Being (and staying) motivated isn’t always easy. We have so many things going on in our lives that distract us from our goals. We must keep our eyes on the prize and not let the struggles of life consume us. There are many different ways to keep us motivated and sometimes it’s nice to have a little reminder.
Set goals.
Setting SMART goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It helps you to organize your time and helps you to aspire for more in your life.
Choose goals that interest you.
Think of something you want to do or work towards. It could be as simple as being able to walk one block, climb a flight of stairs or open a tight lid on a jar. It could also be losing 15lbs, eating healthier or spending more quality time with your family. There can be so many things that we want to do, it can be overwhelming. To make it easier on yourself, really take the time to find out what is most important to you.
Find things that interest you within goals that don’t.
It is important to be able to look forward to seeing the results of your hard work. Even though certain exercises hurt and make you sore, it is important to recognize that doing that exercise or stretch will help you in the long run. For example: being able to pick up and hold your kids or grandkids, being able to walk in the park and have a picnic with loved ones. Just remember why you are trying to achieve this goal and that should help motivate you.
Make your goal public.
We never want to let ourselves or others down, do we? No. By letting a friend, loved one or coworker know of our goal it can help encourage us when we feel defeated or tired.
Plot your progress.
When you’re working towards something it can be really motivating to see the progress you’ve done. It is very fulfilling to be able to look back on the calendar where, you noted, you hit a milestone. It helps you appreciate all the hard work you’ve done and feel proud of where you are now.
Break up your goal.
Start with easier tasks and work your way up to bigger challenges. Breaking up a task in your mind, into achievable and smaller tasks, helps build confidence.
Reward yourself.
Promise yourself some sort of reward each time you complete a step or task. The rewards can range from a yummy treat, a hot bubble bath, watching your favorite show or purchasing yourself something special.
Don’t do it alone.
Join a chatroom, talk to a friend or someone you can share the experience with. Having encouragement from others to keep going can be a big boost to your motivation.
If you tried but just can’t seem to get motivated, then it might help to talk it through with a counselor or life couch. They can help you to work out which motivating strategies will work best for you. It can be difficult to achieve things on your own, so having a good support team may help when you’re taking on a big challenge. If you would like help achieving some of your physical goals give SportsCare or Armworks a call or request an appointment online. Our motivating Physical Therapists can help you to improve your life for the better.