GET STARTED

The Motivation Myth- and the Number 1 reason why you shouldn't rely on it.

August 14, 2022

The Motivation Myth- and the Number 1 reason why you shouldn't rely on it

I get it, you're feeling demotivated but you want your motivation back!

Definition

"Not having interest in or enthusiasm for something, especially work or studynot having interest in or enthusiasm for something, especially work or study.

Feeling unmotivated can be caused by a wide variety of things, but in general, it's an emotional state that's often associated with being stuck or in a rut.

You struggle to take action and feel like you're not getting anything done."

We've all had that feeling from time to time and I know how difficult it can be to get yourself out of that rut.

So how do you stay motivated all of the time?

Contrary to what most people think, accomplishing big-picture dreams has very little to do with feeling motivated from moment to moment.

And it has even less to do with being good at something from the start.

The majority of people looking for motivation will wait for something, or someone, to come around and motivate them before they can get up and take action to motivate themselves.

The key to motivation is actually in the ACTION itself.

Motivation does not come from a specific location in your brain. It is not a fixed part of your personality.

It's also not an essential tool that we use to make us move.

It is most often a consequence of that movement.

So what happens if I cant get motivated to exercise?

The key to making exercise a sustainable part of everyday life is to find a form of movement that you can begin even when your

motivation is low.

Research shows that doing even small amounts of exercise is better than nothing, and anything more than your usual amount of movement will help boost your willpower (Barton & Pretty, 2010).

Find something that feels easy. Something that brings you joy. Adding in some form of exercise, however moderate, will pay you back in feelings of motivation.

Whenever I feel hesitant about taking action towards a goal, it’s usually because I’m thinking about the big picture, and I feel intimidated by it. Now, thinking big is a good thing when you’re setting goals, but it’s a bad thing when you’re working to achieve those goals.

7 ways to keep moving forward when you don’t feel motivated

A new parent getting out of bed at 3 a.m. to soothe a screaming baby for the fifth night in a row isn’t enthusiastic about it.

The entrepreneur spending their Friday night combing through bank statements and receipts isn’t madly in love with do-it-yourself accounting.

The athlete putting in 5 a.m. workouts doesn’t hate warm blankets and sleep.

But if not motivation, then what helps people do the hard stuff? 

People who consistently do the hard thing have several core ideals and practices in common. Here’s how you can adopt them yourself...

#1: Have a crystal clear vision

The clearer the vision, the easier it is to align your action with that goal when the going gets tough. A deeper reason is the fail-safe that keeps you going when you’ve got nothing else left in your tank.

#2: Regularly look back and review your progress

The ancient,animalistic part of our brain likes, wants and needs to see validation in the process: ensure you take regular points to look back at how far you've come. That may be in the form of pictures or a graph of your results!

#3: Continue to set new, micro goals

Looking at the whole staircase may seem like a mountain to climb! So be sure to set yourself smaller short term targets to aim for along your journey- it will keep you focussed, aligned with the bigger picture and ultimately help you remain motivated.

#4: Recognise your roadblocks

Many people dont see that they're actually the ones getting in their own way when it comes to results; self reflection, personal development and change is often the key to recognising and removing roadblocks on your journey to keep you motivated.

#5: Manage your energy, not your time

Many of us feel demotivated when the pressures of 'time' add up upon us; try focussing instead on energy management rather than time management. Time management relates to organization, planning and things that are more tangible, while Energy management relates to more intangible aspects: the feelings one may experience, the sleep hours that one needs to be fresh or the productive hours within the day.

#6: Invest in coaches/mentors

Mentors offer encouragement and an objective set of eyes, This encouragement can motivate you to keep moving forward despite challenges. A mentor can also identify and express their mentee's strengths to instill confidence in them. Having a strong sense of confidence can make the mentee less likely to give up on their goals.

#7: Prioritise habits over willpower

We often assume that our feelings should drive our behavior.

That if we feel tired or sad or discouraged, we should do tired, sad, and discouraged things. (Of course, expressing and acting on your feelings often does serve a purpose. It’s a release, and it sends a clear message to others.)

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can recognize and accept those feelings in the same way that we grab a  jacket when we see storm clouds passing over.

Our moment-to-moment feelings don’t have to determine who we are or what we choose to do. Simply knowing this can make it easier to carry on when we don’t feel like it.

Motivation, if anything, is an outcome.

You can’t control motivation. It can’t be directly pursued.

What you can control is the series of factors that underpin motivation.

motivation, waves, emotion, myth

Motivation, like emotions comes in waves- If we rely solely on those waves our results will be as inconsistent as they are.

Instead, if we focus on committed intent we are much more aligned with our vision and values and creating habits to rely on rather than emotion.

Love and Light,

Nikki x

 

Share it with the world...
© 2024 Nikki Antonaccio
|
Made with ♡ by Wikid
envelopephonemenu-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram