If you are lacking motivation, and looking for new methods to keep your motivation levels high, stay away from these, as they may do you more harm than good.
Motivation: What You Shouldn’t Do to Find It
The definition of Motivation: A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.
If you have a strong reason, or many strong reasons to succeed in life, chances are you will succeed. Regardless of what inevitable set-backs you face along the way, if your motivation is high, you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal or achieve your dream. If you are lacking motivation however, if you don’t have a strong reason to succeed, when things get hard, as they likely will – you will likely quit… like the majority do.
That’s why so many books and articles are written on the importance of motivation, or having a strong reason (your “why”). As it is always the case with a widely debated topic, many of these articles and books aren’t really worth your attention.
There are many myths and false teachings on motivation that might throw you off course, or even do you more harm than good. Such myths stem from the lack of knowledge about the real causes of declining motivation, and the real meaning of motivation, which is to have a strong reason to do something.
(Don’t) Visualize Easy Success
Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing to believe in yourself and walk confidently towards your goal. Visualizing the end result is also a great practice for any successful individual. However, the majority of visualization techniques have one failure – they don’t take effort into account. In other words, don’t just visualize success that you aren’t prepared to work for.
In real life, you have to work for your dream. Expecting effortless success will do more harm than good when the imagination clashes with the reality. In fact, it will set you back when real challenges begin and you are not ready of them. It’s much healthier to visualize yourself dealing with obstacles, and overcoming them. Visualizing yourself as someone who was able to ride the waves, and still reach the shore and claim your trophy. Be prepared for everything that awaits you on your journey. And if success comes easily – the preparation will still be useful.
(Don’t) Just Do The Minimum Required
In life and success, those who are rewarded at the highest level, are those who go above and beyond. Those who only ever do the minimum requirement, will never see a pay-rise, a promotion or the benefits that come with going the extra mile. As the saying goes “Those who do more than they are paid, will soon be paid for more than they do”
(Don’t) Just Write Down Your Goals
There is a myth circulating around that only writing your goals down lead to success – with the help of supernatural forces, it seems. The list is nothing more than a helpful pointer, a reminder of what you want in life. It’s a great base to start from, but again YOU are the one that must take those goals and turn them into reality with your ACTION.
So, write your goals down, yes. But also set deadlines, and write next to each goal, what you have to do (action) to achieve your goals by that deadline.
Summary:
In order to maintain life long motivation, you must have a strong reason why you do what you do – Why is it important that you achieve your goal? What is the real reason you MUST succeed?
Write those goals down, and review them every day, goals that excite you and extend you at the same time – and then make a plan, a detailed map of how to get to your definition of success.
Good luck!