Motivation Doesn’t Last (so here are 8 solutions)
As I sit down to write this post – at a random Starbucks in a random train station outside of Tokyo during the New Year’s season – I have no motivation. I’m tapped out. So I suppose it’s true what they say: motivation doesn’t last.
Well, maybe it just wavers – it ebbs and flows. Yea, that sounds better.
I guess you know how this one goes. Some days are easy street, while other days are just…meh. But this is normal.
So I suppose the trick is in recognizing that this is temporary in nature. We need to find workarounds to keep our momentum going during these motivational droughts.
So this post offers some effective strategies that help me when I’m feeling distracted, unfocused and completely unmotivated.
I hope they help you as well.
So let’s wrap up this chit chat. Let’s first explore why motivation doesn’t last before jumping into my top solutions.
Why Motivation Doesn’t Last
Let’s talk about why motivation doesn’t last, since there can be many myths about the topic.
It’s something we all know and accept – motivation ebbs and flows, and comes and goes. But why?
Of course, this can be personal and the reasons may vary. But here are some potential causes for motivation abandoning us, and leaving us high and dry:
Difficulty or new challenges arise
Not seeing failures or setbacks as positives
Having the wrong mindset
Not having a clear purpose or direction (no goals, no why)
Not being in the right environment
Not having a good workflow or routine that supports consistency and discipline
8 Solutions for When Your Motivation Goes On Vacation
Now that we know some potential causes for depleted motivation, let’s look at some solutions.
The ideas below help me tremendously, so I hope they can offer you some helpful insights and inspiration as well.
But if you’ve got another technique that works for you, let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear what you’ve got!
1. Ignore the Macro – Take Micro Action
Big goals are amazing. But sometimes, they can feel and look intimidating. This can crush our motivation (and not the good kind of crushing it).
So the basic idea here is to break down your goals and focus on smaller, micro tasks and small steps forward.
Ask any successful person, this focus on the small can seriously add up.
So rather than trying to muster the motivation to push through some large project or goal, just aim for small steps forward.
Finding the energy to simply take action and just start doing something is much easier and way more motivating.
The big benefit of this approach is once you do take that first step – that small action – you’ll find you end up working way longer and harder than originally planned.
This is because motivation is often created after taking action.
2. Stack the Cards In Your Favor
I’m a huge fan of this tip.
Stacking the deck in your favor is simple but seriously powerful. After all, our external environment plays a huge role in who we are and how we behave.
So let’s make sure we’re surrounding ourselves with people and things that are motivating.
Here are a few ways to stack the cards in your favor for more motivation:
Try a change of scenery
For example, you could go to a cafe or try a coworking spot
Redesign your inner circle
For example, you could network and hang around more people that are motivated or who motivate you
Redesign your space or room to be more motivating
For example, choose things and sights, smells, sounds that are motivating
I prefer lots of natural light, plants, organic colors and wood and incense or essential oils
3. What Would Future You Do?
This is another strategy I’ve been doing recently. And it works.
It requires a little visualization, but it’s an insightful solution.
The basic idea is to first construct the ideal version of your future self. Who will you be once you’ve achieved all of your goals and dreams?
What do you look like, dress like and sound like? How do you act and what does your motivation and discipline look like?
Get detailed and be specific here.
Now, simply jump into that role before you’ve reached any of your external, material goals.
Often the mind and body will follow suit and you’ll find yourself becoming that new person – before the goals come.
And this in turn, helps you reach your goals quicker and more effectively, since you’re becoming the person who you need to be to reach those goals.
It’s a change in personality and a bit of a personal upgrade – and it’s super fun and exciting.
So spend some time meditating on this topic, and practice it everyday until your emotions and behavior become new and automatic.
Retire the old self and walk into your new life.
4. Use Music
I know I’m not alone when I say this, but music inspires. I know, groundbreaking insights here.
But sometimes I forget this – especially when I’m feeling demotivated or just plain meh. So in these times of turmoil, a friendly reminder to turn up some sweet sweet tunes is helpful.
My musical preferences are pretty varied (again, nothing unique here). So depending on my mood, I try to choose bands and styles that inspire me.
For example, these are a few of my current staples that inspire me to make some moves:
Krewella
Lofi
Hans Zimmer or John Williams
Film scores are great – I feel like I’m in a movie when listening, and I’m the character of my own story
Blink 182 (or similar pop punk)
It’s pure nostalgia for me :)
Odesza
Explosions In the Sky
I love instrumental bands
etc…
5. Find (or remember) What Inspires You
Sometimes, we forget why we’re doing something or why we even started in the first place.
Sometimes it’s simple – like I needed the money, so I got this job that I don’t particularly care about (if that’s the case, then definitely keep reading on to the next tip below!).
But often, our daily actions can be tied to some larger purpose or inspiration. This is especially true if you’re at all entrepreneurial or have some types of creative goals.
But if you’re struggling with finding motivation, a simple fix can be to just remember what inspired you before.
And if you’ve never thought about this, try to find something that (or someone who) inspires you to push through and do what you need to do.
There’s definitely no shortage of inspirational speakers and motivational mentors to borrow insights from online.
So find your inspiration, and remember it.
6. Attach Tasks to Your Goals, Values and Mission
Our larger goals are usually exciting and ambitious. Even the smaller goals leading up to the bigger ones are exciting checkpoints.
But sometimes, we forget that the work and daily minutiae of daily tasks to reach goals can get, well, boring.
Staying motivated during the mundane moments is hard. Often, this is our source of demotivation.
So a simple solution here is to attach those trivial tasks to your ultimate goals.
For example, I was struggling with motivation to finish this (and the next, and the next, etc.) blog post.
I was incredibly motivated throughout the fall, but my inspiration dropped off. It’s hard to stay inspired when results aren’t immediate.
But I remind myself that consistently doing the boring task of researching, outlining and writing a new post adds up to big results over time.
I attach each sentence I write and every post I publish to my ultimate goal of reaching and inspiring more people and finding location and financial freedom.
Every small detail can be related to and attached to the bigger picture.
This is a great way to create some quick motivation.
7. Step Away
Sometimes, we just need to step away.
And there’s no shame in this! We don’t want to get burned out to the point we just give up or abandon our dreams.
So if you’ve tried everything else, and you just can’t seem to scrape together any motivation, then you may want to try stepping away.
This can be something quick like going for a walk, or something bigger like taking a vacation or a week off to reset and reboot yourself.
The point is this, we’re all human and sometimes we need a little rest.
So listen to your mind and body in these moments and take some time to unplug and step away, if even only for a moment.
8. System Reboot – Try Meditation
This is somewhat related to stepping away. But if you’ve found yourself burned out and needing a break, a system reboot may be in order.
Unplugging and then plugging ourselves back in can be a great strategy (yes, not so different from rebooting an internet router when our wifi goes awry).
I suppose in this metaphor, the wifi signal is our motivation.
So in addition to stepping away, take some time to reset yourself and do a bit of meditation and self reflection.
It’s a powerful habit to develop and I can’t recommend it enough.
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