Staying motivated and consistent is key to achieving our goals, but it can be difficult to maintain that drive over time.
It’s easy to get excited about a new project or goal, but as the initial enthusiasm fades, it’s important to have strategies in place to stay on track.
Find your why
I think the first step is to find your why.
Why do I mean by that?
You should ask some questions like:
- What is the reason behind my goal?
- Why do I want to achieve this?
By understanding your why, this will help find the underlying inspiration of what you’re doing, because often, things gets tough.
Set realistic goals
Setting goals that are too ambitious or unrealistic can lead to frustration and disappointment, which can quickly kill your motivation.
I prefer to start small and gradually add level of hardness to the goals, is like selling your first dollar; start by selling $1 dollar first, and then you’ll continue to sell more and achieve greater goals.
Another example, if you’re new to running, setting a goal to run a marathon in two months may not be realistic.
Instead, set a goal to run 5k first, in six months and this will give something to work towards and help you stay motivated.
Because small wins count.
Create a plan and break your goal down into smaller tasks
One of the biggest challenges in staying motivated and consist is feeling overwhelmed by the size of the goal.
If you’re working towards a large, long-term goal, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks, and actionable steps.
By focusing on completing these smaller tasks, you’ll be able to see progress more easily and feel a sense of accomplishment along the way.
For example, if your goal is to write a book, create a plan for writing a certain number of pages or chapters each week.
Celebrate your progress
Tracking your progress is key.
Seeing how far you’ve come can help you stay motivated to keep going.
Celebrate by taking a break, treating yourself to something your enjoy, or sharing your progress with someone else.
If your goal is to save money, track your expenses and your savings each month.
Seeing your savings account grow will be your motivator.
Find an accountability partner
Finding an accountability partner can be a great way to stay on your A game.
He or She can help you stay on track and provide support when you need it.
For example, if your goal is to exercise more, find a workout buddy who shares your goal.
You can hold each other accountable and provide support, just like a support group, literally.
Create a routine
I suggest developing a routine around your goal and making it part of your life.
Incorporate activities that support your goal into your daily routine, and make sure to stick to it as closely as possible.
Focus on the process, not just the outcome
It is important to focus on the process of working towards the goal.
Enjoy the journey and celebrate the small wins.
By doing so, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated and consistent over time.
Embrace failure
This is just part of the process.
Failure is inevitable when working towards a challenging goal, and it’s important to recognize that it’s not a reflection of your worth or ability.
Instead, view them as opportunities to learn and grow, and use them to inform your approach moving forward.
Remember: Staying motivated and consistent can be challenging, but there are actually strategies you can use to help make it easier like the ones we talked about.