6 Tips and Techniques on How to Motivate Yourself
How Can I Find Self Motivation When I Feel Completely Drained?
Do you feel some days you have 50 things to do, however, you lack an abundance of want and energy to get things done? Do you feel some days you lack positive thinking? Some days do you feel you have zero creativity to work with? Do you feel your tank is on empty but there are things you need to do at home or at work? Is your email full of requests and tasks that are due by the end of the day? Do you keep rescheduling things on your calendar because you haven’t prepared for them or you don’t have the desire or will to do them?
When you feel completely drained, recharge your self motivation by starting with self-compassion. Acknowledge your feelings without judgment and give yourself permission to take a break. Reframe your thoughts to highlight the positives in your situation, and remember your core reasons for pursuing your goals. Try breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, and celebrate the completion of each one to reignite your sense of accomplishment. Lastly, reach out to a support system, as a little encouragement can go a long way in restoring your drive.
There are many of websites and videos that talk about self efficacy. According to Wikipedia, we read that ‘A strong sense of self-efficacy promotes human accomplishment and personal well-being. A person with high self-efficacy views challenges as things that are supposed to be mastered rather than threats to avoid. These people are able to recover from failure faster and are more likely to attribute failure to a lack of effort. They approach threatening situations with the belief that they can control them. These things have been linked to lower levels of stress and a lower vulnerability to depression.’
Can Self Motivation Be Learned or Is It an Inherent Trait?
Self motivation can indeed be learned! While some individuals might have a natural inclination toward being self motivated, it’s a skill that can be developed with practice. Focus on understanding what motivates you personally and use that insight and analytics to set meaningful goals. Enhance your self motivation through positive self-talk, organized planning, and aligning your actions with your values. Embrace learning opportunities and don’t be afraid of setbacks—they’re part of the growth process.
I am here to help you with some self motivation tips to boost your motivation and your positive thinking to create enjoyment as you complete each task you need to do. Let’s just dive right into it and not procrastinate.
1. Ignite the Spark Within to be Self Motivated
Understanding What Self Motivation Means for You
Self motivation is that inner drive compelling you to take action—it’s what nudges you to keep striving toward your goals even when the going gets tough. But for you, it might manifest differently than for others. Whether it’s pursuing a beloved hobby, advancing in a career, or mastering a new skill, identifying what makes you tick is crucial. Consider self motivation as the personal fuel for your journey towards success. To tap into that power, reflect on what you genuinely love, as this forms the crux of your motivation and can also improve your happiness.
Self motivation to me is also an identifier of my energy levels. When I am not very motivated, most of the time is because of physical or mental fatigue. The days that I feed into this slump are days that I tend to just checkout mentally and physically as well. I will tend to eat less nutritionally dense snacks, I won’t engage in physical activity to boost my endorphins/energy, and I will become reserved and sink into a pit.
These are also days I need to remember how good I feel when I am able to snap myself out of it, and motivate me to be productive, to feel rewarded at the end of the day and in turn boost my self-esteem. These are the days I need perseverance to get me through. So how do we motivate ourselves? Glad you asked. Let’s dive into some more points of self motivation.
2. Craft Your Motivation Blueprint To Your Destiny
Setting SMART Goals to Channel Your Energy
To truly channel your energy towards achieving your aspirations, crafting SMART goals is essential. These goals are Specific, giving you clarity on what you’re aiming for; Measurable, allowing you to track your progress along the way; Attainable, ensuring they are within your reach; Realistic, so you remain grounded and prepared; and Timely, keeping you accountable to a deadline.
By shaping your objectives with these criteria in mind, you’re not just dreaming; you’re creating a tangible path toward success. Remember, setting SMART goals isn’t just a formality—it’s a strategic move that can elevate your self motivation to new heights.
There is a lot of data you can find on various websites about the value of setting goals to help motivate you and drive your productivity. When you are productive, meeting goals, you will see a natural increase in your self esteem, your positive thinking, your mindset, your energy, your overall mental and physical health. If you haven’t read it, check out our blog article Goals vs Resolutions and/or our youtube video.
3. Build Momentum with Practical Strategies
Finding Your Rhythm: Creating Habits That Drive Progress
Creating habits that drive progress means finding a rhythm in your daily life that aligns with your goals. It starts with identifying triggers and linking them to small, manageable actions. Imagine taking a baby step immediately following a regular part of your routine; this coupling can cement a new habit. For instance, you might say, “When I finish my morning coffee, then I’ll write for 15 minutes on my novel.” These “when-then” plans, when repeated over time, help turn chosen behaviors into habits.
Bonus tip with parenting, the when-then technique works wonders on motivating our daughters as well. We try really hard to not just bribe them, ‘if you do this, I will give you that’, however, motivating them to make the choice to earn something after being productive ‘when you put your dirty clothes in the laundry, then we can go to the park’.
The key is starting small to avoid feeling overwhelmed, setting yourself up for consistent wins, and gradually building complexity. Acknowledge that developing new habits isn’t a sprint—it’s more like a marathon, one where consistency trumps intensity. And remember, while they say it takes about two months to form a habit, patience is vital because everyone’s pace of change is different.
Going back to those days that I am not motivated to do anything, I have to use this technique to build my momentum over the day. I still have plenty of people depending on me to help them and I also in turn want to feel good. Though don’t get me wrong, I take my self care days that I just solely focus on filling back up my tank, but this is a different feeling. I need to build my momentum for engagement with others at school drop off/pick up, with my Employer, with my supporters. There are days I am not able to just sit in the bath for a few hours.
