few minutes to indulge in thoughts about your project, where you remind yourself that you’re looking forward to jumping back in on Monday morning. That keeps motivation and interest high even when you’re not working. 

 

4. If you’re still having trouble with motivation, check to see who’s hanging around. It could be that you have too many negative influences around you. Surround yourself with positive people, who are also highly motivated individuals. All that positive energy is bound to rub off on you!

 

5. Lastly, keep a positive environment where motivation can thrive. Listen to music that motivates. Use positive affirmations, read motivational books or listen to podcasts that make you want to jump right back into your project. A lot of staying motivation comes from feeding yourself with a steady diet of things that motivate.

 

Staying motivated doesn’t have to be an impossible task. Some attention to the details will keep you on track as you work and help you to get to the finish line. Be mindful of what you’re doing, and with a variety of positive influences, you’ll get to where you want to go.

 

Get After It And Get More Done With Tenacity And Perseverance

Let’s talk about tenacity and perseverance. In this day and age, they are quickly becoming virtues that are being more and more neglected. Whereas hard work and sticking to your guns was viewed as something desirable in days gone by, today anything demanding and strenuous is often frowned upon. 

 

It’s common for people to whine and complain when things get hard. We’re looking for the easy button and are usually able to find it. More often than not, the easy way out is simply to give up and do something else. 

 

As we’re losing our ability to be tenacious and persevere we’re losing out on a lot of good that comes from these vital virtues. We don’t feel the pride that comes with hard-earned success. We aren’t as productive and have gotten much better at distracting ourselves. We don’t get the huge boost in self-confidence one gets from accomplishing a seemingly insurmountable task. Could this be part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of depression? It’s possible. Feeling self-worth is an important part of being happy and fulfilled in life. 

 

The big question then is what can we, as individuals, do to bring back these vital virtues of tenacity and perseverance?

 

Start by practicing tenacity yourself on a daily basis. Get better at it and stop being distracted or giving up as much. Start small and keep working at it and getting better at it. Learn to persevere when things get hard and do them anyway. Set an example for those around you. Trust me, they will start to notice. 

 

In addition to setting a good example, share perseverance and tenacity with those around you. If you’re a parent, make it a point to teach your children. Make seeing tasks through to the end a requirement in your house. You’re teaching your kids important life skills that will serve them well throughout school and adulthood. 

 

Influence those around you. Require tenacity and perseverance when you work with others, teach them, or have them work for you. Practice tenacity and perseverance and expect the same from those around you. As they start to notice the many benefits that come from this, they will hopefully start to practice it more and ideally pass it on to others as well. 

 

Don’t be afraid to speak out when you see someone giving up too soon or getting distracted too easily. Tenacity and Perseverance are vital virtues that are worth bringing back. 

 

Do your part and watch your own life and that of those around you change for the better. You may not be able to change popular culture all by yourself, but you can change the culture of your family, your business, your workplace and your own small community for the better.

 

How to Push Through When You Want to Quit

We all want to throw our hands in the air and scream, “I quit,’ more than once in our lives. Yes, there are times when you should quit, such as working on something so hard, it seriously impacts your mental health. It is okay to quit, reset and rethink what you are doing, then go forward with a new plan. When you want to quit and there isn’t a life altering reason why you should, then look to the main reasons to buckle down and get at it.

 

Your starting point to understand why you need to push through the wall is pretty simple. It is called the, “Big Why?” Unless your big why is not fully understood, chances are you will quit. Taking the time to sit down and write out all the reasons why you shouldn’t quit, often will be enough to propel you forward. Ask yourself if you are doing this for you and why you deserve it. You might have a family and you look back on your childhood with some dismay. You want something much better for your family and it means so much to you, that putting in 16 hours days is more than worth it. 

 

To pump up that persistence muscle, you will occasionally have to reflect on the fact that there will be some serious roadblocks. Try sitting in a comfortable chair and look at the roadblocks, while asking yourself if they are super solid or are you blowing them up to the size of a mountain? Frequently we tend to take a situation and add in conversations and things that didn’t actually happen. Think about how many times, someone got you upset and you replayed the conversation over and over, with you giving different answers. The truth is, we can create worlds in our head, yet sometimes that world is full of anguish when it doesn’t have to be.

