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Any endeavor requires motivation in order to make it a success. Typically, we begin the pursuit of a goal with lots of energy and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, many of us abandon our dreams, in part because we fail to realize that this high energy won’t last forever.
We may feel highly motivated to begin a new diet or exercise plan, or perhaps a new job or other project. We are excited about the possibilities. Then, after a while, we become tired and our initial enthusiasm fades.
That’s when self-motivation and discipline become important. That’s when we need to push ourselves.
We shouldn’t allow our motivation to be too dependent on what the scale or mirror says, or what other people say or think. There’s nothing wrong with external (extrinsic) motivation — sometimes it can be effective — but we need to work on developing our internal (intrinsic) motivation.
Being motivated doesn’t mean we won’t have to struggle with adversity along the way. There will always be demands on our lives and our time. There will be obstacles and temptation to derail our efforts. Things are rarely as easy as they initially seem. Remember that even when your motivation is low, you are still able to accomplish something. Low motivation doesn’t have to mean paralysis.
Conversely, when your motivation is high, take advantage of it by taking on more (or more difficult) tasks.
Occasionally, there will be a “bad” day. There are times in all of our lives when we find it challenging to stay motivated and on course. Don’t allow yourself to focus on the negative. Focus instead on what really matters and learn from a negative situation in order to create a better outcome next time.
We can improve our self-motivation when we acknowledge and embrace the realization that we own our thoughts, feelings, behavior, and choices. We are in control of what we think, feel, and do. Reflect upon times when your motivation was high and try to determine what you did to feel that way.
Your motivation will be much stronger and consistent when you focus on making conscious choices about what you can do consistently to achieve all your dreams and goals.
Be accountable when looking at how you define problems and situations. Think about what you can do — given what is reasonably and realistically within your power — and do it. Be open-minded and willing to try different things.
Preparation — and the effort you put into preparation — will make it easier for you to follow through, even when taking on more difficult tasks. Advance planning and forethought can help you to be less dependent on extra motivation.
Focus on progress, rather than perfection. Incremental change is the key. Avoid alternating bouts of productivity and inactivity. Be consistent — do what you can — on a daily basis, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve over time. Slow and steady wins the race.
Your thoughts?
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Tags: consistency, discipline, external motivation, extrinsic motivation, internal motivation, intrinsic motivation, motivation, planning, preparation, progress, self-discipline, self-motivation
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