To do this, I start with something small that needs to be done around the house. Something I can do as I am passing by such as turning on the computer as I walk down the hallway or begin to just pick up the cups left out overnight as I walk towards the kitchen. These are all little steps that help jump start my motivation. Then I find that I am putting a load of laundry in the wash. Then…then…then… The hardest part to build your momentum is always step one…getting up.
Now I still have days where after school drop off, I come home sit down and drink a cup of tea and stare blankly at my mobile device. Just getting to school drop off on time took all of the self motivation techniques we are talking about. But then after a quick break, I tend to feel the reward of ok, I did that, I can go for a short walk. I am starting to feel the reward of clearing my mind, getting some fresh air, yet entertaining my youngest daughter all at the same time. Yay! It’s all in the mindset. Even if you just start small, today I am going to motivate myself to do 2 things. Then tomorrow do 3 things, and so on.
4. Overcome Obstacles Along the Way
Staying Flexible: Adapting Goals as You Evolve
As you grow and evolve, so too should your goals. Staying flexible means allowing yourself the freedom to adjust and refine your objectives as circumstances change. It’s alright to pivot or redefine what success looks like for you. Embracing a fluid approach can prevent frustration and keep motivation high, as you’re not rigidly fixed to a goal that no longer aligns with your aspirations or situation.
Think of your goals as living documents—they’re not set in stone. Periodically reassess and tweak them, ensuring they remain relevant and inspiring to you to achieve your ultimate resolution. Consider this adaptability not as a setback, but as strategic recalibration metrics that keeps your journey fresh and exciting full of rewards.
You might have 1 step backwards as you take 2 steps forward, but we need to have acceptance for what life brings us. There are going to be setbacks. There are going to be interruptions. There are going to be days your priorities shift. This step isn’t just about checking the task off, it’s about keeping the positive thinking mindset and self motivation to do what needs to be done at that moment. What a great reward to feel “I did it!” when you have accomplished your goals.
5. Sustain Your Drive: Long-term Self Motivation and Mindset
Celebrating Milestones to Maintain Enthusiasm
Celebrating milestones is like seasoning your journey with moments of joy—it’s essential to maintain enthusiasm and productivity. When you reach a sub-goal or cross a checkpoint, take a moment to recognize your hard work. The celebration could be big or small; a night out with friends, a quiet hour with a favorite book, or even an indulgent treat—whatever resonates with you and signifies a reward.
This practice isn’t just enjoyable; it’s strategic and part of your self-care, reinforcing your behavior and encouraging you to press forward. By acknowledging the fruits of your effort, you’re fueling your intrinsic motivation and reminding yourself that every step forward is valuable. Remember, the path to your ultimate resolution is paved with these smaller victories, and each deserves its moment in the sun. Regardless if you have a mountain or a mole hill to summit for the day, you still have to put on your harness (mindset) and climb to the top (motivation).
As a reminder, If you find that you are struggling to sustain self motivation techniques in the long term, I suggest you take some time to check out more of the self-care blogs here on our website and also on our youtube channel. There is a lot of data that your overall mental and physical health will impact the quantity of how much energy and motivation you feel on an overall daily basis.
Give yourself a quiz on your overall self-care levels and give yourself honest feedback on other areas you might need help in for overall improvement that will also carry over to building more self motivation. Do not be afraid or think of yourself as a failure if you need to seek professional help. The lack of energy, self motivation, and self efficacy could be a much deeper issue that needs healing.
6. Infuse Self Motivation into Daily Life
Mood-Boosting Techniques to Elevate Your Day
Boosting your mood can have a significant impact on your self motivation levels. If you need a pick-me-up to kickstart your productivity, consider stepping into the sunlight for a quality dose of vitamin D, which is known to uplift spirits. Try taking a moment to meditate to bring your mind into focus. Dive into the world of social media briefly for a comedic break (yes, set an alarm/timer), or get your body moving with some exercise to release endorphins.
You need to establish domain over yourself, your mind, your body. You control your thoughts in and your thoughts out. Most of the time, our output is a direct relation to our mental input. Give yourself a good quantity amount of coaching, empathy, and tuning inward to consent to yourself that you are worthy to press forward, to be productive, to claim that reward when your task is complete. Implementing these will increase the likelihood that you will rock your day productively. The next day, you will remember that awesome feeling that you will repeat it. Next thing you know, you look back at how much did in the week, the month, the quarter, the year. But first, start with just today.
Integrating Self Motivation Techniques into Wellness Routines
Integrating self motivation into your wellness routines can create a harmonious balance that enhances your well-being. Start with setting intentions for your physical activity or meditation practices that align with your personal goals. Perhaps you seek to gain strength, not just physically but in your resolve to tackle challenges. During meditation, focus on visualizing your objectives and the satisfaction of achieving them, fostering a positive mindset and establishing domain.
Don’t forget to acknowledge your efforts toward wellness as an act of self-love. Celebrate the choice to care for your mind and body, as each run, yoga session, or mindful moment adds up to a stronger, more motivated you. Seeing self-care as a stepping stone to your dreams can revitalize both your body and your passion for your goals. Give yourself the consent to take this time to become a better you for not only yourself, but also those that depend and rely on you (Family, Friends, Employer, etc.)
Now, Go Start Your New Mindset and Thinking Today
In summary, each day you will have things that you need to do and things that you want to do. It can be difficult to find the motivation to do the needs before the wants. Use the wants as a reward, or use the wants as a break in-between the needs. Take small steps, one foot in front of the other and keep up the positive thinking. Your overall wellbeing will thank you for getting out of the slump. You got this! I’ll see on top of that mountain that you now have claimed domain over.
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