 

One way to stop projecting roadblocks in your mind, is to replay breakthrough events in your mind. These positive memories will make it hard for false roadblocks to grow. Everyone has breakthrough moments in their head. It may be simple ones, like struggling for two years in high school math but suddenly in the third year, a bright lightbulb comes on and you got it. It could also be more significant like trying for years to be the number one salesperson in your company, only to place 2nd. Then you turned that frustration into action and put in the hours and calls that made you number one. The feeling of hitting that huge goal and the pleasure of getting a massive bonus was truly exciting. 

 

For those who say they never had a breakthrough moment or have any memories of being a winner, then create one. Your brain cannot tell the difference between a real event and one you create if you put enough power into it. Simply write a scene where you had a serious roadblock and you “Hulked Up,” smashing the obstacle in your way. Put serious emotion into it, picture yourself, jumping up and down, screaming in a loud voice, “I did it!” When you replay this scene in your mind, it will be a real movie. Sports people do this all the time. The best free throwers in basketball, have a mental picture in their mind that supports them. They see and feel themselves stepping up to the line, bouncing the ball a few times before throwing it and boom! Nothing but net, no rim bouncers here in this mental replay. 

 

When overwhelm hits you and you’re trying to push through, stop and take a break. Detoxing your brain is super healthy, the same as detoxing your body. In this case, shut off your phone and all electronics. Get outdoors and play. It does not matter where you live or what you do, so long as you are moving and smiling. Give yourself one to three days and don’t think about why you wanted to quit. Simply detox. When you are ready, re-focus on what you want and why…then take massive action.

 

Turn Your Thoughts into Action

Do you have big plans for your life? Dreams that you want to turn into a reality? This is often easier than done, especially when you don't know how to start taking action in the first place. Below are some ways to help you more effectively turn your thoughts into actions, no matter how crazy they may be. 

 

Start By Making A Plan

 

Usually, when someone has a plan in their head, it can be a bit chaotic and maybe hard to see exactly how to get there. This is why you should start by making a physical, written-down plan of what you want to do. This will give you a better view of where to go to start. This will also help you to break your goals down into more manageable steps. Don’t think that just because you write a plan that it has to happen exactly that way either, as once you start to take action, you can come back and adjust your plan as needed. 

 

Stop Overthinking Everything

 

One of the reasons you may find yourself unable to turn thoughts into actions is probably because you are overthinking everything. The above step of making a plan should help you to clear up your overthinking a little bit as you write things down. But if it doesn't, other mental relaxation techniques like meditation, talking something out with others, and taking a deep breath can help you stop overthinking. Remember, you aren't perfect, and that isn't what you are trying to achieve, so there is no reason to fret over your mental plan being perfect. 

 

Figure Out What Is Stopping You From Taking Action

 

If you've done the two above steps but still can't seem to turn your thoughts into action, it's time to figure out why. Are you scared of failure? Too distracted? Waiting for the perfect time? Any of these can hold you back as you work to make your thoughts become a reality. If you leave them unchecked, you will never be able to take meaningful action. So once you discover why you can't seem to take action in your life, work through why and eliminate it from your life so that it is no longer a reason. 

 

Turning your thoughts into action is often easier said than done, especially if you aren’t sure where to start and are overthinking everything. The trick is, you need to figure out what is stopping you from turning your thoughts into action, cut out the overthinking, and start following a plan that you have written down—and before you know it, your thoughts will become actions!

 

4 Action Steps to Stop Overthinking Now

Is it bad to think? Sometimes…yes. It is.

 

Anytime we feel stressed about things in our lives, we retreat back into the world of our minds. It’s normal to want to think about the things causing us problems. Sometimes though, this kind of focus can become harmful. We start losing faith in ourselves and even stop making decisions. 

 

What should we do when we’ve fallen into this trap of overthinking absolutely everything? Try this four-step plan to get back on track. 

 

Revisit the Truth

 

Overthinking has a way of pulling you away from the facts. It’s so easy to fall into the world of fallacies and drama when you’re overthinking things. You create worst-case scenarios and get so far from the truth you don’t even know what’s right anymore. By pulling back and asking yourself what is true, what you absolutely know for certain, you get your head out of the clouds and back in the game. 

