Are you feeling stuck and lacking the motivation to achieve your goals? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we will cover how to beat procrastination, how to motivate oneself in every aspect of your life. Whether you're striving for success in your career, personal relationships, or health and well-being, this post is sure to leave you feeling inspired, and motivated to move your life forward.

Self-motivation isn’t something only certain people have, it’s something you can experience with the simple tips and tricks outlined here. Yes, you can break free from the cycle of procrastination and turn the corner towards your goals. We'll delve into what drives a persons motivation, explore factors that influence our behavior and how to create sustainable habits that fuel our desire for achievement. From setting inspiring goals to maintaining focus and overcoming setbacks, you'll discover practical tips and techniques that can be applied immediately.

No matter where you are on your journey, this guide is designed to empower you, excite you with possibility and instill a can do attitude that propels your self-motivation forward and knocks down the door of procrastination.

The Importance of Self-Motivation

Self-motivation is the driving force that propels us towards our goals and aspirations and even what helps us to get out of bed in the morning. It is the drive that pushes us to take action and persevere, even when faced with challenges. Without self-motivation, we may find ourselves feeling stuck, self sabotaging and unable to make progress or achieve the success we desire. Without self motivation we just end up feeling bad about ourselves and even less motivated to do anything.

It’s easy to see that individuals who are self-motivated often succeed at life while making it look so easy. News flash, having self motivation doesn’t mean things are easier, there is just less resistance to take a chance and get started. Sure, some people have more opportunities to move life forward, but even if an opportunity presents itself and we lack motivation we aren’t going to make any progress towards our goals. When we lack self-motivation, we become best friends with procrastination and that keeps us stagnant. Ultimately, it is our internal drive that busts down the procrastination door and determines our level of achievement.

Understanding What Drives Motivation

Generally when we want something bad enough we somehow muster up our self-motivation. But that doesn’t help us on a day to day basis when we feel stuck. According to Maslow's theory, our motivation is driven by a hierarchy of needs, ranging from basic physiological needs such as food and shelter to higher-level needs such as self-actualization and personal growth. Even this feels vague and unhelpful, because I am assuming most of us have our basic needs met and still have trouble moving life forward to something that feels exciting.

Motivation can be influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic motivation arises from within, driven by our inherent interests and enjoyment of a task. I personally think this is key to self-motivation. What you want has to matter to you. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation stems from external rewards or punishments. Think keeping up with the Jones’s. While both types of motivation can be effective, research suggests that intrinsic motivation tends to be more sustainable and fulfilling in the long run. We already know I totally agree, self-motivation driven by joy and interest is going to win the race.

Think about wanting to lose weight or get in shape. We think about losing weight, especially when our pants are feeling a bit too tight and we secretly unbutton them midday when we can’t stand how tight they are. The problem is it feels hard to lose weight, especially in midlife. We start out strong, cutting back calories, increasing our exercise and then life hits, we have a bad day, we get invited to happy hour and the whole eating healthy thing really doesn’t seem so important.

Now imagine a date on the calendar for a trip to Hawaii with your best friends. This creates a whole new level of self-motivation. The goal is clear, you know what, when and why you want to change your behavior. You have a different level of motivation to eat healthy and exercise. Clear goals are a number one driver to our self motivation.

Common Roadblocks to Self-Motivation and How to Overcome Them

Despite our best intentions and desires, there are common roadblocks that can limit our self-motivation. These roadblocks can range from fear of failure, to self-doubt, to feeling content with the status quo, to external distractions and lack of support. However, once we recognize the roadblocks in our way, we can bust through them. Awareness is always the first step. By bringing awareness to the situation and making simple changes in our mindset we can create a new level of determination and say hello to our new friend self-motivation.

One common roadblock to self-motivation is the fear of failure. We are too afraid to even start because of the uncertainty of how things will or won’t turn out. It’s the fear of not meeting our own expectations or the expectations of others that can paralyze us and prevent us from doing anything at all. It’s easy to get stuck in fear mode which overlaps with status quo. We tell ourselves things are “okay” they way they are, we don’t really need anything to change. Life isn’t so bad, is it? Ugh, such a drag to be hindered by fear and accepting a life less than desirable. To overcome this fear, we can think about another time we were afraid to do something, but we did it anyway. Everything ended up okay, right? Even if things didn’t or don’t work out we can learn from our actions. Every time we do something that takes us outside of our comfort zone we are showing fear whose boss. Embrace the mindset that failure is not the endpoint but rather a stepping stone towards what we want.

Self-doubt also likes to show up as a big flashing roadblock and limits our self-motivation. We may doubt our abilities, question our worthiness or feel paralyzed to take the first step. To overcome self-doubt, it's crucial to practice self-compassion and cultivate a positive self-image. Often times our self-doubt is a reflection of old memories, unkind remarks, or limiting beliefs placed on us by teachers, family and even “friends”. Download the free guide to Nix Negative Thinking and read the blog post on self-compassion to help with overcoming self doubt. You can also surround yourself with a supportive group of individuals who believe in your abilities, are can provide encouragement when needed.

