Motivation is what drives us to roll out of bed and do great things every morning. Sometimes it's not easy to get motivated, but when you get in that positive headspace where you just feel great and productive, you just want to stay there forever. So with that in mind, we're going to dive into some tips and suggestions on keeping your motivation strong and staying positive.

It's easier to maintain your motivation, drive, or passion to complete a task, or maintain a regime, when it relates to an area you are truly interested in. For example, if you want to be a great sports player and remain in the top team, you will feel motivated to go on regular runs and drills to maintain fitness.

It's tough to stay motivated when you're doing something that is a chore or obligation. This could be working in a mundane job or washing your clothes. In scenarios where you don't enjoy the task but you know it achieves a result, like earning an income or having clean clothes to wear, you are actually setting a goal. For example, "I need an income so I will attend work every day" or "I do need clean clothes for a night out on Saturday so I will do a clothes wash on Friday." Goals are what keep people going when they are facing a mundane task.

As you find yourself committing to a new job or task or habit, find mini goals within that situation to keep the motivation going. Once you've achieved a mini goal, acknowledge it, congratulate yourself, reward yourself, then turn your focus on to the next mini goal in front of you, to keep the motivation going. If the goal is too large, it may seem like you are not making any progress towards it.

In relation to education, mini goals might be to complete each subject, while the larger goal is to graduate with a new qualification. For a better social life, not working overtime on a Friday night in order to go out might be a mini goal, while the larger goal is to maintain more positive friendships.

You can have several goals going at once for different aspects of your life, such as goals to get fitter, goals to upskill so you can move up that career ladder, and a better work/life balance so you can improve your social life. The key to success is making sure the goal you have set is realistic and achievable. Improving your fitness by introducing a gym routine twice a week is likely more achievable than signing up for a seven-day a week personal training drill you can't find the time to attend or afford to pay.

Write down your goals and tell others about them, so they are more real, and you can hold yourself accountable. If you find that a goal has been difficult to achieve, go over it again and readjust it. Maybe the goal was never achievable, or your circumstances have changed. Reflecting on goals and re-setting them is not failure. It's keeping things real, and looking after yourself.

Finding people aiming to achieve a similar goal can be very helpful. They can be a training partner at the gym, or attend social events with you on nights out. It's harder to talk yourself out of a training session or a night out, if someone else is relying on you to turn up.

It's even better if your support crew is a positive person, as their optimism will rub off on you and help enhance your mood and motivation. And you can do the same for them.

We are much more motivated to achieve a goal when there's something to be gained at the end of it other than completing said goal. So make sure to treat yourself to a nice reward whenever you've achieved a mini goal or goal. This will help you feel good, and it will help you stay motivated to go after your next mini goal or goal.

If you have any questions or need extra support, we're here to help you anytime in any language. Simply start a chat with us via the home screen of the Sonder app.

Information sourced from Reach Out and Health Direct.

Image credit: The Wolf of Wall Street

All content is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.