How to: Self-Motivation

Some idea, some inspiration or some desire appeals you and you make a decision to turn it into reality. You are charged up and begin with full enthusiasm. You continue it for a day or two or might even for a whole week but after this brief excursion you go back to your previous routine . You are too tired or something more important has come up or you just don’t feel like doing it. This sounds familiar, right? Well these are some of the excuses  we daily make to ourselves on not giving required time and efforts to the goals we want to achieve. After the initial vigour fades, procrastination sets in and it is the real enemy in the way of achieving our goals. That’s right! No other person or external obstacle can affect us as much as this habit of procrastination can. As Oscar Wilde remarked,

“I can resist anything except temptation”.

So in this age of constant distractions it is vital to keep ourselves motivated.

Here are some of the ways to motivate yourself when you can’t figure out what to do

1. Remind yourself – the reason

You set a goal say you want to be a morning person but you just cannot do it. You keep hitting the snooze button day after day in the hope that you will get up in time the next morning. But that morning never comes. In the times when you feel like giving in to the temptation, remind yourself of the reason- why have you set the alarm in the first place. Constantly reminding yourself of the reason will definitely help you focus.

2. Words of wisdom

Reading is one of the most delightful habits one can cultivate in life. Reading good books provides a safe escape from the depressing, overwhelming or even boring life. It gives colors to our imagination. The insight of the author can help us to deal with our own problems. Their words can soothe us. If you come across such lines which strike the chords in your heart, note them down. There are many productive apps like Evernote which can come in handy . Reading these quotes everytime you are in doubt  or difficulty will give you the needed strength and direction.

3. Self-talk

Following your dreams require efforts. You cannot use your full potential in any task unless you are at peace with yourself. Keeping your head clear off the clutter and focusing your attention on the task is the key. To do that you need to be in touch with your emotions. Acknowledging how you feel gives a kind of emotional strength. Incorporating “me time” in your schedule can help you know yourself better. The answers to all your questions lie within yourself,you just need to look inside. So find a place preferably in the lap of nature and spend some time alone talking to yourself. Weird! But it works like meditation.

4. Find a source of inspiration

This personally works for me – watching inspirational videos on youtube. It instantly uplifts my mood. There are so many youtubers who are self-made and can inspire us in number of ways. Whatever they have achieved is because of their sheer strength of will. Watching their vlogs and videos motivates me to be a hardworking and good human being like them. Some of my favourite youtubers are-
April and Justin from apriljustintv, Bubbi from bubzvlogz, Mimi Ikonn  from Everythingluxy, Alex Ikonn from Alex Ikonn and Superwoman from Superwomanvlogs. Indeed, We all should have atleast one such person in our life whom we can look up for inspiration and guidance. You can find them not only in real life but virtually as well.
 
You can also listen to motivating articles on Umano which is a news reading app where articles are narrated by real people.

5. Know that you are in control

Life is a choice. Your life is in your control. This concept is not at all difficult to understand, you just have to be a little more mindful. For instance, It is your choice that you are wasting your time watching tv instead of doing something for self-development. It is your choice to sit around and wait for the opportunity to knock on your door rather than creating one. we are responsible for the life we have. But we as humans fear responsibility. That is why we live in society. We want them to be a part of our life so that the blame can be shared whereas the truth is that our life is in our hands. Nobody else has a share. So be proactive and change your present reality for better. You have the power. Go!

6. Know your purpose

We are here to help each other out, to share one another’s pain and awareness of this fact gives us a sense of purpose. We only like to receive but the real purpose of our coming to  this place is to give. So be a creator. Share ideas, love , good thoughts. Give service, hard work, time  and you will surely leave this world a little better than you found it. Synergy is the most powerful human force. I particularly love this quote from The Bible (matthew 10:8)

“You have received without paying so give without being paid”.

Each one of us wants to leave behind a legacy so why not it be of harmony, love and respect.

7. Be Active

We all have bad days when all we want to do is to lie in bed and do nothing. It is ok to take some time off and get it all together but after this period of halt we must bounce back with full energy. Exercise, move around, travel, meet new people, talk to the people who have good influence on you, change your perspective,be more positive, count your blessings and be grateful. Each night before going to bed write down the things you felt grateful for during the day. In hard times reading this journal will surely breathe a fresh air into your life.

So these are the main things which keeps me going when everything else seems to go wrong. I hope you also find these tips helpful. Please share if you like it. Do tell in the comments how do you keep yourself motivated.