My 9 Secrets To Staying Motivated AF Even When Struggling
I won’t even hide it, I know a thing or two about motivation. So much so, that almost everyday I have a new DM waiting for me on Instagram or Twitter asking for advice on staying motivated. I’ve been working on this post for a longgg time. Not because I haven’t been motivated (lol), but because I was trying to best articulate the stepping stones to reach magical motivation mountain. But before I lead you there, we need to break down what motivation really is. Having a better understanding of the concept and why it’s hard to keep will ultimately help you more!
What Even Is Motivation?
Motivation is simply a habit. It’s a habit cultivated through consistency. If you really think about it, no one has naturally endless motivation. It’s something that builds upon itself as you work towards a goal. The good news about habits is that we can form new ones whenever we want. But habits come with consistency! So if you want to be motivated, stay consistent.
How Do I Stay Consistent?
To remain consistent you have to make a conscious effort to be consistent every single day. You have to actively train your brain to think “I am consistent and I will stay consistent.” Then you have to do it. Take that first step. No one is stopping you. Don’t put it off because the time is NOW, fam!
Why Do I Lose Motivation?
You won’t be motivated about your goals if you aren’t motivated about yourself first. Most people lose motivation because they become so hyper focused on their end goal that they forget to appreciate the small wins along the way. In today’s fast-paced world, we’ve become impatient and expect results overnight. That’s never going to happen. No matter how small, a step forward is still a step forward! Talk yourself up and believe in yourself. Be proud of yourself for every little accomplishment!
I’ll give you a personal example: I failed out of two universities and a community college before I got my act together. I had to step back and start over. I enrolled at a different community college, aced my classes, transferred to a new university, graduated with honors, and finally made it to graduate school at Columbia! During that start-over period I had two choices. I could put myself down, call myself a loser, a failure, and focus on being ‘behind’ in life, or I could be proud of myself for every class I showed up to and each assignment I finished.
Azadeh’s 9 Secrets to Staying Motivated
WRITE IT DOWN
I don’t know one successful person who doesn’t write down his or her goals. Having your to-do list written out puts that energy into the universe. Plus, crossing things off one-by-one helps keep you track of your progress!
STAY CONSISTENTLY COMMITTED
Achieving any goal takes time and patience. If you truly believe in your dream, then promise yourself you’ll be accepting to challenges along the way. It’s normal to have a sudden burst of motivation then give up quickly, but learn to break that habit and replace it with progressive consistency.
BE POSITIVE
Continuously lift yourself up and don’t lose hope! Train your brain to see everything from a positive perspective. Instead of saying, “Ugh I have to do this now” say, “I’m going to feel so good once I accomplish this step!”
ONE STEP AT A TIME
Remember, a step forward, is still a step forward. Don’t rush and enjoy the process so that someday you’ll look back and think, “Wow, I did that. I took all those steps.”
KEEP IT SIMPLE & EFFICIENT
There’s no need to overcomplicate your to-do list or overthink. Simplify your tasks and realistically divide up your time. You’ll get a lot more done when you work smarter, not harder. Don’t waste your creativity where it’s not needed because you’ll burn out and become frustrated quickly.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
Do you find yourself slacking off? Figure out why. Is it social media? Put away your phone. Is it because you’re stuck on a step? Take a break and come back to it. But don’t give up on yourself!
PACE YOURSELF
I can’t stress this enough! You are not in competition with ANYONE except your previous self. Avoid burnout at all costs and pace yourself.
APPRECIATE YOUR PROGRESS
Like I said before, celebrate the small wins! Value your progress, not perfection. Perfection is subjective anyways. If you become too focused on little details, you’ll forget to enjoy the small wins.
BE EASY ON YOURSELF
We’re all human, we all make mistakes, and we learn and grow from them. It’s okay if you slack off. It’s okay if you’re not consistent for a week. It’s okay to take a break to prevent burnout. Eventually, you will achieve all your goals and dreams. I believe in you. Do you?
XoXo,
PS- CHECK OUT MY POST ON PRODUCTIVITY TIPS!