Want to know how to stay motivated to get fit or to build your business or to achieve anything worthwhile? Well, don’t we all? Sure some people always seem to be motivated, and they do specific things regularly that you’ll see below. But, the truth is, sometimes we can all get into a rut and make even the smallest things seem SO incredibly hard to do. The secret is to not stay in the rut for a long time, don’t soak in it. Dip and get out.
Because when you start doing whatever it is that you “have” to do, it’s done before you even know it. However, the longer you think about it, the bigger it gets in your mind. At least that’s what I tell my son and husband every night after we have dinner and someone needs to clean up the pile of dishes in the sink. I cooked!!!
When it comes to motivation, many people seem to struggle with finding the right approach to remain on top of their tasks and goals and to keep going. While there’s no universal recipe for tackling life, there are certain helpful good habits to help you get motivated and stay this way.
One thing we should both agree on, and always keep in mind is that there isn’t a shortcut to anything worthy in life. That’s why consistent motivation coupled with discipline matters so much. Because you need to walk along the entire path to get to what you really want. You can’t just take a “shortcut” though the forest. You’ll get lost, distracted and probably hungry. No matter your final goal, be it a big dream you wish to realize or small lifestyle changes you strive for, you should keep yourself on the right track and keep going continuously without getting distracted.
Now here are some great habits of people who always stay motivated!
1. They Make A Plan Or Set An Intention
Creating a clear vision and having a plan for exactly what you’re working on, and reminding yourself of it regularly, is a crucial habit of people who are always motivated. When you have clarity, it takes away the indecisiveness that can often keep us stuck and wondering what the next step is. It’s hard enough to take action, but when you don’t know whether it’s the right action – you’ll wonder whether it’s worth it and chances are you won’t do anything at all.
Keep the plan clear, short, to the point, simple, don’t overwhelm it. You don’t need to plan out every single detail, you’ll figure it out as you move forward. One step at a time. The point is to make it so stupidly simple, that you KNOW what you have to do next and you do it.
People who achieve a lot are able to sustain their motivation because they’ve mapped out what they need to do and don’t need to think about what’s next. They know exactly where they’re going.
So set a goal, make a plan and revisit it at least on a weekly basis.
2. They Know To Move
Now that you have a plan, it’s time to take action. And here, I can tell you from experience, life doesn’t go 100% as planned, that’s the beauty in it and we need to embrace it. So your plan will not be bulletproof. Things will go wrong, take A LOT longer than you think and you might even find out that some of your goals aren’t even important to you anymore. At this point it’s important to let go of perfectionism and do the next right thing. Move on from things that are not for you anymore and make space for what matters more.
See, I know you think you need motivation to take action, but that’s not actually true. You had the motivation to make the plan, which is great. Now in order to stay motivated, you have to back that up with action. Because action brings you from point A to point B. Wishing and planning doesn’t bring you from point A to point B. Moving does. So learn to move. And once you start moving, motivation will come. Because it feels good to be working towards something that’s good for you, it gives you hope and it reinforces your belief in yourself. And belief in yourself can bring you places you can’t even imagine right now.
So in my opinion one of the best goals you can set is to build trust in yourself. How do you do that? By keeping your promises and doing what is good for you. When nobody’s watching. Just for you. Not what makes you comfortable because comfort keeps us stuck. Do what is right.
3. They Keep A Routine And Structure
Motivated people don’t do things randomly depending on how they feel at the moment. They have a more structured approach to life and follow it to achieve the best results possible.
It’s super important to develop a routine and stick to it. Whether it’s a morning and evening routine or a daily routine – routines keep life somewhat stable. And when you have a routine and habits you won’t wonder how to stay motivated. Instead, you’ll have a day-to-day schedule to follow.
4. They Track And Celebrate Wins And Progress
Include tracking and celebrating your wins! They all count and can be so motivating, especially when you have a long way to go. People who are consistent on their path in life keep a detailed record of their small and big successes.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the mundane or dismiss the steps that help you move forward. That’s why you should always appreciate even the smallest progress you make. Looking back on those mini victories will help you be more mindful and appreciative of the journey.
Tracking can also help you to course correct. Today it’s super easy to get distracted – just pick up your phone to google something and 3 minutes from now you will not even know what you were looking for. It happens to me all the time. And I noticed this by tracking what I was doing during one week when I didn’t really make progress on my business goals. I lost so much time. And now I know to not pick up my phone to google things. Or to do anything. If I genuinely want to know something or want to do something I write a reminder in my notebook and let future me look it up. If it was that important, she will.
So I highly, highly recommend using a notebook when you do your planning. It’s not that easy to get lost and it somehow connects better with my mind.