External distractions can also derail our self-motivation. It's easy to get caught up in social media, emails, and other forms of instant gratification. Did you know that scrolling our phones gives us a dopamine hit. Yep, every time we look at social media our brains reward center gets activated. Put the phone down, create a designated workspace or time block that is free from distractions and establish a routine that allows for focused periods of work. Make a game of cutting back on your scrolling time. Each week see if you can trim 5 minutes from the week before or even better 5 minutes from the day before. Imagine what could be done in the time saved. Bed earlier, a mid-afternoon walk or a home cooked meal. Endless opportunity when external distractions are limited.

How to Self Motivate

This is the question we really want answered, “how do I motivate myself”. Consider the following steps our outline to Operation Go For It. We can start today, right now to unlock the power within and begin our journey towards self motivation.

• Define the Goal

  Defining our goals has to be the first step on our road to self motivation and is the key to get us over the procrastination roadblock. Using the acronym SMART to define our goals leads us to identify Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time sensitive goals. It’s important to be specific with our goals so we can stay focused on our desired outcome. Being able to measure or track our goals provides us with feedback that let’s us know we are making progress. Seeing this progress is a sure fire way to continue feeling motivated. Setting relevant goals equates to setting a reasonable and realistic goal. If goals are too big they can be demotivating especially if they feel impossible to reach. Start with a small goal and then keep building from there. Time sensitive goals gives us a sense of purpose and a clear target to aim for. Without a deadline to work towards there is no urgency and no intrinsic motivation to get started. It just becomes a some day goal. We are interested in the right now, get it done goals. An example of a SMART goal is, “I will write 2 blog posts in the month of March”. This is a focused goal that hits all aspects of the SMART goal.

• Stomp Out Excuses

  We all have excuses why we can’t do something. Excuses feel like a safety net and we can even convince ourselves that we are just TOO busy to take on one more thing. If excuses are ruling your life then either your goal isn’t something you really want or maybe it’s too much of a stretch and it feels intimidating. We need to look at both our goals and the excuses and get honest about what’s holding us back. If it really feels as though you can’t add one more thing to your day then I suggest the next step listed below, time blocking as a way to get clear on how your time is actually being spent.

• Time Blocking

  Time blocking can be done using your phone calendar or in a planner. I have this planner and I love it. It is intended as an appointment book and for each day outlines the hours in 30 minute increments. It starts at 7 am and ends at 8:30 pm. Using this planner or something similar start tracking how you spend your day. If you work from 9:00 am until 3:00 then block out that time. If you walk your dog in the morning for a half hour, then block that time on your calendar. When you find yourself mindlessly scrolling social media mark that on your calendar. Also note that you just discovered a window of time you could have been doing something to reach your goals. Do this for a week and find your patterns then begin blocking time to spend on your goals. You may find you have to give something else up, but if your goal is important enough it will be worth it.

• Use a Mantra to Motivate

  Mantras are short simple statements that we can use to motivate or inspire us. They can spark your motivation or give that extra nudge when you are feeling stuck. Being self motivated isn’t about becoming robotic about how you spend your time, but instead becoming your own source of encouragement to move forward. This goes back to your why, why this goal now? If you are trying to start a fitness routine try this; “I never regret a workout” or “Working out gives me confidence, energy…(fill in the blank)”. If you are working towards improving a relationship; “I deserve positivity in my life and my relationships”. If your goal involves changing careers, “I have limitless potential”. This last motivational mantra works regardless of what you are trying to achieve, “Small steps everyday get me closer to my goal”.

• Accountability Partner

  A great way to keep moving forward towards a goal is to not only make a commitment to yourself, but also make a commitment to an accountability partner that you check in with regularly. This could be a friend, a family member or even a coach that is supporting you and your goals. An accountability partner helps to keep you committed to your goal and is tracking your progress with you. They should make you feel good about what you are doing and provide encouraging support.

• Start

  It may seem obvious that you need to just start, but this is the most difficult step for all of us. However, momentum creates more momentum and will push you right through the roadblocks. Go ahead pull out your planner and time block 30 minutes to do at least one thing that will start you on your path towards your goal. You will be glad you did. No regrets starting, only regrets when you don’t start.

Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Self Motivation

Self motivation is key to unlock our fullest potential and move us towards success in every aspect of life. By understanding the importance of motivation, what it is, and recognizing common barriers we can all unlock the power within and learn to self motivate in all areas of our life. It’s time to break up with procrastination and set SMART goals while following the rest of the steps to self motivation.

Remember, self-motivation is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing journey. Roadblocks will always show up, but they aren’t a match for you and your motivational mantra. Embrace the power within and continue to nurture and fuel your motivation. With dedication, perseverance, and a belief in your own abilities, you can unlock the limitless potential inside of you. So start! Start today, embark on this new path of self-discovery, and unlock the power within!

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