10 Powerful Tips to Improve Motivation
Groundhog and pigdog? What do the poor little animals actually have to do with our motivation problems? We leave them alone from now on, because we will create everything we have planned for 10 clever tips!
The Goal
The goal must be clearly defined and in detail. So: First you write down what you want to achieve (for example: “I would like to lose six kilos in three months.”) And then you write down how you want to achieve it. (less sugar, go swimming twice a week, no carbohydrates in the evening, etc.) And then you break the whole thing down again into short-term goals – you can, for example, create a weekly plan with the to-do’s on it.
Visualize
Yes, that actually helps us to get much closer to our goal. The images create your “reality” in our head, which plays a central role in the achievement of our goal. However, when visualizing, it is not so much the picture itself that matters, but rather the feeling we feel during the visualization. In these moments the brain cannot really distinguish whether the image is real or just fictional – so the visualization should be as concrete as possible. Use all senses – how does something smell, how does it feel etc.?
Images motivate us
We are surrounded by images – clearly our reality looks different than on the Instagram channels of successful bloggers. But: we should not see the gap between the pretty picture and our everyday life, but use the power of the pictures for motivation. So: a picture that shows our desired state, for motivation hanging on the wardrobe, bathroom mirror or refrigerator, a dress that we think is great, but that we (still) can’t fit in, use as a screen saver for the mobile phone, the vacation that we are on we save, should surround us figuratively. A beach photo in our wallet – so that we are slowed down next time we pull out our credit card…
Morning Ritual
You are what you think! Sometimes we use the power of thoughts not for ourselves, but against us unintentionally. We are stressed and on our way to work we already think about what we have to do and how stressed we are. Stop. A morning ritual helps us already in the morning. To focus on our goal and make the day better. A few sentences that de-stress us or a song (according to studies, the following song lowers the stress level) already help us enormously to put ourselves in a better mood and not to lose sight of our goal.
Deadlines
It’s nasty, but we all know them. Defermentitis, called procrastination. “I do tomorrow” is not a good attitude that’s gonna help us achieve our goals. Deadlines are a good way to put yourself under a little pressure. But since no one sets final deadlines in private projects, we have to trick ourselves – or organise them externally. So: increase pressure by telling others about our plans, joining Facebook groups or communities with others who share our plans or we invest – yes, this increases the pressure enormously for most lazy people. Money for fitness subscriptions hurts, so you think twice about playing hooky…
Success diary
It is important to document even small successes. If you have overcome yourself to do something long postponed.. Every victory is worth writing down. A success diary automatically helps you to get in a better mood and to pursue your goal.
Reward
Every success may be rewarded. Especially for long distance projects. The reward must be within reach. It is important that it is adequate – after a 50-metre sprint a shopping tour or going out for a meal is a nice reward. A cappuccino in your favourite café, a visit to the hairdresser, a bouquet of tulips, a bath in lavender oil, a private lesson in a yoga studio? Everyone has their own personal Happy Program.
Just do it
It’s amazing how our brain works when we set our mind to something. It works hard on excuses. “Today I’m so tired, today I can’t do it.” “Oh no, it’s raining.” “Today I have to do the laundry, wash the windows, defrost the freezer.” The motto should be: Just do it! Don’t let too much time pass.
Set power times
When are you most productive? There are people who can no longer motivate themselves in the evening. Least of all after 8 pm for exercise. Maybe you should then (at least at the weekend) put the active phases into the morning and let the biorhythm work for you.
Together we are strong
Alone, you can run out of breath very quickly. Whoever approaches a goal together with like-minded people side by side is more likely to get there. Not only your girlfriend, but also social media channels and internet forums offer plenty of groups to join (if the goal you set yourself isn’t too exotic). Or you can look for technical support in the form of apps or trackers (very popular when it comes to fitness).