How to Motivate Yourself

Motivation can energize you and push you to accomplish your goals, but it doesn’t always come when you need it. If you’re struggling to start or complete a task, give yourself encouragement to keep trying. A little bit of pressure helps, so ask a friend, family member, or other group to supervise you to keep you accountable. If you’re working to accomplish your long-term plan, make sure you have clear and achievable goals so you can stay motivated throughout your journey to the finish line.

Table of Contents

Create excitement

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Remind yourself why you want to do something. Sometimes we need a little push to complete a task or project. Speak out loud or write down why you need to do something. Remind yourself of the benefits of the job you will do. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For example, you could say, “I’m going to start jogging now to get in shape” or “I have to do this exercise to get a good score.”
Remind yourself of the consequences of procrastination. Encourage yourself with promises like “If I finish this now, I can leave early today” or “If I get this over with, I can do something more interesting.”
Create a vision board with pictures that represent the goals you want to achieve in life. It will be a reminder of the things that you have always wanted.

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Break the task into smaller steps. Long hours at work can be daunting, but if you break down your day into smaller chunks, your work can be easier to get done. Start with easy tasks that you can complete quickly to stay motivated. For example, instead of saying, “I have to work through the morning,” say, “I’ll write this report in an hour, then go to a meeting at 11 p.m., and then it’s time for lunch.” ^{[2] X Research Source}

Allocate time to each task or task on the calendar or calendar app. Paint different colors for each task and time. That way, your workday will be broken down into smaller, easier-to-handle chunks.

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Make work fun. You will be reluctant to embark on a job or activity if it terrifies you. If this is the case, find a way to make the task more enjoyable. You can invite others to join or challenge yourself to do it in a new way. Changing work routines is also a way to bring excitement. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

For example, if you want to get in shape but hate going to the gym, sign up for a class like kickboxing, Zumba, or barre.
If you’re studying for a test, you can compete with a friend to see who can get the most correct answers or solve assignments the fastest.

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Set a reward for yourself when you get something done. You can reward yourself with a short break, a snack or latte, a massage, or a gathering of friends to celebrate. This can help you get more excited and stay motivated for the next step. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Allow yourself to rest from time to time to avoid burnout. While it’s important to avoid distractions, you can end up underperforming if you’re overworked. Schedule breaks throughout the day. You should also enjoy longer breaks on weekends to recharge. ^{[5] X Harvard Business Review Trusted Source Go to Source}

For example, you can take a 5-minute break after every hour to go to the bathroom or do some stretching.
Schedule breaks in advance so you have something to look forward to. For example, you might say to yourself, “If I finish this report by 2 o’clock, I can take a break.”
Avoid multitasking and don’t let yourself be distracted by things like checking email and phone. These will only reduce your productivity.

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Motivate yourself that you can get anything done. When it comes to motivation, you’re probably the worst critic. To push yourself to do the things you need to do, say positive affirmations. Remember that you will complete the task if you focus on it. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

If you find yourself having negative thoughts about a task, force yourself to correct it with positive words. For example, if you catch yourself thinking, “There’s so much to do today. I probably can’t finish it,” you might say, “If I start now, I’ll probably finish it before the deadline.”

Maintain a sense of responsibility

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Find a companion that reminds you of responsibility. Your partner will be the one to keep an eye on how hard you are working towards your goal. Ask a friend, instructor, or colleague who is willing to act as your supervisor. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Schedule meetings or calls to have a clear deadline. This can keep you motivated to meet your goals on time.
Let the person know about your work and ask for their feedback. Ask them for honest and detailed reviews.
Your companion may also send you reminders from time to time, such as “Remember to submit your proposal by the end of this week” or “Have you applied for a grant?”

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Make a list of tasks. Keep this list somewhere easy to see, such as on your desk or computer screen. Every time you complete a task, cross it off the list. This is also a small incentive to help you stay motivated. When you’re done with everything, you’ll have a great sense of euphoria to move on to the next project. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

There are many apps that help you make to-do lists on your phone, such as Apple Reminders, Microsoft To-Do, and Google Tasks. You can also create reminders for yourself to stay on track towards your goals.
Use your daily to-do list to complete every task for the day. For larger projects, it’s a good idea to make a separate list to separate short-term and long-term goals.

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Join a group that focuses on the same activity. This group can help you stay on track, while also providing support, feedback, and encouragement to keep you moving forward. You can find groups online through social media or visit community centers, libraries, or city cultural centers. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Whether you’re writing a novel or a thesis, you can search for writers’ associations at universities, libraries, coffee shops, or bookstores in your area.
Jogging, hiking, or other fitness groups are also great places to meet people while staying on top of your fitness goals.
Study groups will help you study. Your classmates can help you understand difficult topics, and learning together will be more fun.
If you want to master a new skill, take a class. Other practitioners can help you stay motivated as everyone learns together.

Accomplish long-term goals

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Define a specific and clear end goal. Sometimes it’s hard to motivate ourselves if we’re vague about what we want to achieve. Set a clear and realistic goal that you can achieve. ^{[12] X Research Source}

For example, if you are in school, your ultimate goal might be to get into a university or become an intern.
If you want to set up your own business, choose the type of business you want. Want to sell a product, advise other companies or provide a service to the community?
Be specific when setting goals. For example, if you wanted to travel around the world, where would you like to go first? Do you prefer backpacking or luxury yachting? Do you want to see the whole world at once or do you want to split it up into several smaller trips?
Don’t let your goals distract you from other important aspects of your life. Determine how much effort you should put into accomplishing each of your goals.

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Break the goal down into smaller steps. Once you know what your final destination is, set smaller milestones to accomplish along the way. Write down a sequence of steps towards your goal. This makes your goals much easier to achieve, and so you’ll be able to complete each task one at a time. ^{[13] X Research Source}

For example, if you dream of owning a home, your mini goals would be to save money, have a good credit score, apply for a mortgage, and find a home in an area.
If you want to quit your job to sell handmade goods online, you may need to set up an online store, make enough to sell and advertise your products.

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Find a role model that has achieved that goal in the past. If you know someone who has achieved the goal you are aiming for, try to follow their example. Get their stories to motivate you to keep striving. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Your ideal type could be someone in real life, such as a family member, professor, mentor, or boss. Your role model could also be someone with a reputation, such as a company leader or a scientist.
If you know the person, ask them how they got to where they are now. If they’re famous, check out their interviews or read their autobiography to learn.

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Post motivational quotes where they can be easily seen. You can hang posters on the wall in your office, stick a note on the bathroom mirror, or mount it on the refrigerator door. Whenever you need some extra motivation, you can stick a positive or inspirational quote to keep you going. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Place the quote where it is relevant to your goal. If you’re looking to lose weight, keep it near your scale or bathroom mirror. If you’re working on a big project at work, stick it in your drawer or on your computer.
Find quotes from books, websites and motivational videos. You can buy posters online or make your own with paper and pen.

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Visualize your goals or dreams. For a few minutes each day, sit down and visualize yourself achieving your goal. Imagine you already have it, done it, achieved it, or are in that position. How do you feel? Use this energy to take the next step. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Visualize in detail so that the image is as clear as possible. Where are you? Doing? What are you wearing? What do you look like? Who is with you?
A vision board can help you reach your goals. Gather pictures of your goals or dreams. Stick it somewhere you’ll see it every day, such as in your office or on the refrigerator door. This can encourage you little by little each day.

Warning

Consult a medical professional if your lack of motivation is accompanied by feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness, crying, or thoughts of harming yourself or others.

Steps

Create excitement

Maintain a sense of responsibility

Accomplish long-term goals

Warning

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