For many of us, the summer can be a time to improve ourselves. But, a lot of the time, the changes we want to make most can be the hardest to actually implement. MASTERY starts with M for a reason. Developing a Warrior’s mindset is the first step to full MASTERY, and a big part of that mindset is your everyday motivation.
However, the problem isn’t that we don’t have motivation; we just have the wrong motivation. We are motivated to do all sorts of things, and while not all of them are good, motivation is simply the feeling of having a reason to do something, which leads to the eagerness and ease we feel as we do it. Whether it is motivation to finish a whole marathon, or just the motivation to binge watch Game of Thrones, everything we do requires motivation – we just have to point it in the correct direction.
And I know, trying to direct your motivation in a new direction so you can become the person you want to be seems like a daunting, or even impossible task. But, isn’t that thought, that feeling of an impossible challenge, exactly what has prevented you from succeeding in the first place? So relax, here are some small steps to get you started:
- Write It Down – Think of your goals. Now, right them down! Get out a piece of paper and jot them down. Putting our goals down on paper where we can see them is one of my favorite tools for motivation. Under each goal, write your why, or three reasons why you have to attain this goal. How can you expect to direct yourself towards your goal if you can’t even see them?
- Chunk It Down – Before we even start, many of us see the challenge as a whole and simply say “I can’t do it.” Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t reach your goals in just one either. Give yourself a reason to celebrate, break your challenges down into smaller parts.
- Break It Down, Even Smaller – Now, I know I just told you to divide up your challenges, but we need to break it down into even smaller pieces. I hate cleaning my closet, like really, really don’t like it, and if I set out with the goal of cleaning the whole mess, or even one section of the mess, I’ll get discouraged and I’ll never start. So, I broke down the task even further; I made it a goal to just set out some hangars and just put a few things away this morning when I was getting dressed. Now, I don’t feel like crap because I actually completed my goal, and my closet is just a little bit closer to clean.
- Don’t Talk Down – Automatic Negative Thoughts, or ANTS as my husband likes to call them, are motivation killers! A lot of the time, we are our own worst enemies. Make it easier on yourself, and be honest, you’re doing a lot better than you give yourself credit.
- Get Down – Dance! Celebrate! Whether it felt like the hardest challenge of your life, or a piece of cake, a huge part of motivation is momentum. Reward yourself for victories, big and small, and give yourself a reason to keep the ball rolling.
Oftentimes, when we are lacking motivation, we feel as if we should be eating this thing not that, or that we should be a better parent or a closer friend, that we should be something we aren’t right now. But, you’ll never do your what if you don’t know your why – you have to have a reason of your own, one that really matters to you, before you will be able to make any lasting improvement in your life.
And if you’re looking for a little extra help making those lasting improvements, more motivating strategies, or you just want to read more, pick up a copy of The Brain Warrior’s Way Cookbook – where I have over 100+ brain healthy recipes to help keep you on track.