Did you know that 80% of success is your ability to self-motivate? The other 20% is the execution. Okay, that statistic may not be exactly true but it’s pretty close. People who have a self-motivated personality are just more successful. Learn how to be more self-motivated and you will increase your success.
Why is self–motivation important? Because without it, you will never be able to achieve the life you want and the goals you set for yourself. As Napoleon Hill puts it: “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”.
Motivation and self-motivation are the keys to success. They help you to get to where you want to be, do what you want to do, and have what you want in life.
Motivation is what gets you started, and self-motivation keeps you going.
Sometimes we forget how important it is to stay motivated. We can become dispirited, lose our enthusiasm, and let ourselves get into bad habits.
If you have lost your way a little or are struggling to get going, then here are some tips and reminders about why self-motivation is so important, and how to improve your motivation for whatever you need or want to achieve in your life.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Most of us are either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated. A small percentage of us are both.
So what is intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation? And why does it matter?
Let’s start with a definition of each term:
Extrinsic motivation is when you do something because you want to earn something outside of yourself: money, fame, a good grade, recognition, approval, etc.
Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because it either gives you pleasure (you enjoy doing it) or it gives you pain (it feels better than not doing it).
The majority of people are primarily extrinsically motivated. They work hard to earn a living, they go to college so they can get a good job, and they eat healthily so they feel better and can live longer.
People with a self-motivated personality are intrinsically motivated.
start small to be more self motivated
One of the biggest reasons people struggle to stay motivated is because they think they need to be motivated before they start.
But you’re allowed to start when you’re not motivated. You can still act even if you have no motivation to do so.
You just have to get started with small activities.
Let’s say your goal is to lose 20 pounds in the next 6 months. If you were fully motivated, you would get up at 5 a.m. every morning and go for a run, eat only healthy food, and do 100 pushups every day…
However, let’s say that you are struggling with motivation. You don’t feel like getting up early and going for a run, or eating healthy food. That’s OK! Don’t start by running a marathon tomorrow morning.
Start by putting on your running shoes and opening the front door. Then take 1 step outside. That’s it! That doesn’t require motivation. And once you step outside, it might be easier to take another step or two… And then before you know it, you’re on your way!
Ask yourself if your goals are really yours or someone else’s.
Getting motivated can be tough. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s going to take a lot of time, effort, and energy. But don’t worry. If you’re reading this article right now, you’re already on the right path. One of the hardest parts is just getting started. And you’ve already done that.
Now, in this article, I’m going to share with you some of the proven strategies that will help you get motivated and stay motivated so you can finally start taking action and achieve your goals.
Do you know if your goals are really yours or someone else’s? If they are someone else’s goal for you, there is no way you will stay motivated long enough to achieve them.
So ask yourself: “Are my goals rine?”
- Recognize what is important to you.
- Write down what you want to achieve.
- Set a timeline for each goal.
- Find a way to measure your progress.
Remember, it won’t be easy at first. But if it was easy, everybody would do it. Make sure that the way you measure your progress is realistic, positive, and motivating.
Surround Yourself with motivated people.
A crucial step to increasing your motivation is to surround yourself with motivated people. Motivated people will rub off on you. They will inspire you. They will give you great advice when you need it most.
If your friends are all unmotivated, then make new friends who are motivated. Join groups that are filled with motivated people.
You want to get in the habit of associating with motivated people because it will raise your standards, just by being around them. These people will help you be more self-motivated.
Learn to embrace what you can do instead of what you can’t.
Build a schedule or routine around the things you enjoy and are motivated to do, then find ways to integrate the things you aren’t so excited about doing into those tasks. For example, if you love reading and writing, think about ways to incorporate these activities into your day. Maybe you spend 10 minutes reading a book while drinking your morning cup of coffee. Write blog entries in the evening after dinner or watch a documentary and write a summary on it afterward. By scheduling activities that you enjoy first, the other less fun tasks will be easier to accomplish.
The power of positivity should never be underestimated! When it comes to motivation, positive language is incredibly effective because it helps us to stay focused on our goals and our dreams. This type of language encourages us to keep trying even when we’re not seeing results yet. It also keeps us from getting discouraged by any setbacks along the way.
Keep a positive mindset. Avoid negativity at all costs because this leads to one place: A lack of motivation.
Keep reminding yourself of everything Good about Having a self-motivated Personality.
When you’re self-motivated, you can do the things that need to be done. You do the work. You get stuff done. Progress is made in your life and you feel good about it, too.
There’s a little voice inside your head that says “Let’s do this!” And when you listen to that voice, good things happen.
Have a plan for what needs to be done, even if it’s only a rough outline at first.
A to-do list can help you become more efficient and motivated. A good one is clear and concise, but there’s no perfect way to make it. Whatever works for you, go for it.
However, a good to-do list only gets you so far if you don’t know how to use it properly. Here are some tips on how to use your to-do list effectively:
Break up your tasks. Break up big tasks into smaller ones, which will make them seem more manageable and less intimidating. This will also give you the satisfaction of seeing the tasks get crossed off the list as you complete them!
Give yourself a deadline. Start with a due date or an estimate of how long each task should take and write that down. If you have a task that takes longer than an hour, give yourself mini-deadlines throughout the process to stay on track.
Set priorities using the ABCDE method. Assign priority levels to each task based on the ABCDE method: A – Urgent and important (tasks you should do right away). B – Important but not urgent (tasks that require planning). C – Neither urgent nor important (tasks that can be delegated or ignored). D – Tasks to delegate (tasks you could and should delegate). E – Tasks you should get rid of.
Wrapping It Up
Self-motivation is the key to success in life. If you truly love what you do, are committed to your goals, and have the self-discipline to stay with it over time, you will achieve the success that you deserve. Just because you can’t seem to get motivated doesn’t mean you aren’t a self-motivated person. You have to find what motivates YOU.
While it may seem like an unattainable goal, becoming more self-motivated is indeed possible. The first step to achieving your goals and being more productive in life is to want it. Then focus on improving yourself every day.
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