What motivates you? Have you recently gone through a time where you lacked motivation? You are certainly not alone. Having recently dealt with a chronic pain illness, my motivation to do practically anything was lacking. Each of us is motivated by different factors. Take some time to really think about what motivates you.
What motivates you?
Think about a time where you have felt most motivated. What about the situation made it so? Were you motivated by another person? perhaps some sort of reward or promotion? Did you challenge yourself to go out of your comfort zone? Any time we feel a lack of motivation, it’s a good idea to focus on when we last felt motivated and why. First, let’s review the main factors that affect Motivation
The Basic Factors That Affect Your Motivation?
There are four main factors that are that typically motivate people. They are:
- Leadership
- Rewards
- Environment
- Structure
How Leadership affects Motivation
Whether or not you have a job outside of the home, leaders can definitely help you feel motivated (or not.) Do you have access to leaders/mentors that help keep you motivated? If not, you need to find them somewhere in your life.
On my quest to get back in shape, I decided to hire a personal trainer to be my leader. She constantly inspires me to stay on track. If you work and have a boss that is not motivating you, seek out a colleague or someone else in your organization to help.
I remember a time when I had a horrible boss, but I worked with a leader in a different department to help motivate me toward a promotion.
Rewards and Motivation
The work environment typically has a built-in reward system. As an employee, you may get a raise, a promotion, etc. If you have a goal to step up at work, have an honest discussion with your boss about how you can get there. If you feel you deserve a raise, it can’t hurt to ask as well.
For goals outside of the workplace, you’ll want to consider what sort of rewards help motivate you. For example, I’ve rewarded myself with a new workout outfit after hitting my exercise goals for 2 weeks. Since I work from home, I may reward myself with a dinner out after completing a campaign.
Give it some serious thought about what sort of rewards will inspire you to work harder towards your goals.
Create a Motivational Environment
What can you do to make your environment more conducive to achieving your goals? If you work in an office, consider having motivational quotes at your desk. Write post-it notes to yourself. If others are not cheering you on, you can be your own cheerleader. Bring in fresh flowers, a mini zen garden, whatever works to elevate the mood in your environment can help you reach your goals.
At home, I have created a zen workspace in our guest room. It’s a way for me to get away from the kids for a few hours to get work done.
Motivation & Structure
Is the structure of your work motivational? Sometimes work (or achieving a goal) requires imagination and creativity that inspires you to get the job done. What structure works for you? Sometimes working from home does not provide enough structure. Leaving the house to work at the library helps provide structure creating an environment where I get work done without the distractions of home.
Challenge Yourself to do More
Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Creating your own challenges are powerful when you truly commit to achieving your goals. The power comes from knowing that you are in control of your life choices and from the satisfaction of creating measurable outcomes. Overcoming everyday obstacles can be as easy as applying the same mentality used for setting goals. Through this process, you will learn about your own strength and resilience.
When viewing an obstacle in your life, see it as an opportunity for you to embrace and recognize how much power you have over your mental and physical well-being.
Reaching New Heights With Challenges
Consider how athletes train. They constantly push themselves toward their goals and new achievements. Athletes have learned the power of challenging themselves. They realize that challenges are required for continued growth. They relish the mental and physical aspects of training beyond their current capabilities.
Moving beyond what you think you are capable of is only possible when you accept a challenge. This way of thinking can be a powerful way to approach life. Challenge yourself to accept the desired outcome and then follow through with the daily mental and physical aspects of achieving your goal.
I hope you will use some of these ideas and use them to grow mentally and physically. Truly embrace a personal challenge and I know you will succeed.
A few challenges I love involve basic exercise moves that you increase over time. Here is an example of exercise challenges for squats, planks, crunch and pushups. Pick one or all and give them a try.
