How to Make Motivation Work? 

By Arifur Rahman

We all felt really motivated at times to achieve a dream and reap from the rewards. Feeling inspired with the satisfaction of fulfilment and joy knowing that yeah I done it. Anyone ever felt like that and then realised the truth which is the sad reality that you kept talking about wanting to achieve your dream and make it but never got to go around to actually starting the plan and not doing a damn task in the first place. We all been there, and not done that. We’ve seen this happen all too many times to ourselves and to people around us in their personal and work life.

So, if you’re still reading and haven’t given up after reading the first paragraph, good job! This is just the beginning of your brand-new start. How do we make motivation stick? Well, the key thing is nothing to do with motivation or feeling motivated. Forcing yourself to feel motivated just doesn’t work! We all tried this and then said not today, maybe tomorrow and then tomorrow never comes.  To get things done you need have structures in place, have a plan in prioritising what is urgent and have processes in place which set you up for success.

Start with the end in Mind!

First thing to do is plan and prioritise what needs doing and set yourself small goals in reaching your final outcome of achieving your dream. Let’s say you want to lost weight – this is the dream you have in mind. You want to feel healthy, look good, feel confident and fit into those pair of jeans that you brought once and never wore and has been hanging round your closet like dead weight for years. What are you going to do to reach your goal and fit into those jeans that has been longing for attention for years?

If your still with me, think of a dream you want to achieve, it could be anything happening right now in your life – getting a promotion at work, buying your first house, hitting sales targets or impressing your boss. All these factors have one common underlining thread running through them. With all of them you have to start with the end in mind. 

Planning equals success

Keeping in track your end goal the dream you want to achieve in mind think of the first small step you will do in reaching that dream. Be realistic and concise. Let’s use our example of losing weight. So, to fit into those jeans you need to lose one stone. Categorise your first step goal into small specific targets. One stone equal to 14 pounds. Set yourself a realistic target and commit to it as a sense of urgency. So, in two weeks you will lose 7 pounds. You have set your first small step, now how will you do this? Changing your diet plan, exercising more frequently and monitoring your performance. Planning what you do equals to success thinking of the end goal in mind.

Be prepared for setbacks

We as humans have to adapt to our changing environments. Life happens, so always plan for a possible adaptive solution with the end dream in mind. Going back to the goal, you want to lose one stone in one month having the small steps of losing 7 pounds in two weeks to fit into those lovely jeans you have waiting in the closet looking back at you.

Now, you have had a big setback one stressful evening, you been working hard to reach your dream and then bang! You find yourself eating away a big slice of chocolate cake with no recollection of how and what made you eat that cake. Not to worry these things happen, remember no matter how much you plan and manage and work towards your goals in achieving your dream setbacks are not immune to your system and process.

Keeping with the theme of starting with the end in mind always be committed to reaching your dream. Now, this may have implications on how much of that chocolate cake you ate but reorganise, prioritise and adapt to change your environment and design your life and build it up for success to achieve your end goal – your dream!

Be committed, avoid complacency

You have reached your goal, so now what? Remember success goes hand in hand with failure, allowing yourself to be complacent and not enjoying reaching small goals in working towards your dream can cause you to drip and fall in performance. In the case of our example, an increase in your waistline.

Always remember to enjoy every step of the way in the process of reaching your goals. Rewards can be something you really enjoying doing with family, friends and loved ones. Like for example, you reach your goal and lose a stone in one month, Wow! Well done you, so go on, have a small piece of chocolate cake, but always remember to be thinking about the end goal in mind to achieving your dream. 

Thank you for reading this blog, if you ever want to get in touch feel free to message me. I wish you success every small step of the way in you reaching your dreams.