Marquita Herald: How to Beat a Motivational Slump

By Marquita Herald, Emotionally Resilient Living, January 24, 2016

So how are those New Year Resolutions and goals coming? As tempting as it is to kick off a new year with a “fresh start” I’ve always wondered if it might not be better to take January as a transition month to get back in gear after the end of year/holiday let-down and start goal on February 1st.

Regardless of when you launch a new goal, if it’s something that’s going to take awhile to achieve chances are that along the way you’ll have days when you just aren’t very motivated. Fortunately there are plenty of quick motivational boosts you can rely on, and when you’re committed and making tangible progress chances are these days will be few and far between.

However, if you find your lack of motivation lasts for more than a few days you may be on your way to a full-fledged motivation slump. Miss the all important signs and before you know it you may find yourself completely off course, or worse, ready to give up.

Recognize a Slump for What It Is

It’s very easy to miss the early stages of a slump. Often we’ll chalk it up to temporary commitment overwhelm; telling ourselves it’s just a “timing issue” and we’ll get back on track after we take a break to play catch up. However many won’t get back on track for days, weeks, or months; which is how the same goals end up appearing on our list year after year.
There are of course things you can do to re-energize your goals and I’ve included a few tips later in this article, but before you ever consider strategies to boost your motivation, you need to ask yourself one very important question. Should you pursue this goal at all?

If you don’t make the time to work on creating the life you want, you’re eventually going to be forced to spend a LOT of time dealing with a life you don’t want. ~Kevin Ngo

More often than we may realize we set goals for one of three reasons – it sounded like a good idea at the time, external pressure from family or friends, or because it’s something we feel we should do, like quit smoking, lose weight or start eating healthier. Substitute colleagues, management or “expert advice” for family and friends, and you’ll find the same circumstances can plague you in your professional life.

This may seem obvious (unless it’s happening to you) but there is a big difference between trying to force yourself to do something and being self motivated to do it as a result of genuine wants and desires. Forcing yourself to pursue a goal, even when you realize it’s for your own good, locks you into struggle. It’s like sitting in a car with one foot on the gas and the other foot on the break and it uses up a lot of energy and internal resources. Basically you’re pitting your willpower against the deeper motivations of your subconscious mind, and willpower can only take you so far.

If you find yourself attempting to pursue a goal for any other reason than it’s your heart’s desire to be, do or have the end result, take responsibility for your own life by examining your real motivation. Ask yourself if there are behaviors, situations, or consequences are you avoiding and what you need to do to be true to yourself.

Strategies to Reboot Your Motivation

There are many tools and resources you can use to boost your motivation, for example motivational books or tapes, affirmations, quotations, vision boards and even periodically giving yourself a pep talk helps. Following are a few strategies you may not have considered.

Create a Trigger

Sometimes pain is our greatest motivator for change; for instance having to lose weight for health reasons. In this case, it may be helpful to create a trigger to remind yourself of the consequences of not staying on track with your goal to lose weight.

Let’s say your goal is to start your own business (publish a book, launch a blog, etc.) this year, dig deep to tap into your emotions about this goal. What does it really mean to you, and how will you feel if you don’t accomplish it?

I know my fellow optimists will say this is being negative and wouldn’t it be better to focus on your feelings about achieving the goal. If that has worked for you in the past, great! But research has shown that for many focusing on having successfully accomplished their goal can actually prevent them from making an all out effort to do the work. To determine which strategy will work best for you, simply look at what has worked for you in the past. If you’ve struggled to complete your goals then it may be time to try a different motivational approach.

Personally, I’m one of the most optimistic people you’ll ever meet, but I began using the pain trigger after I read about it in one of Tony Robbin’s books and find that it gives me far more motivation to do the work to pursue my goals.

Surround Yourself With Success

Success stories can be great for keeping us motivated. Look for stories about people with similar backgrounds, or who have overcome great odds to accomplish the same goals you’re working toward. Then there are stories of everyday heroes who inspire us to just be grateful and appreciate our challenges for the opportunities for growth they provide us.

If you find yourself waiting for someone else to encourage you, or kick your butt to get going … then maybe it’s time for you to kick your own butt a little and work on motivating yourself. ~Marquita Herald

Pat Yourself on the Back

Even if no one else knows about your accomplishments, they shouldn’t go unnoticed. Commemorate finishing a marathon by framing your bib or medal, or engrave the date of a huge accomplishment on a piece of jewelry. Not only does it feel good to celebrate the achievement, but it also serves as a visual reminder of your progress, which can help keep you pumped up on those less-than-motivated days.

Create Your Own Mantra or Adopt a Theme

Why not take your goal or goals, and turn them into your own personal mission statement—“I choose to spend more time with my children” or “I choose to take control of my time so I can start my own business”. May be you have a favorite song that when you hear it causes your spirit to soar.

Monitor Your Progress

Keeping track of your progress on goals or whatever you are working toward achieving will not only help you stay motivated but will serve to alert you if you begin to fall into a slump.