Generally speaking, we all go through periods of time where we know exactly what we want and know what it’s going to take to get there. We all have these ‘eye of the tiger’ moments when nothing can stand in our way to getting what we want. On the flip side, we also go through phases where we don’t feel passionate about our goals anymore and we either put off today’s work for tomorrow or we meander through getting it done haphazardly. It doesn’t feel to us like anything in particular has changed during this time and we can’t really seem to snap out of it. If this hits home, then rest assured that there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re just like everyone else in the world. The difference between being successful and not, is what you do during these times of wavering motivation.
1. Remember why you started.
There’s some reason that we all start one thing or another. In fact, there’s usually a set of reasons we set our target on a goal. It usually revolves around one of the four ‘F’s. Fame, fortune, freedom, or family are the things that get us out of bed in the morning. Beyond our very basic needs, these are the things that drive our behavior. Remembering which one of these things drove us to start on our journey can be very powerful in itself, but remembering our exact idea of what reaching this goal looked like when we started can snap us back into putting the pedal to the metal.
2. Consult your support system.
Since first starting out our journey towards our goals, we have probably met more people that have our backs than we even know about. Some of the people rooting for us have been there since the beginning. Reaching out for help when our levels of motivation are at our lowest can oftentimes prove to be a life changing experience. We find strength from areas we didn’t know existed. It’s amazing how much more courage and drive we have when we know that other people are rooting for us.
3. Consult a mentor.
Speaking with someone who has been where you are and came out of the situation all the wiser is a definite way to regain your motivation. We might be tempted to gravitate towards people who are going through problems themselves to get comfort, but I assure you nothing good can come from it. Usually both people in that scenario just end up quitting whatever they’re doing. Instead, seek out help from someone you can confide in who is where you want to be. We shouldn’t lay out a sob story or all of our problems in front of them, but we should simply state the facts without too much emotion in the mix. I guarantee that they have had this conversation with people before and might even know exactly what to do in your specific case.
Doing something is better than doing nothing. We all have states of floundering around and not knowing what to do. What we do during these times is what will help us cross the finish line to our goals.
