6 Ways to Find Self-Motivation and Drive Yourself Forward

How many times have you set yourself goals only to find that your self-motivation starts to flounder very quickly? The ability to set goals and then stick to them is one of the most important factors in building a successful career. Although there can be many motivating factors at work, self-motivation is the one that gives you the greatest sense of joy and fulfilment.

What can you do if you find yourself in a slump and difficult to get motivated? Fortunately, the ability to motivate yourself is something that can be learned. You can even keep yourself motivated when you face difficult challenges.

In this article, you will learn important lessons on how to keep yourself motivated and achieve your goals.

The Power of Self-Motivation

Possessing the ability to motivate yourself has tremendous power because it drives people to greatness. Self-motivation gives you the ability to deal with any failure and succeed at what you are doing.

According to the journal Psychological Research, self-motivation is the most important factor in getting tasks completed. Researchers compared the differences between the effects of self-control and self-motivation.

The group of people who were self-motivated had better performance and showed more invigoration than the self-control group. The self-motivation group also took less effort in getting their tasks done. (1)

Ways to Motivate Yourself

Let’s look in more detail at the best ways to get yourself motivated and stick to your goals or tasks until they are done.

1. Set goals to be motivated

One of the foundations of being motivated is to set specific goals to achieve in a specific timeframe.

Non-specific goals will just sap any motivation out of you because they don’t give you any way to measure your success.

For example, earning more money is definitely a worthwhile goal. However, it is very unspecific. Instead, have the goal of earning X amount of dollars more by this time next year will give you more motivation. Of course, you also need to plan how you will achieve your goals.

Further reading: how to reach your goals in 5 easy steps.

2. Track your progress

When working towards your ultimate goal, it is important to track your progress along the way. This helps to make small adjustments that can have a tremendous effect on staying motivated.

For example, if you have the goal of losing weight, you should continually track your progress at set intervals. You may find that you need to change your diet or try a different exercise regime. Keeping your final goal in mind can prevent you from giving up.

Tracking your progress will also help you to see small victories. For example, losing an inch of your waistline may be a real motivating factor to keep going.

3. Own your tasks

Another way to keep yourself motivated is to take ownership of your tasks and don’t see them as something you have to do (i.e., a task set by someone else).

Owning your tasks really means taking personal responsibility for them. This can be a motivating factor in seeing a task to completion because we usually work hard for things that we care for. You can also try to bring a bit of your own personality to the task or take pride in your finished work.

4. Reward yourself to stay motivated

Another way to increase your self-motivation and accomplish your tasks effectively is to have a reward system. Of course, this only works if your rewards have a positive effect on your life. So, don’t have a bar of chocolate every time you finish a small task!

The journal European Economic Review reports that self-rewards are strong incentives for personal accomplishment. A system of rewarding yourself for finishing tasks can help you overcome problems and increase your self-awareness. (2)

5. Associate with motivators

Key to keeping yourself motivated is to keep company with other people who are also focused on self-motivation. You can also place ‘motivators’ around your workstation that can help to keep on track when you may get distracted.

For example, you could have a personal message on your phone with an inspirational saying or quote.

You should also tell trusted friends, fellow employees, or family members what you are trying to achieve. They can help to keep you motivated and may give you a nudge to keep going.

6. Keep learning to keep yourself motivated

Thanks to the internet, there is no shortage of people who are willing to share their knowledge, tips, ideas, or life hacks. Reading success stories or networking with industry leaders through social media can help to improve your own skills and keep your mindset fresh.

Photo by lendy.johnny.