Are you reading this because you do not want to do something else you are supposed to be doing?
I would bet you are not the only one. You can regain your motivation and finish that task.
You got started really well. That is why you had all your supplies and thoughts together. Then the energy just evaporated, right?
I am not accusing. Far from it. I have been there more times than I can count. I actually do not think I can count that high. Really.
You’ve gotten yourself neck-deep into that project and suddenly there you are; your motivation is wholly gone. What do you do? If you’re like most people, the lure of another project might already be teasing at you. It would be so easy to quit and go on to do something else.
You have a lot of other things that need to be done. Getting motivated for this task seems impossible. You could work on something else, but you did really want, or need, to get this current project done. What do you do?
The problem is, we’ve gotten so used to instant gratification, that larger projects or tasks do lose their impetus quickly – unless you can stay motivated once the newness wears off. So how do we do just that?
1. Remind yourself who’s the boss.
Hey, remember back when you started this project? Yes, that was you who began it. Even if you’re feeling powerless right now, the truth of the matter is, you were the one who stepped into this, and it’s still your decision about what to do next. That means that whether you decide to quit, change direction, or keep moving forward, it up to you to make the decision. That rewrites the script to put yourself back in charge.
I hear you. You are telling me that someone else assigned this project and you really do not want to do this, but you feel you have no choice. That is not true. YOU made the decision to take this job. YOU made the decision to start college. YOU made the decision to start the course. YOU made the decisions that brought you to this point. All of the issues that have brought you to this point have been the result of your decisions. No one else makes your decisions. You do.
Now, if you are about to tell me that you did not make the decisions that got you here, someone else did, that will not work.
Who make the decision to accept those decisions?
Not making a decision IS making a decision.
There are a lot of things you do not like to do, but you decide to do them anyway, right? You are in control even when you think you are not. No one has strings attached to your arms and legs and pulling them to make you do things you do not want to do. No one has electrodes attached to your body to make you do things you do not want to do.
If they are old enough, think of your children. How many times have you told them to do something and they just did not do it? They will say that you are in charge and you make them do things, but you know how often they refuse. Your children do not realize that they are in control of their decisions, but you know this. It frustrates you, but you really would not want them to be controlled by others, right?
Why should others control you?
Others do not control you.
YOU make your choices. You could have decided to give up on the idea of a college degree but you did not. You are in charge of your decisions and your life. You always have been and you always will be.
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Take a look back.
Sometimes we get so caught up in staring at where we are right now that we’re failing to see the progress we’ve already made. Taking the time to recall the steps along the way that you’ve already accomplished goes a long way toward improving your mood, especially when you see how far you’ve already come.
Consider the graphic below. How many hurdles have you jumped in life to get to where you are now?
Think, for a moment, that you are on a stair case. There are about twenty steps in front of you. You need to climb those twenty steps to achieve your goal. I bet you are thinking about the distance and how far away that goal seems.
Stop.
Turn around and look down. Look at ALL THOSE STEPS you have already taken to get here. Give yourself credit and pat yourself on the back for not giving up. You got to this point, you can climb those remaining steps. Take a deep breath, relax, and move forward. You do not want to stay on this step or turn around and go back where you came, do you?
I did not think so.
You would not be reading this if you did.
Also, remind yourself of other projects you’ve finished. You’ve done great things before; you can do them again! Even if you haven’t done something similar in the past, chances are you’ve taken on some project that had multiple steps to achieve a goal. Looking at those kinds of accomplishments reminds you that you can accomplish big things – and have.
Remember why you’re doing this.
The problem with staring a project in the face for too long is that you get so hyper-focused on the task at hand that you’ve forgotten why you’re there. Why did you choose this project? Ask yourself what goal are you trying to reach. REMEMBER THE DREAM. Remind yourself of this often. By taking a step back and looking at the big picture, you’ll be able to recapture that initial excitement that led you to take on the project in the first place.
A project doesn’t have to lose its excitement just because the newness has worn off. By following these three steps, you can easily stay inspired as you go, thereby keeping up not only your energy but your momentum as well.
If you found this helpful, please share it with someone you think would also find it useful. I would appreciate it. Your friend might appreciate it too.
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If you have any questions or comments, please leave me a note.
If you want more tips and motivation on this point, Tony Robbins has some thoughts you might find interesting and helpful.
Valerie
Updated 1 October 2023