[CyberTOPS] 20 Ways to Sustain Motivation When You're Struggling

[Leslie]

5.  Think about the benefits. Thinking about how hard something is a big
problem for most people. Waking early sounds so hard! Just thinking about it
makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think
about what you will get out of it. For example, instead of thinking about
how hard it is to wake early, focus on how good you'll feel when you're
done, and how your day will be so much better. The benefits of something
will help energize you. 

past steps

 

The second half of motivation is to keep yourself going when you don't feel
the same excitement as you did in the beginning. Perhaps something new has
come into your life and your old goal isn't as much of a priority anymore.
Perhaps you skipped a day or two and now you can't get back into it. Perhaps
you screwed up and got discouraged.

If you can get yourself excited again, and keep going, you'll get there
eventually. But if you give up, you won't. It's your choice - accomplish the
goal, or quit. Here's how you can stop from quitting, and get to your goal:

1.   Hold yourself back. When I start with a new exercise program, or any
new goal really, I am raring' to go. I am full of excitement, and my
enthusiasm knows no boundaries. Nor does my sense of self-limitation. I
think I can do anything. It's not long before I learn that I do have
limitations, and my enthusiasm begins to wane. Well, a great motivator that
I've learned is that when you have so much energy at the beginning of a
program, and want to go all out - HOLD BACK. Don't let yourself do
everything you want to do. Only let yourself do 50-75 percent of what you
want to do. And plan out a course of action where you slowly increase over
time. For example, if I want to go running, I might think I can run 3 miles
at first. But instead of letting myself do that, I start by only running a
mile. When I'm doing that mile, I'll be telling myself that I can do more!
But I don't let myself. After that workout, I'll be looking forward to the
next workout, when I'll let myself do 1.5 miles. I keep that energy reined
in, harness it, so that I can ride it even further. 

2.   Just start. There are some days when you don't feel like heading out
the door for a run, or figuring out your budget, or whatever it is you're
supposed to do that day for your goal. Well, instead of thinking about how
hard it is, and how long it will take, tell yourself that you just have to
start. I have a rule that I just have to put on my running shoes and close
the door behind me. After that, it all flows naturally. It's when you're
sitting in your house, thinking about running and feeling tired, that it
seems hard. Once you start, it is never as hard as you thought it would be.
This tip works for me every time. 

3.   Stay accountable. If you committed yourself publicly, through an online
forum, on a blog, in email, or in person . stay accountable to that group of
people. Commit to report back to them daily, or something like that, and
stick to it! That accountability will help you to want to do well, because
you don't want to report that you've failed. 

4.     Squash negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. This is
one of the most important motivation skills, and I suggest you practice it
daily. It's important to start monitoring your thoughts, and to recognize
negative self-talk. Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative
thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like
a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought.
Squash, "This is too hard!" and replace it with, "I can do this! If that
wimp Leo can do it, so can I!" It sounds corny, but it works. Really. 

 

 

Leslie K

MN 323 Champlin

Leader