3 Simple Ways to Stay Motivated
It’s hard to stay motivated all the time.
Sometimes your energy is low and you’re not in the mood to take action. Other times, events don’t go your way and you feel like you’re in a slump. Whatever the case may be, there’s always a way to snap out of it and get back into your groove.
There are usually three areas that nourish your motivation: your understanding of what you want to accomplish and why it matters to you, the awareness of your progress and its impact on others, and the mood you’re in.
I call it the ATM Model of Motivation.
And this model is built on what psychologists refer to as intrinsic motivation:
Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises from within the individual because it is naturally satisfying to you. (Source).
In essence, intrinsic motivation is about performing an activity for its own sake rather than the desire for an external reward. It’s what Steven Pressfield explains in his book, The War of Art:
“We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause.”
Intrinsic motivation is a much more powerful force than extrinsic motivation—especially when it comes to living a meaningful, authentic, and purposeful life that is rooted in doing things that bring us genuine joy and fulfillment.
But while we can be intrinsically motivated toward a certain action, sometimes it’s hard to maintain that motivation for a consistent and prolonged period of time. Our motivation to act ebbs and flows like the tide. When you find it receding, turn to the ATM Model to pull it back in.
1. Align With Your What and Why
Earlier this morning, I couldn’t get myself to write. I just sat on my chair and stared at the blank screen. I honestly had no idea what topic to write about or what I wanted to say. There were just too many ideas on my mind, and I felt a little overwhelmed and quite demotivated.
So I got up and went for a walk.
Twenty minutes later, I was back on my chair spilling words onto this page—I had found the clarity I was searching for.
If you’re struggling with motivation the first place to start is to ask yourself these two questions:
Am I clear on what it is I want to do?
Am I clear on why it matters to me?
When we don’t have clarity on what it is we want to achieve—whether it be related to a small task, a big project, or life in general—we struggle. It’s just human nature. Our brain was designed to keep us safe, so we don’t do well with uncertainty and ambiguity.
When you lack clarity on what needs to be done (in the case of writing, what it is you wish to write about), you’re prone to procrastinate and feel less motivated.
And while sometimes you might be clear on what it is that needs to be done, you might not be clear on why this task matters to you in the grand scheme of things. And if you aren’t able to connect the action with an intrinsic source of motivation as to why it matters to you—an identity, a self-belief, a purpose—you’re likely to struggle with motivation.
“If we want to feel an undying passion for our work, if we want to feel we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves, we all need to know our WHY.” — Simon Sinek
So take the time to re-connect and align with what you are working toward and why it matters to you. Find clarity and conviction. Always fall back on them—they are the springs that will push you back on your feet and re-ignite the fire to take action.
2. Track Your Progress and Impact
There is nothing more rewarding—or motivating—than to look at the work you’ve already done and the positive impact it’s had on you and others.
And the only way to validate this growth is by tracking it.
Are you lacking the motivation to write another piece? Open your progress dashboard and look at how many articles you’ve published so far—you’ve done so well, now keep going.
Are you lacking the motivation to launch your new creative project? Open your progress dashboard and look at how many milestones you’ve completed along the journey of building it—you’ve come a long way, now keep going.
The continuous tracking of inputs, outputs, and milestones is a major pillar upon which GAP Goals are designed. But there’s another aspect to it: your work’s impact on others.
We live in a world of human connection.
Anytime I receive a thank you note or comment from a reader, I save it. I add it to a folder of happiness: Moments in my life that make me smile.
In a way, this is progress—the ability to help others through the work I do, the privilege of creating, and the reward of having another human evaluate it.
Create your own folder.
Measure your own impact.
It helps rekindle the spark of why you do what you do. It reminds you that your work matters. It motivates you to keep taking action.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” — Nelson Mandela
No matter what it is you’re working on, building, or creating, what you put out into the world will be touched by others. That’s a fact of life. Whether it be from colleagues, or friends, or customers, or clients, the positive impact we have on others, in and of itself, is a measure of growth and progress—and that, in and of itself, can become a continuous source of motivation.
3. Manage Your Mood
If you’re in a bad mood, there isn’t an ocean in the world that can fill you with the motivation you need to take action. So if you find yourself stuck in a negative thought pattern and emotional state, move. Get up and go for a walk around the block. Go to the gym. Get some fresh air. Step away from the task for a little while. Movement invites new stimuli, which draws your attention away from the thoughts that have led you to your emotional state.
Studies have shown that even a single bout of exercise results in positive changes in brain chemicals and can instantly improve your mood.
All it took for me to refuel the motivation to write this article were two things: clarity and sunshine. And it was only after I took a twenty-minute walk outside that I was able to find them.
Manage your mood—it helps you manage your motivation.
What Matters to You
Align with your what and why, track your progress and your impact, and manage your mood. These are the three simple strategies that can help you refuel and stay motivated at times when your motivation is lacking a little.