8 Keys To Maintain Motivation And Achieve Your Goals
Self-motivation is one of the key elements that make up emotional intelligence. People who have developed this ability achieve their goals more frequently, are more independent and have high self-esteem, because they are able to overcome problems, generate solutions and persevere.
Do we all have the ability to motivate ourselves without external incentives or obligations to do it for us? Why do some people feel motivated in their daily lives and others fall into apathy, abandoning their goals shortly after setting them? The reason why we often find it difficult to achieve our goals It involves giving an answer to these questions, and to do so it is good to understand what it means to be self-motivated.
Self-motivation is the ability to extract from yourself the necessary drive to carry out the appropriate behaviors that bring you closer to your proposed goals. It is being able to self-provide interest, the reasons and the enthusiasm necessary to continue with their projects. And yes, it is something that is available to everyone.
Now, why do we always fail to achieve our goals? It’s simple. Due to the lack of habits that bring us closer to them.
The human brain has an energy-saving system that, by inertia, You tend to carry out day after day the behaviors that you have been repeating for years Let’s say you prefer not to think too much and resort to what you already know.
That is why when we try to get closer to a proposed objective and goal we usually give up after a short time. Our brain’s tendency to routine is more powerful than our willpower. We end up getting frustrated when we see that no matter how hard we try, we cannot change our behaviors, and that is why we become demotivated.
A work plan to achieve our goals
So… How do we add a new habit to our lives without abandoning it after a few days? The first thing we need is a work plan
Contrary to what we may think, setting a time limit (in 30 days I must have lost 7 kilos) is not as important as designing an action plan that allows you to get closer to your goals every day.
The action plan must be as detailed as possible. If we continue with the example of weight loss, the ideal would be to choose every night what you are going to eat the next day with great detail, without giving rise to improvisation. It is not recommended that this plan be too restrictive (which could mean an overexertion that would lead us to quickly abandon it), it is enough to provide us with a structured framework with a couple of new elements linked to our goals.
If our work plan is perfectly detailed and framed within our schedule, It will be as simple as following it to the letter without stopping to doubt what the next step will be, because that is where our economizing brain will draw on the resources previously used.
Find yourself an agenda or calendar and start designing your week today, and then simply follow the directions that you have designed yourself just as you let a GPS bring you closer to your destination.
Practical guidelines to motivate yourself
Once I have designed the action plan, how do I stay self-motivated to carry it out?
1. Take it seriously
You have decided to set that goal after conscious reflection because you know what is best for you and what you want in your life. And there is nothing more important than that. It is because of that Distractions or changes in schedule do not help try to be strict and committed to what you have proposed.
2. Perform visualization exercises in the short, medium and long term
Try to imagine what your life will be like if your routines change, keep in mind that what you do now will have an impact in the future. This will help you avoid falling into procrastination or “I’ll do it tomorrow” syndrome.
3. Practice mindfulness
This will help you stop operating on autopilot and make decisions coherently. Add a couple of hours a week of Mindfulness or meditation, They will help you be in the here and now and make better decisions
Due to the Coherence Principle, you will feel “cognitively bound” to your words and you will try harder to fulfill what you have said.
5. Respect your sleep schedule and exercise three times a week
You will need energy and clarity to carry out your new habits, which is why you need to be rested and with your brain oxygenated.
6. Observe each of your behaviors
Consider to what extent they bring you closer or further away from the goal you want to achieve. Carry out self-registrations if necessary; They will allow you to visually observe where you are and what you need to modify.
7. Choose goals or design projects that you are passionate about
This is the best way to stay motivated.
8. Reward yourself from time to time for your achievements
Use positive self-reinforcement and be the one who regulates the rewards, without expecting them to come from outside.
And finally…
Remember that making good or bad decisions every day is up to you. Note that your results are the fruit of your habits, because we live in a world governed by the law of Cause and Effect. Your “future self” will thank you that your actions today are healthy and consistent with your life plan.