 

Check Your Emotions

 

Once you know the truth, examine how you feel about this. What are the real emotions connected with this thought? Are you perhaps sidetracking yourself away from something you really don’t want to acknowledge like fear or guilt? This step can seem daunting because you’re really having to be honest with yourself here as you can’t possibly move past this step without a clear understanding of what’s going on.

 

Decide the Impact

 

So, where does all this leave you? By obsessing and denying certain emotions, what possible benefit are you giving yourself? Or, more accurately, what are you holding yourself back from? For example, if you’re obsessing about a job interview gone wrong, you might realize the emotion connected to this event is an embarrassment, or fear because you’re worried you’ve made a terrible impression. The impact? You might not get the job you wanted.

 

Make a New Decision

 

You’ve come this far. Hang in there! The real question at this point is, what will you do going forward? Rather than overthink the interview in the previous example, what can you do instead? Is there some way to salvage the situation? Or is this a learning experience you can apply to future experiences?

 

With these four steps, it’s relatively easy to attack the overthinking monster and pull your thoughts back under control. Once you do, it’s an easy matter to push yourself back into motion, especially once you’ve completed the last step and figured out from it your next best move. 

 

5 Ways to Keep Self-Doubt from Taking Over Your Dreams

If you could do anything, what would you choose?

 

We all have dreams. Every one of us. So why do so few of our dreams ever reach reality?

 

The problem comes when we get in our own way, or when we become crippled with fear of failure and thoughts of we can never be enough. This is the world of self-doubt, and it's a tough place to escape.

 

Until today. It's time to take back your life. Don't let self-doubt take over your dreams. Instead, try these simple tips to get your life back on track. 

 

Take a Trip Down Memory Lane

 

Ready to revisit history? Chances are you've had self-doubts before. But have any of those adverse outcomes ever come true? If so, were the consequences as bad as you'd thought they would be? Now think about the times that things went right. Remind yourself they likely will work out again this time too.

 

Keep a Journal

 

Ideally, a journal becomes a record of everything you've gone through. Write about the problems you're having. Write about how you solve those problems. Include everything. Then go back and read your journal sometimes for a reminder of what you've already gone through. Use this book for ideas on how to tackle the problems of today. 

 

Remember it's Not About You

 

If self-doubt is fuelled by a caustic remark from someone else, or in how someone treats you, take a step back from the emotional backlash. Before you get all fired up, remind yourself this is very likely more about the other person than you. You don't know what kind of day they're having or what they're going through. Take what they say with a grain of salt and move on. There's absolutely no reason to start doubting yourself just because of what someone else happened to say.

 

Readjust Expectations

 

Do you doubt yourself because you feel like you're on the wrong track? Here's where you need to take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. There's nothing wrong with making adjustments to the plan. Dreams don't just happen from the initial blueprint. Sometimes you need to tweak things a little, especially if information or situations change. Rather than get hung up when this happens, look for ways to readjust the plan. You'll be back on track in no time.

 

Celebrate Wins

 

Self-doubt hates success. This is why it's so important to get in the habit of celebrating when things go right. It doesn't matter if the progress is small, make a point to enjoy the milestone all the same. After all, you and your dreams deserve it!

 

How Can I Stop Avoiding My Feelings?

In this day and age, individuals are usually encouraged to suppress their feelings and emotions for several reasons. Your job wants you to remain professional, and kids are taught that expressing emotions makes you weak. But all this avoidance of feelings can cause them to fester and grow into serious issues such as anxiety and depression. This is why it is time to stop avoiding your feelings. 

 

Mindfulness

 

The number one tool you can use to stop avoiding your emotions is applying mindfulness to your life. Mindfulness is taking time out of your day to spend with yourself, your thoughts, and your feelings. Mindfulness will teach you who you are as a person and how to accept yourself just the way you are. It can also teach you about how and why you feel certain emotions, and you’ll learn to express them properly instead of burying them within. 

 

Meditation

 

Another easy way to begin to confront your feelings and work through them is through the practice of regular meditation. Medical professionals worldwide simply rave about the health benefits of meditation. Several studies have shown that it can help with even more serious issues such as anxiety and depression. So, it’s time to engage in meditation in your own life daily, so you can spend time processing your emotions in a safe space.

