One of the greatest troubles I have faced on my journey to self-love is staying motivated. As a person who has greatly struggled with depression and insecurity I found it increasingly difficult to stay motivated when I came to college. In high school I had a lot of structure. I played a sport every season. I was in a myriad of clubs and choirs, student council etc. All of these things I stayed involved in allowed me to stay on top of my workload. I had coaches, teachers, advisors and directors at every step of the way. One of the main reasons I stayed so involved in high school was that very attention which I felt I lacked elsewhere. For college I moved eight hours from home. In a new city with a vastly different culture than the modest mid-western one I was so comforted by, I lost focus quickly. As time went on, I found it increasingly difficult to keep up in class and maintain some type of social life. I had almost zero motivation to get things done. I made excuse after excuse. I would tell myself how I would do this or that but I’m not smart enough or I will finish this later, I don’t have time or even at the height of my being lost, tell myself that my romantic relationship was more important than anything. I dodged internship opportunities, homework, friendships you name it! I was not motivated to stick to anything that wasn’t hurting me. I had become addicted to failure and irrational thinking. Here I want to point out what I find to be the top 3 killers of motivation.
1. FEAR (This is MAJOR!)
The greatest killer of motivation is FEAR! Most things never get done because you’re afraid you can’t do it, don’t have the time or resources to do it or the fear of judgment if you actually did.
How many times have you been defeated before even taking on a task or challenge because of the overwhelming unknown of whether or not it’s going to be executed to your (or someone else’s) high expectations? You will NEVER know the outcome if you don’t start. Procrastination does not pay. In addition, other people’s opinions or expectations have absolutely nothing to do with you. Every task you want to accomplish is totally on your terms. Don’t try and get it perfect, try and get it done.
2. A Lack of Clear Goals
If you don’t know where you’re going, then that’s exactly where you will never be. You have to decide what your ultimate goal is and how you plan to make it a reality. With no goals, there is no direction.
3. Poor Health
A healthy mind and body is essential in getting anything done. After starting my journey to a completely plant-based diet I discovered how eating better nearly transformed my entire mindset. My mind was clear and I had more energy than ever. A plant-based diet may not be a part of your journey but just eating healthier in general and adding some physical activity into each day can make a huge difference in both your overall disposition and your motivation to accomplish goals.
Do you feel like you lack the motivation to move forward in life? Comment below with your thoughts and suggestions for building and maintaining motivation.
Article Inspired by; Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Mastery of Love, Don Miguel Ruiz, and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
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