Have you ever tried to lose weight, get a GPA in a course, be chosen to be part of a sports team, or have you set yourself some other personal challenge? If so, it is possible that, as it happens to many people, you started out with a lot of desire, giving your best, but then you lost some of your motivation and you had problems to get motivated again as in the beginning.
You're not alone!
Everyone faces the difficult challenge of staying motivated when they want to achieve their goals. Just look at the number of people who start weight loss diets, lose weight, and then gain it back!
The truth is that rethinking things, changing or starting over, no matter how small the facet of our life that we want to modify, is something that imposes. But it's not impossible. With the right approach, you can surely do it
Get motivated and stay motivated
How do you stay motivated and keep moving towards a goal? It's all about planning things well, having realistic expectations, and being persistent. Here is what you need to do:
First, set yourself a goal. Start by writing down what you want to achieve: your main goal, what you want to see come true. For example "I want to get a GPA in this course" or "I want to lose weight for the end of high school party" or even "I want to participate in the Olympic Games" are main goals because they are the ultimate goals that the person wants to meet ( Obviously, some goals require more time and effort than others.) It's okay to dream big - it's the way many people get what they want. The only thing to remember is that the more ambitious the goal you set, the harder you will have to work to achieve it.
Be specific. It is much easier to plan and achieve a specific goal than a vague one. Suppose your goal is to lose weight. That's pretty vague. Make it specific by specifying how much weight you want to lose, why and when you want to lose it. This will help you plan how to reach the goal. It costs more and more time to lose 10 kg than to lose just 3, so you will have to adjust the time period accordingly.
Keep it real.People often drop their goals because their expectations are unreasonable. Some hope to lose weight and stay sylphs in a few weeks instead of months, or to quit overnight after years of smoking as carters. Suppose you want to run a marathon. If you try to run the more than 42 km of a marathon tomorrow without training, it is unlikely that you will succeed. An average person needs a four-month workout to run that many kilometers in a row! But the biggest risk is that you end up so exhausted and burned so much by the effort that you give up your dream of running in a marathon and even running in any other race.
Part of the ability to stay motivated depends on being realistic about what one can achieve within the time frame that has been set. Losing 3 kg for the end of high school party is something feasible if there is a month to go before the celebration. But, if the party is next Saturday, it is impossible for you to lose so much weight in such a short time. Likewise, competing with the Olympic ski team is an achievable goal if you are 15 years old and already an outstanding skier. But if you are 18 and have just received your first ski lessons, time is not exactly on your side.
Write it. Put your specific goal in writing. Then rewrite it. And again. Research shows that writing down a goal is part of the mental process of committing to it. Write down your goal each day so you don't lose sight of it and to remind yourself how much you want to achieve it.
Break it up into partial goals. All change requires self-discipline. You need to dedicate constant attention so as not to deviate from your purpose. One way to pave the way is to break the goal down into small steps. Let's go back to the example of losing 3 kg for the end of high school party. Let's say you have a month, so your goal is achievable. But what do you do to achieve it?
First, divide your goal into partial goals (like losing 1kg a week for the first two weeks and then half a kilo for the next two weeks). Then set specific tasks to perform daily, such as eating five servings of fruit and vegetables and getting half an hour of exercise each day. Write it down on a calendar or planner so you can keep track of your partial achievements.
If your goal is to participate in a marathon, you will need to follow a similar process. Let's say we are in February and the marathon is held in August - a realistic time frame to prepare. Start by running 3 km and gradually increase the distance. Ask a trainer to help you set achievable sub-goals when it comes to increasing distance and to suggest exercises to improve performance by working on both muscle strength and endurance.
Frequently reaching small goals is something to celebrate. It will transmit confidence, self-confidence, encouragement and motivation to continue dieting, running or doing what you have set out to do. So reward yourself for each partial goal you reach.
Also write down the partial objectives so that you can keep track of what you need to do, record the partial achievements as you meet them and enjoy knowing that you are getting closer to the big goal. (Writing down the specific steps has another advantage - if you notice that your will is weak, you can take a look at your list to check the path you have already walked, encourage yourself and reorient yourself).
Check your progress. Now that you have divided your goal into a series of partial goals, check your progress each day.
When you meet a partial goal, check it off your list. Say to yourself: "Well, I've already lost 1.5 kg. I'm already halfway to my goal!" Reward yourself with something you promised yourself when you set your goal. Savor success! And then think about how you are going to achieve the rest of your goal: "Now how am I going to lose the pound and a half that I need without regaining what I have already lost?"
If you slip or your will fails, re-commit to your goal. If you have a slip, don't throw in the towel. Forgive yourself and organize a plan to get back on track that will lead you to your goal. Pat yourself on the back for the path you've already walked. Don't beat yourself up or be too harsh on yourself, regardless of how far you've strayed from the path you've set for yourself. Most people slip up when they try to make a change in their life - it's a natural part of the process.
Writing down daily tasks and sub-goals also helps here, because if you keep track of your progress, you'll quickly notice when you slip, making it easier for you to get back on track to your goal. And you'll know exactly when you've gotten off track. So instead of getting discouraged and saying, "I never succeed when I set out to lose weight," you can say to yourself, "I'm not losing weight because I haven't followed my daily exercise and diet program."
What if you have one slip after another? Ask yourself if you are really committed to your goal. If the answer is yes, recommit - and put it in writing. The process of writing it all down can also help you figure out whether or not you are truly committed to a goal. For example, you may be more "hooked" on the fantasy of being a sports star than on the reality of "breaking a sweat" to achieve it.
Take stumbles and slips as lessons or reminders of why you are trying to make a change. If you deviate from the plan, do not interpret it as a failure but as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself. Let's say your goal is not to fight so much with your brother or sister. You may learn that it is better to say, "I can't talk about it now" and take your time to calm down when you notice that you are starting to lose your temper.
Keep a positive attitude. Imagine or dream of achieving your goal: wearing the dress you bought for the end of high school party with your slim figure, or scoring the winning goal in the football final. Imagination helps keep track of what one is trying to achieve. It helps a lot to believe that it is possible. And you can also recover your mental image when your will falters or you feel that you lack motivation.
Positive thinking and internal language are also good allies of motivation, favoring the adoption of a positive attitude. Say to yourself: "I deserve to get an Averaging in this course because I've been down on my elbows" or "I'm sure my shorts will fit me this summer. I'm following my exercise program and weight loss diet!"
Find yourself a partner. Another great encouragement is finding people to support and encourage you. Find a partner to train with, a friend who also wants to lose weight or someone who has set a goal similar to yours so that you can support each other. Being able to have someone who shares your goal can make a difference when your will fails - like when you have to get up to run first thing in the morning.
If you are not getting the support and encouragement you need from the people around you, you may need to take a break from a particular friendship and surround yourself with people who want to help you achieve your goal. For example, if you go to a classmate's house every Thursday to study together after class, but lately your friend has taken to turning on the television, sending text messages or hanging up on the phone, ignoring your pleas that it is time to study , the time has come to change your fellow student. You won't be able to focus on your goal if your friend doesn't share that goal - or, worse still, try to get away from it. Find someone else who shares your goals and who has set out on a similar path.
Do not give up!
Ending unhealthy behavior or learning how to do something new and exciting is ultimately nothing more than taking responsibility for our lives. Finding the motivation to do it is not necessarily easy but it is always possible. You can stay motivated by writing down your goals, sticking with your plan, and reminding yourself of what led you to set that goal in the first place. The changes are exciting. If not, life would be very boring! Good luck in achieving your goals!