How to Re-Charge Your Motivation Engine
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily. “
– Zig Ziglar
How many times have you been asked, ‘What keeps you up at night’? What a downer! I don’t care who’s asking the question either. It could be a vendor, your accountant or your Uncle Joe, but it’s a negative focus.
Of course you have issues, problems and nuts to crack. That’s a given, in both business, and life.
From my perspective I’d much rather hear about what gets you out of bed in the morning – and I don’t mean, the dog, the cat, the alarm clock or the sound of the coffeemaker.
I’m talking about what you have to look forward to – the positive motivational force that puts your wheels in motion, and helps you make the most of each day.
So tell me, is there anything in the wings for you these days, or are you at the point where one day seem to run into the next? I know it’s hard sometimes, especially when you’ve spent a number of years doing the same things. We establish routines. Routines becomes habits and they can be hard to break. We need to focus on what’s inspiring enough to motivate us want to get up and take forward action.
We all had it once when we just started out. Everything was new, exciting, and yes, scary too. But then things started stabilizing. When you think about it though, staying motivated is a lot like keeping New Year’s resolutions. You have all the motivation in the world and you’re sure you’ll achieve success but within a few days – or possibly a few weeks, you run out of steam.
Here’s why:
- You bite off more than you can chew. (Are you trying to build the Taj Mahal when a simple 3 bedroom will do)?
- Your motivation engine has been hacked by your lizard brain. You start off great guns but your negative lizard side starts chewing you out. Are you good enough? Is it worth it? What makes you think you can pull it off? Do yourself a favor and step on him! No one can tell you what to do unless you permit it).
- It’s not going fast enough – there’s no instant gratification. (Not seeing an immediate ROI? Look for it in each step of the process. I’m sure you’ll find a sense of pride and satisfaction that you can share with your team, and your customers,. For the rest, be patient. Everything that’s worth it takes time to build).
- You wonder if it’s too much of a struggle. (Don’t sweat the small stuff. Instead of looking at stumbling blocks as problems, look at them as opportunities to learn and grow together. There’s joy in the process and if you embrace it, regardless of what happens, you’ll win).
While motivation comes from within, you can build a support system to help you maintain it every day until you reach your goals. Here are some simple tips:
- Keep it simple. Be clear on the results you want to achieve and stay focused.
- Be positive. Don’t permit negativity to enter the picture.
- Hang out with positive people and don’t let the naysayers get the upper hand. In fact, avoid them as much as humanly possible.
- Be curious. Learn as much as possible. It keeps you open and fresh.
- Stop thinking and start doing!
- Laugh more. It refuels your energy.
- When you get ‘down,’ understand why. When you know your triggers, it’s easier to pull yourself out of the dumps.
- Help someone else. Nothing is so gratifying and energizing as the satisfaction of being able to help someone else.
- When you start feeling overwhelmed, take a look at what you’re doing, make a list and see how you can break it down into smaller, more digestible bites.
Do you have any motivational tips you can share too?
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
– Ayn Rand