Motivation 101: 8 Tips for Boosting Your Long-Term Motivation
Sometimes we only think about our short-term goals and what we can achieve now. Our long-term goals are often put to one side as they are seen as a far away and therefore not important. Todd Griffin takes a look at 8 simple ways you can motivate yourself to start achieving those longer-term goals and get yourself firmly on the path to productivity.
Getting motivated is no easy feat sometimes. Just ask anyone who hasn’t been able to wake up at the sound of their alarm clock even for just one day. Still, that example is not much of a big deal at all compared to staying motivated over a longer period. You see, short-term goals can be quickly achieved from start to finish for anyone who wills him or herself to do them but trying to attain long-term goals could cause anyone who’s more used to getting instant results to crash and burn, and give up eventually.
For you to stay motivated longer, here are some power tips you can use to boost your long-term motivation:
1. Think And Remain Positive
It might sound a bit cliché by now but thinking positive is always the first step towards achieving anything meaningful in life. No matter how the going gets tough, having an optimistic outlook will help you reach your goals faster than you had previously imagined.
- However, you must also make sure to maintain your positive attitude as regularly as you can.
- It takes time, but you should train yourself to not fall into the trap of negativity in the face of obstacles coming your way.
2. Have A Clear Vision Of Where You Want To Go
Define each of your long-term goals as clearly as you can. Think long and hard as to what you want to accomplish as well as the reasons you may have for setting your long-term objectives.
3. Write Down Each Long-Term Goal You Want To Achieve
The human mind recalls written notes a lot better than typed ones. Grab whatever pen and paper you can find, and jot down a bulleted list of all the long-term goals that you are keen on accomplishing. You can do the following right after:
- Look for your long-term goals list the very minute you get out of bed.
- Place the same list in front of a mirror.
- Make copies of the same list and place each of them in locations where you could easily see them, to make you not forget and lose track.
4. Surround Yourself With People Who Share The Same Positive Outlook As You Do
The circle of friends you want to keep should push you up, not pull you down.
- Choose your friends carefully, as most parents like to tell their children.
- Keep those who habitually encourage you to do your best, and get rid of those who merely thrive on negative thoughts.
5. Watch Other People Who Have Successfully Achieved Any Long-Term Goal You Plan On Accomplishing
This tip is most effective if the person in question is someone you know personally to some degree, although anyone who has proved him/herself to be an achiever would do just fine. Nothing beats a sharp long-term motivation boost coming from a living, breathing reminder of why you want to achieve a specific long-term goal in the first place.
6. Take Note Of Your Progress
Make sure to mark any positive developments you had achieved along the way so that it can be easier for you to go back and see how far you’ve come ever since making that first step in wanting to accomplish that long-term goal.
7. Learning Never Stops
Every day of your life is always a chance to learn something new.
- Read self-help books, especially those concerning long-term motivation, whenever you are free to do so.
- Listen to motivational podcasts.
- Watch TED talks on YouTube that primarily deal with long-term motivation.
- Look at inspirational pictures or quotes.
8. Remember Why You Had Set Out To Accomplish Your Long-Term Goals
In case you find yourself just wanting to give it all up and settle in some comfort zone, go back to tip #3 and remind yourself why you had set such long-term goals in the first place. Only through sheer realization could you then start to get back on track and be motivated to finish what you’ve already started.
To conclude: There will always be instances when you feel like giving up, and it’s OK to admit so from time to time. What should matter is how you can manage to give your long-term motivation that much-needed boost and make your way until the very end of what you want to achieve in life.
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