 

Deal With Your Emotions Immediately

 

A common tactic in emotional repression is when you experience something that you resolve to deal with it later. The problem is, you rarely actually end up dealing with it later. This is why it is good practice to decide to work through your emotions when they come around. If someone says something that upsets you, tell them that, right then and there, and then the issue can be resolved immediately. This is much better than burying the pain of the hurtful words until they grow to be something worse when the words may have been a simple misunderstanding. 

 

Overall, it can be a challenging task to learn to stop avoiding your feelings. But if you are going to live a happy and healthy life, you must learn to express your feelings to yourself, and others, in a respectful manner. So, start with a bit of mindfulness, meditation, and immediacy, and soon you’ll find you’ll no longer feel like you need to hide your emotions.

 

Helping Others to Be More Resilient

Are you a resilient person? Are you able to face challenges and not be afraid to do what it takes to solve them? If so, you are a prime candidate to help others do the same. 

 

People are capable of being resilient. However, for one reason or another, they are not. This lack of resilience can prevent them from facing life’s challenges. They will find themselves constantly struggling to stay ahead. As a resilient person, you can guide others to become more resilient. Helping in this way is rewarding, but not without its challenges.

 

When you find someone who is not resilient, you have to try to discover why. Get this person to talk about their lives. Unless you are a trained counselor, however, keep this activity at a high level. Don’t try to pry too much. You can only do so much to help people. They need to take action.

 

If there was a time that you were not as resilient as you are now, try to relate that experience. Think back to what was holding you back and use that as a guide. Also, try to remember how you overcame the problem. Your solutions can be the action steps you present to the people you are helping.

 

Learning how to be more resilient usually requires changes within, but this doesn’t happen overnight. So you will need to be patient. It may never happen, and you need to accept that. Not everyone deals with change the same. Some people cannot handle change at all which means you won’t be able to help them. It’s sad, but there’s not much you can do about it. Simply let them know you are available when they are ready, and leave it at that.

 

Help people accomplish small victories. The victories may be small, but they can set the stage for more challenging tasks later. Instead of trying to tackle something large and difficult, let them tackle something easy. When they see that the effort required wasn’t as bad as they thought, they may be ready for bigger challenges later. It’s okay to keep presenting the smaller ones until they get comfortable. Then you can increase the difficulty of the challenges.

 

When you have helped a few people, you may decide to turn the activity into a business. Many coaching businesses start this way. Of course, if you are just doing it because of the satisfaction of helping others, that is noble as well. It is something that can make you feel good about yourself.

 

Resilience Starts at an Early Age

If you want to be resilient, make sure you start at an early age. If this didn’t happen for you for some reason, don’t worry. You can still help yourself to be more resilient. However, when you start as early as childhood, it becomes part of you to the point where it’s natural.

 

Even if you weren’t taught to be resilient early on, there is no reason why you can’t help your kids become so. The main lesson is to make sure they follow through on whatever they start. Perhaps they want to join a sports team. Don’t let them quit midseason because this sends a bad message not only to your kid, but to the team, coaches, and other parents. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, require your kid to play the entire season. He or she does not have to take it up again the following year if that is what you want to allow.

 

Kids should follow a routine. When they get in the habit of doing similar activities the same time each day, they will be more likely to complete whatever they are doing. Allocate time for homework as well as play. But, lazy hours should be allowed as well which are different. It’s time that your children can do whatever they please, including playing video games. 

 

When your kids are a bit older, and their subjects are more challenging, encourage them to form study groups. Study groups are a great way to interact with others and to solve common problems together. It also will force the group to complete what they set out to do. They will be resilient when doing this.

 

Set aside time for exercise for you and your kids. You could take them on a hike, or you can play sports with them. It’s a great way to get involved as a family and get the needed exercise for both you and your kids. When people are in good shape, they will be more resilient at many tasks compared to people who are out-of-shape. This resilience includes mental activities as well.

 

Getting a start early in life is a great way for people to become resilient. They get used to following through to the point where it doesn’t make sense not to. It gives them more years to work with, more than if they start out later in life. Also, we know that habits started early in life tend to carry through to adulthood.