Staying consistent is crucial for achieving success in any goal or pursuit, whether they are personal or professional. Motivation is often cited alongside being successful in achieving our goals.
Motivation alone is unreliable. Shock, horror - I know! Think of motivation like waves in the ocean - sometimes consistent and unrelenting, other times flat. Essentially what we are doing is choosing to do something based on whether we 'feel' like it or not. Of course, if we only did things when we felt like it - whether it be work, exercise, going to the dentist - we probably wouldn't get much done.
Relying on motivation solely is to leave your new routine up to chance. Today I'm going to recommend that you kick motivation to the kerb and what to try instead.
1) Find an activity that you enjoy OR associated with something/someone you enjoy. Essentially, you want to find ways to reduce the reliance on motivation to complete the activity or behavior.
2) Get planning and scheduling. Be honest about an activity or task will slot into your life. Ask yourself whether you'll need to schedule an extra activity into your schedule, or if it's something that can be added to an existing activity. Scheduling and planning is about being intentional, and not leaving your new habit/routine to chance.
3) The golden 5-minute rule. On days when you don't feel like it, start with 5 mins of of the activity. If you still don't feel like it, call it a day. Otherwise, carry on. I like to think of this as a snowball - it's more effort to get started - but once you're up and going, it (easier) to keep that momentum going.
Parting words
If you've tried relying on motivation to get you to that goal you'd previously set for yourself, maybe it's time to consider breaking up with motivation. Identify the goal, find an enjoyable (and associated) activity, set aside time to plan and schedule it into your life, and then start with small chunks of time to start. You've got this!
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