Staying Motivated All Year Long

Is it really possible though? To stay motivated all year long? Like, all year long?

In my opinion, I doubt it is possible to be psyched about all your goals through out the year especially if it is a huge goal which requires smaller steps to be taken. Through out the journey, there will definitely be some “off-days” or some days you are just not “feeling it”. There will be days where you will be like “abeg, I cannot come and go and die” or “okay, I’m so over this. What’s next?”.

Lool. Just writing this makes me think about some of the meltdowns I have where, sometimes, I cry out “But no one even sought my permission before I was born! Now I have to be an adult and have goals and dreams? I just want to sleep all day and have ice cream!…And be paid for sleeping all day and having ice cream” *(and then for a brief moment, I mentally tailor my CV to suit the application for my dream job which, by the way, is to be a human subject for sleep experiments in Asia and get paid in dollars for sleeping for extended periods of time. *sigh. *insert the saddest face known to humanity* (I was going to get a picture of someone who has my dream job, but while you’re at it, kindly resist googling “human subject in sleep experiment”. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!)

I digress, but the point is, I guess we all feel that way sometimes because being motivated is not a constant state of mind; it comes and goes. One moment we are up and triggered, the next we are feeling “bleh”. And I think it is pretty much safe to assume that as long as you are a human being, the up-and-down-ity of it all applies to you and the next person (just in case you were about to compare yourself to someone who always seems to be motivated in a particular aspect of his/her life). 

“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer to your goal.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

So how do we then stay motivated throughout the year when it’s just February 2019 (here’s wishing you a happy new month…since that’s a thing, apparently) and some of us are already like “ehen, when is this 2019 ending sef?” ?

Briefly, here are 5 practical ways (which I try to practice, by the way), you can stay motivated through out the year, or at least, try to stay motivated all year long.

1. Write down those goals!

Yes, I have come again with my writing goals down mantra. But I think it really does help. When you can look at your goals clearly defined and written down, it gives you an added push in the right direction. You can always go back and look at them and even when you are feeling down and out, coming across some of them can remind you of what you really wanted to achieve in the first place.

The truth is, 2019 is going to get crazy and some of the things we had initially set out to do may get shoved to the side where we have only mentally noted them, but where we have them written out, no matter how crazy it gets or distracted we get, there is always something to remind us of the goal ahead…this is assuming we do not throw away what we wrote them in the first place. The quote below puts it perfectly…

Clear, written goals have a wonderful effect on your thinking. They motivate you and galvanize you into action. They stimulate your creativity, release your energy, and help you to overcome procrastination as much as any other factor.~ Brian Tracy

2. Share those dreams

I have found that sharing desired personal goals in whatever aspect of life with close friends or family can keep you motivated for longer periods of time. Sharing dreams or goals not only motivates, but acts as a source of encouragement or accountability. These few trusted ones can provide positive suggestions and/or constructive feedback on the plans being put in place to achieve those goals, ultimately giving you that much needed boost.

Funny enough, I have also found that sometimes, when we conceive an idea and start mapping out a goal that may grow from such idea, we often have moments where we tend to get doubtful, nervous and/or scared. Sharing this idea with the right person(s) may just give you that courage to take the first step. Also, through out the year, the said person(s) could keep you accountable and on track so if you get tempted to or fall off the wagon, or have a meltdown where things do not go as planned or you are just not “feeling it”, they can remind you why you started in the first place and help you believe in yourself again!

3. Find inspiration

They say “If you look for something hard enough, you’ll find it.” Well, that’s the truth. The same goes with finding inspiration.

The year is just starting out and you may still be psyched about your goals, but then a time might come where you’ll need all the inspiration the world has to offer just to believe in yourself, stay motivated and encouraged. some of the ways I am able to stay motivated is by reading articles on Medium, watching inspirational video clips on Youtube, following inspirational speakers on instagram and listening to some podcasts. You may find inspiration in other ways, but the key is to find what works for you. In finding my inspiration, I am able to muster some level of confidence or even listen to free advice on how to handle tasks that seem too huge at first. A couple of the podcasts I listen to are below.

4. Finish tasks

I have found that when you break down a goal into mini-goals and micro-mini goals, then you can achieve almost anything. This is because when you are able to break down, and in so doing, accomplish a task, you feel this boost of confidence to do the next and are sort of like energized to go on.

So finish each task, and if you are stuck at any point, reach out to someone for help or encouragement. Most times, when we get stuck in a task, we tend to burn out and the whole goal goes out the window because we feel it is too difficult or that we are not capable enough of accomplishing such a task, or the goal. Remember to take one day at a time and in doing that, take one moment and a task at a time.

5. Stay Positive!

Okay, so the reality of it all is that it is pretty easy to say “be positive!” or “stay positive!” when we all know we have moments where we find it hard to be positive. I guess that is why we need the right people around us to encourage us and feed us with positivity when we seem low on it.

But remember to identify the positives and not the negatives that would come out of achieving your goals. Remind yourself of the benefits and not the difficulties. Remind yourself that you are a winner, you can do it and you will do it! Make a decision to get back on track and stay there!

“Forgive yourself first. Release the need to replay a negative situation over and over again in your mind. Don’t become a hostage to your past by always reviewing and reliving your mistakes. Don’t remind yourself what you should have, could have or would have been. Release it and let it go. Move on.” ~ Les Brown

Having a positive mindset, the right enthusiasm about your goals and ultimately working hard to achieve them would be sure to keep you motivated all year long. Yes, there may be ups and downs as it is with life, but remember (and yes it may be easier said than done) to keep going and not give up.

How dod you stay motivated? Would love to hear from you in the comments!