“I glanced at my watch and it was 3:30pm. Great, just great! Almost the entire day has flown by and I haven’t accomplished anything. What happened? I used to love this so much, what’s bringing me down now? Have I hit a plateau or am I just not good at this anymore? I blamed myself for giving up. But I’m at an odd stage in life, come too far but not closer to the finish line. How do I keep going?”
The above paragraph is sadly more relatable to most of us than so many other things. Let’s face it, motivation is not a permanent thing. One day we’re on top of the world and nothing stops us, then other days we’re just meh. Its a tricky and ongoing process, and no one’s safe from it. While losing motivation can seem like the end of the world, it’s not impossible to fix. Here are some tips to beat that feeling:
Remember how far you’ve come: Regardless of what you think, there’s a high chance you’ve lost motivation due to burning through so much already. And regardless of what you think, you have made it from point A to B.
Embrace/acknowledge your strengths/weaknesses: Weaknesses are not bad, they are mere opportunities. At the same time, give your strengths/talents credit. For instance, I value my ability to get out of any difficult situation and also make it a point to know (and possibly work on) my weak confrontational skills.
Find a new hobby, even if it’s temporary: This diverts your mind from the current slump.
Dress to kill: This may come off as shallow but hear me out! When you dress to impress yourself, and even take care of your physical self, you are mentally more confident in handling anything.
Find someone to hold you accountable: Confide in someone. Set a deadline and ask them to follow up on it.
Multitask: Again, the busy brain doesn’t have time to sulk.
Try different workouts/Group classes: This can fall under finding a temporary hobby. But changing exposure is refreshing to your mind. And of course the endorphins from workouts are beyond amazing!
Meet someone from an entirely different background or lifestyle: This sets your life into perspective. Learning through someone else’s eyes not only shifts out mindsets, but also humbles us.
Getaway – even if it’s nowhere: Maybe it’s an actual trip or merely a different coffee shop that’s 10 miles away, changing your physical location rewires the brain and filters out the unimportant things.
I can keep on going. But the point I want to stress on is losing motivation very normal. As a good friend once put it “It’s not a sprint but a marathon”.