5. They Express Gratitude
Counting your blessings is certainly one of the best habits to stay motivated long-term. You need to be mindful of the things that go right in your life. And be grateful even for the hard moments that come up. Because these times teach us that we can overcome hardships and in the end get stronger from them.
We can often forget to be grateful, but keeping track of your worthy moments can absolutely change your outlook on life. And can turn you into a more positive, optimistic and ultimately motivated human being. Also if you’re ever feeling down – take a look through that gratitude journal and it will make things a little bit better. Remember, we don’t want to stay in the rut for too long.
6. They Always Do Their Best
Now. I know we all need to make money somehow and sometimes the jobs we do suck. Big time. I know I’ve done many jobs where I felt they crushed my soul and my dignity and a lot more.
But I knew those jobs weren’t me. I had so much more that I wanted to do and achieve in my life. However, even when I felt they weren’t right for me, I knew I had to do them right anyway.
Why? Remember trusting yourself? Doing your best at anything you do helps you trust yourself. When you don’t do your best – you know it. You know it deep down. And it’s the most demotivating thing in the world. It’s almost like “Why bother?”. People who stay motivated and achieve what they want know this!
So whether you’re working on your own product, writing a book or working a job you hate – DO YOUR BEST. No matter what. If not, you’ll know it and you’ll self-sabotage in some way.
But when you do your best, you’ll be more open and motivated to make the most of it. If you did your best with the book you wrote, you’ll want everyone to read it. Motivation will be the most natural thing. If not, “Ah, why bother”.
If you do your best at your sucky job, you’ll learn new things, you’ll get to know new people, and you’ll collect life experience like a bee collects pollen. You grow and your trust in yourself grows as well. Now let me tell you, I, until this day, use the skills and the knowledge I got through all of those random jobs I used to hate. Looking back, I am SO grateful for the experience. Now I don’t need to buy a course, you know?
So the book you’re writing? The product you’re putting together? The job you hate so much? Do your best, do it with joy, because you never know when you can use the skills and where it can take you!
7. They Know What Will Happen If They Don’t Do It
Driven people are well aware of this. What would you do if you didn’t lose weight, got accepted into university, or scored a job? We’re talking “what will happen if you stay in the rut?”. Picturing the worst-case scenario in your mind can be quite a motivator to start moving if you ask me. With this in mind, you have no other option, but to do the best you can. And when you do the best you can, you get the best.
In life, we need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And if you let it play out in your mind and you don’t see the light, but only darkness and destruction? You better find a different tunnel. Do something differently. Because, no matter how hard it is, as long as you get out of it – it’s worth it.
8. They Take Care Of Themselves
We live in times when nonstop working is being praised. However, every motivated successful person will tell you that this mindset will take you nowhere but to a burnout. This applies to your workspace as well as personal goals in your life. Continuously doing things without allowing yourself to rest will exhaust you. Even if you’re pusruing something you love, you should make space for healthy habits in your life or you’ll grow to dislike your passion project with time.
So what are those healthy habits? They’re the foundation. Think of them as essential vitamins. And they’re the usual suspects:
- eat a healthy nutrient nutrient-dense diet (Mediterranean diet is a great example of this)
- move regularly and plan time for structured exercise
- sleep enough
- spend time in nature, work on a hobby, do something new and fun, be around animals and surround yourself with people you love (aka reduce stress)
Having a life outside of work or the goals you’re pursuing is crucial for staying motivated. Because it will recharge you! If you don’t have a life – what exactly are you working to build? Fame, fortune? Something that will crash and burn because you have no energy or motivation after a few months?
Work smart. Both your body and your mind need some love, whether it’s for a few hours each day, a day each week, or for a few days every couple of weeks.
9. They Focus On Their Own Path
Let’s accept that life is a marathon. Then each of us is running in their own lane. What this means to motivated people is that you have your hardships to overcome, and you’re running in your own trainers. These people know nothing good ever came from comparing themselves to others or trying to appeal to someone else in life. Instead, they walk their road for their own good, at their own pace.
So keep your eyes on your own path and don’t get distracted by what others are doing! Nobody knows how hard your lane is or whether your shoelaces have come undone. You don’t know that about the person running next to you either. So comparing your progress to someone else’s is absolutely ridiculous. Focus and refocus on what’s in front of you!
More Healthy Habits To Start
Well, I hope you’ve now become a machine that will always stay motivated no matter what. I’m obviously kidding, we cannot be motivated 100% of the time, but maybe 80? At least most of the time, we need to take action towards something good. Now, for more good habits to start check out these: