Three Ways to Keep Motivated in Achieving Goals

Motivation refers to the magnitude and direction of behavior on choices people make and the degree of effort they will make in that respect. It is the drive to achieve goals or needs. Motivation is influenced by how eagerly you want to accomplish your goals, what you might gain or lose, your expectations, and your desire to succeed in your dreams. 

Some days, finding the motivation to achieve your goals is easier than others. Your ability to stay motivated on bad and good days defines your success. 

Most of the time, we feel motivated when we freshly start something to work on. With time passing by, the motivation level gets slow day by day and eventually, you might feel less motivated to get done with your task. The struggle to stay motivated throughout the task can be challenging at times. 

Most of us want to set our goals to bring change in our lives. However, it can be challenging at times to find motivation even to start something. It is essential to understand what motivation means to you so you can seek ways to stay motivated. 

When we are motivated, we have such a strong sense of self that no desire is out of reach. Your life’s motivation becomes the fuel that propels you toward realizing your goals and dreams. If you have such dreams and you are lacking the motivation to achieve them for some reason, here are some strategies that will help you with finding the motivation to attain your goals and ultimately your dreams. 

Self-monitoring

Self-monitoring is one of the essential components of self-regulated learning, which refers to attention to one’s behavior. According to research, strategies like self-monitoring and self-management positively influence motivation. Self-monitoring is a strategy that enables you to take charge of your actions. 

Self-monitoring practice includes keeping a journal or daily timetable frequently for your daily tasks. You start practicing self-monitoring by keeping a record of your daily tasks in a notebook and making important notes and details about your designated tasks for a day or week. It includes which steps you need to take and the duration needed for the task to get done. This technique makes it possible to monitor the improvement of your task over time and keep track of your time and activities. 

Keeping track of your performance at designated times gauges your improvement and motivation to achieve your goal and keeps you motivated to target the next task and goal. Furthermore, self-monitoring techniques increase your motivation by allowing you to see your progress from time to time and give you a very in-depth insight into your work. 

Identifying your obstacles

Many times you might feel less motivated and lazy. Lack of motivation leads to a negative impact on your ultimate goal. It is essential to identify what your struggles are. 

You might be surprised to learn that something is preventing you from accomplishing your objectives. This “something” can be a weakness in a particular skill or a trait that you’re not conscious of and that is preventing you from reaching your maximum potential. For example, the difficulty of a task, boredom, or fear of failure can be obstacles. 

To identify and overcome such obstacles, you can ask yourself what is stopping you from moving forward toward your goal. Furthermore, If you’ve previously worked in a group or with friends on a project, you could brainstorm on any potential obstacles that you faced at that time to achieve your team’s goals. It’s crucial to take stock of who you are and how you approach your work so that you can come up with ways to get better. 

Celebrating your victories

It can be very challenging to continue working towards your goals without having motivation. Therefore celebrating your task completion as little victories can inspire your pride. This will encourage your perseverance in pursuing the small steps and, finally, towards your main goal.

Numerous studies have revealed that “celebrating” has multiple benefits,  including releasing certain chemicals in the brain such as dopamine which enhances coping mechanisms. People who take the time to enjoy their accomplishments are typically less stressed and can beat the work stress. 

Appreciate and honor both your significant and little victories. Achieving a goal, no matter how big or small is still a success. Success can be celebrated without having to be difficult or time-consuming. 

When something positive happens or you have completed a task, it could be as simple as giving a tap on yourself on your shoulder,  a treat to yourself such as a coffee and cupcake, buying yourself a small gift, taking a small break, or going out with friends. 

You achieved your target! After you’ve finished celebrating, these small victory celebrations will keep you motivated to establish a new objective and keep working on more tasks and goals.

In conclusion

You might have tried many other strategies before to stay motivated toward your goals. Applying these techniques to your motivation list can organize how you approach your goal. You can use these strategies not only for short-term goals but also for longer ones too. This will help to plan your progress for better results in the long run.

If you would like to learn more about motivation, visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials. Check out Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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