When you google the word “motivation”, there’s over 870+ million results.
And “how to get motivated” has over 210+ million results.
If there’s one thing that’s true, it’s that millions of us are in search of motivation.
But the real question is: how in the world do you find the motivation to push forward, everyday?
Before you know the how, it’s important to know the “what”. As that will lead you to the right answers.
And the funny thing is – everyone’s motivated to do something. But it’s finding the motivation to do the right things, and the things we truly want.
From personal experience – there are 6 things that influence your motivation.
Keeping each one of these in mind has given me the self motivation to push forward.
Even when it seems like I can’t.
1. How much you care about what others think of you
This is a big deal. And it has less to do with age than it does to do with courage.
Even though I’m the type of guy who doesn’t give a damn about what others think of me, I used to care more than I should have.
I always wanted to start my own business years before I ever did.
The reason I didn’t? Part of it was because I let the thoughts of others (people I don’t even know) stop me from taking action. Which shot-down my motivation in cold blood.
And by the way – when I say “care about what others think”, I’m talking not just about strangers… In some cases – this even applies to family or friends (if they don’t have your best interests).
How do you stop caring so much about what others think of you?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does the person have my best interests at heart?
- Do they have experience with the thing I’m doing/want to do?
- Have they already achieved what I’ve set out to do?
- Are they even qualified to be giving me advice? (Someone who isn’t a doctor for example has no business giving you medical advice).
- Would this person show up at my funeral if i died? (This is deep, but think about it).
If you can seriously answer all of these questions in a positive way, then good for you.
But just know – if you can’t, this is the reason you lack motivation.
And going through this exercise will change that.
2. Taking action (or lack of it)
It’s easy to do nothing, sit back, and expect motivation to fall in your lap. Most people do that, because it’s too easy.
But that’s not how motivation works.
If you expect to be motivated at all. You have to take action one way or another.
It doesn’t matter whether those actions are microscopic, monstrous, or basic… The more you’re used to taking action to pursue the things you want, the more self motivation you’ll have to keep going.
But if you sit on your ass like a guy in the train station reading a newspaper, then it’s game over.
Or as Jim Rohn puts it:
“What you don’t use, you lose.” – Jim Rohn
3. Who you surround yourself with
Let’s keep it real. Who you surround yourself is no different to WHAT you surround yourself with.
It’ll influence you eventually, if you’re around it long enough.
Imagine if Bill Gates surrounded himself with drug dealers, pimps and gangsters.
The thought seems ridiculous, right? But imagine it anyway.
If he did it long enough, don’t you think he’d start picking up on their habits?
That’s the point here. The habits you pick up from those around you tend to influence your level of motivation, and WHAT motivations you have.
It’s pretty damn hard to stay motivated to work out in the gym when everyone around you is laying on the couch, with about as much energy as a sloth.
If you’re around that enough, you’ll end up a sloth too.
So as hard as it sounds – you have to evaluate who you’re hanging around with. And decide whether to hang around them less, or find new people to hang with who reflect your true motivations and where you want to be.
4. The type of information you absorb
If I read the mainstream news for breakfast, and chew on the negativity they’re dishing out, how do you think may day is bound to turn out?
You can’t expect to be motivated if you’re listening to depressing news stories not long after you wake up.
You might think “whatever”, and might even believe it doesn’t affect you at all.
But trust me – if you’re self aware and you look at your actions and attitude throughout the day, you’d be surprised.
And your motivation is one of the major things that suffers (or benefits) depending on the information you take in everyday.
So what are the alternatives? Ask yourself these questions:
- What gets you excited?
- What makes you feel happier?
- What do you enjoy doing?
It could be listening to podcasts on your favorite topic, watching entertaining YouTube videos in the morning that make you laugh, reading an educational book or something else that has a positive effect on your mood and mindset.
But whatever it is, make sure it’s both valuable, useful, and helpful in some way.
5. The types of things you believe are true (even if they’re not)
What if you believe motivation is a thing only “talented” people have?
Or you believe motivation is a thing only a lucky set of people have?
Obviously none of that is true. It’s BS.
Yet if you believe it then you won’t know any better, because you’re basically saying: “If only talented people are motivated, then I’ll never be motivated”.
And that’s exactly the result you end up with.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Are my beliefs helpful?
- Which of my beliefs are holding me back?
- If it’s not helpful, who taught me to think this way?
- What’s the reason I’ve chosen to believe this?
- How can I change my beliefs? What’s the best method?
Similar to point #4, changing your beliefs comes down to who and what you’re listening to. It’s hard, but adopting the right beliefs and throwing away old habits will change your motivation drastically.
6. Pursuing a goal that sets your desire on fire
Not all goals are treated equally.
I run the top 100 personal development blog – Just Be Real. One of my goals for the site is to make a difference.
To be more specific, I want to make a difference when it comes to:
- People’s self confidence and self-esteem.
I do that from a no-nonsense approach without the usual “sugar coating” we tend to see in the personal development industry.
My goal for this site (theojellis.com) is to strip my thoughts and experiences naked, and document my journey.
This goal sets my desire on fire, and keeps me motivated.
It’s been well over 5+ years since I started blogging.
I also have other goals that light me up on a daily basis. And that’s the point here: Pursue a goal that sets your desire on fire.
A goal that lights you up, gets you excited, and draws you towards it. Even in your sleep.
Questions to ask yourself:
- What’s stopping me from pursuing my goals?
- What small first step can I take to pursue my goals?
- What do I want to accomplish more than anything else?
- What drives me?
- What’s the “why” behind my goal?
- Who can help me?
Whatever you do, always pursue a goal that lights you up. And you’ll naturally be self motivated, without the need to “find” something to motivate you.
You won’t need a “motivational” video if you’re self-driven.
Recommended Next: Is Patience Really A Virtue?
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