No matter how positive we are, there will be days and weeks where life throws us unexpected challenges. It’s how we choose to respond to life’s hiccups that will help us to build our grit and resilience. Always remind yourself that it’s OK if things don’t go to plan every time. You just need to come back, centre yourself and remember why you started the journey.
Getting your motivation mojo
When it comes to meeting your goals, motivation is everything. It’s estimated that people have between 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts flying through their mind every day – many of which pass by in an instant. But a few of the little seeds stick, and begin to grow and blossom if nurtured in the right way.
According to Dr Megan Swanson, psychology and mindfulness expert from Just Breathe Counselling, motivation is the driving force behind our dreams and goals. In order for motivation to last and keep you moving in the right direction, it has to feed the body, mind and soul.
There are two types of motivation – intrinsic and extrinsic. Our most powerful motivators are those that are intrinsic or internal. They are steadfast, and where you’ll find your “why” and your value. Although it may not always seem so, we are in control of our intrinsic motivations. When we can begin to understand what we are motivated by intrinsically – things that we love for the sheer joy of doing them; a love of the process, the journey, mastering a skill, etc. – we can create situations where we foster that motivation.
Making this a reality
- Once you have that dream or idea, you’ll need to break it down to understand if and why it’s a dream you want to follow.
- We often get this from defining why we, as individuals, want to pursue the dream. Then motivation kicks in, and we start getting excited.
- Without structure, motivation can’t blossom. So, the next stage is putting in place a plan with action steps.
- We then need to regularly visualise each step of the way, from the moment we see that dream blossom, right through to visualising each shoot that forms. This will maintain our motivation, when our mind and/or body is trying to halt us on our growth.
Motivation can be hard to keep going, but it’s always easier if you’ve shared that dream with others. In fact you have a 75% chance of achieving a goal if you openly share it with others.
So, find that motivation that’s personal to you, and turn that seed into something beautiful.
Remembering your why is an important part of building and maintaining healthy habits. To find out more about our Building Healthy Habits programme, click here.