It is easy to lack motivation given the instant gratifications that so many of us have come to expect nowadays. At the same time, it can be said that motivation is not needed for things like staring at your phone.
That said, there are times when being motivated is crucial to getting something done, even though it may be hard to conjure up any.
Being demotivated can therefore be one of the worst things one can experience since it can leave you feeling directionless and lacking the desire to improve your circumstance(s).
But fret not, dear Sleepy readers!
Motivation is just like money; regardless of whether you have any or not right now, you can generally get more!
Understanding Why You Feel Demotivated
The first step towards solving a problem is to identify the root cause(s) and not just the symptoms.
Useful questions that can help you diagnose will include the words why, how, what, where, with whom, etc. Try using these words multiple times so that you can dig down to the root cause(s).
For example, you found yourself feeling lazy and unwilling to get out of bed today. Why? Because it’s dark outside, and you don’t feel like getting up. Why? Because you are tired. Why? Because you went to bed yesterday later than usual, which disrupts your sleep pattern. Why?
You get the point.
Secondly, you need to realize that being demotivated is impermanent.
It doesn’t make any difference how long you’ve been the place where you are. All that you require to know is that nothing is perpetual. Everything changes, regardless of whether it appears that they don’t.
For example, you may feel full of energy one day and depressed the next. This could even happen from one moment to the next for some (please consult a psychiatrist if you frequently experience this).
Feeling exhausted after pushing forward for some time is normal and is akin to your body needing some downtime to recharge itself. What matters is that you are closer to your goal(s) today than you were previously, even if this means having to adapt to unforeseen changes.
Lastly, you may be lacking faith in yourself even or especially if someone deems you unworthy or incompetent.
It can be difficult to be self-confident when you’ve been trying to make something happen for quite some time (months, years) but have yet to see any significant results. This is what derails most people from achieving their goals, so make sure you don’t fall into this trap.
You will be surprised what you can achieve with patience and investing the effort required to get things done.
Regaining Your Motivation
Take a step back and practice some mindful meditation whenever you feel overwhelmed or lost.
Action doesn’t always mean progress, so don’t feel too bad about taking breaks.
A good night’s sleep is also one of the most underrated activities that you can use to refresh your motivation. This is because sleeping allows your brain to detox itself from all the waste built up during your waking hours.
There is also the added benefit of giving your eyes some rest,and this is especially important if your job involves staring at a screen all day.
One other trick to up your motivation is to set deadlines for your projects and stick to them religiously. Non-negotiable time constraints can be a great way to get you to do things that you would have put off otherwise.
Another simple way to motivate yourself is to make it painful to not achieve your goals. One common method is to allocate a large sum of money that will be donated to an organization that you despise should you not reach your goal(s).
Not sure how to do this? There are various websites online offering such a service. Be sure to vet the one that you will use beforehand to make sure that it is legit.
Lastly, constantly remind yourself what you’re trying to achieve.
This is important because we often miss the forest for the trees when we don’t take the time to (re)examine our goals.
You may, in fact, want to deliberately take time out every once in a while to gauge your progress vs. your goals. to measure where you are and where you want to be.
Believe that you can, put in the effort, and be prepared to reap the rewards at the finish line.
In a Nutshell
Being motivated is something that you can do on your own, but there is absolutely no shame in asking for help.
It is also fine to not feel motivated 100% of the time because realistically, how many people can or do?
Do the things that matter, minimize those that do not, and keep your excuses at bay with one or more of the methods described above.
Know that achieving anything meaningful can oftentimes feel like a struggle and can make you feel as if you are all alone in your pursuits. That’s why you need to keep in mind that you can always bring out the superhero in you.
Good luck!
