It’s a new year, and we are firmly in resolution season. We’ve all read the statistics on the number of people who abandon New Year’s resolutions. Typically, occurs before the February month. There are many factors that contribute to people walking away from their resolutions. It could be goals that weren’t easy to hit, too many resolutions being tackled at one time, or not having a plan in place to actually conquer the resolution. Nevertheless, I think many abandoned resolutions come down to one thing: lack of self-motivation.
Success is dependent on the work you put into your resolution. If self-motivation has been difficult for you in the past, don’t worry. It is possible to make simple changes that will help set you up for success, not just to conquer your resolutions, but to confidently handle any big changes that come your way in 2019.
How To Find Your Self-Motivation
These steps will help you to cultivate your self-motivation skills.
Step One: Identify Your Strengths And Weaknesses
Take some time to evaluate yourself objectively. You might be surprised that things you think you would enjoy aren’t your strengths. That doesn’t mean you can’t do those things, but it helps to know walking into a project or starting a new habit how you can best tackle it by using your strengths as much as possible.
Step Two: Set Attainable Goals
When I’m taking on a new project or trying to make a big change, I like to break my goals down into actionable steps. I use the GROW model which is more of a problem solving strategy. I’ve used this for both personal and professional strategy development. It’s important to set yourself up for success. If you know it will help build to big changes, it’s okay to start small. Every step counts as long as you are working towards your goal.
Step Three: Get Organized
It’s easier to motivate yourself when you have a plan. If you’re looking to eat healthier, meal planning is a great way to make sure you don’t find yourself sitting in your car on a weekday heading towards your favorite fast food restaurant. Who can agree?
If your goal is to start a new business, write a book, or grow your blog, make a schedule for yourself. For example, set aside a specific time during the week when you will work on tasks related to your goal. This is definitely something I could improve upon. During the week it’s a challenge to balance blogging and work full-time. On the other hand, if there is a will there is a way. Therefore, I will continue with my time management schedule.
The more work you put into goal planning and organization the easier it is to follow through and find success.
Step Four: Surround Yourself With People Who Are Motivated and Supportive
It may seem silly to talk about other people and a list of things to help you with self-motivation. But the truth is the people who surround you make a big difference in your life. More important, you will be able to kick Netflix and get out of bed on those rainy days if you surround yourself by individuals who are self-motivated and continue to elevate their own projects and goals.
Step Five: Don’t Give Up
We all have days when we don’t accomplish as much as we intended. When that happens, acknowledge what happened, accept it, and move forward. One bad day doesn’t mean you have failed, and it doesn’t have to become a pattern. You can pick back up where you left off the next day.
What goals are you working on in 2019?
XOXO, BLENDstyles