Motivation from within

Motivation can be a tricky thing. Sometimes we can be so good at motivating others, but fall short when it comes to giving ourselves a pep talk.

Why can we be so good at lifting others but not ourselves? Maybe because you live intimately with YOU, you are with you 24/7, all day everyday - everywhere. It's difficult to be objective with yourself, and it can feel easier to take the path of least resistance and just let go.

Figuring out how to motivate yourself can be hard. Even if you tell yourself something positive it somehow manages to get outweighed by other, less positive thoughts - there is always that little voice within that says, “you can’t do it” when you want to lose weight, save money, spend more time with the kids, or any other goal. Everyone hears and deals with this little voice - you are not alone. The key is to learn how to motivate yourself in the most effective ways. Here are some tips to help you figure out just what is the best way to motivate yourself.

Shut Out the Voice
One important way to motivate yourself, and to stay motivated, is to start shutting out that negative little voice in your head. You can do this quite simply just by combating it with positive voices. For example, if you are trying to lose weight and you keep 'hearing' “You’ll never be able to say no to that Krispy Kreme donut,” combat it by telling yourself: “Even if I do eat a donut it doesn’t mean I have to give up. I’ve done really well so far and I’m going to keep at it!”

Bribe Yourself

Sometimes you have to feed the child inside of you to stay motivated.

Just like when motivating a child to do something by promising a treat, you can do the same to reach your own goals. This is how to motivate yourself: for example, if you did bypass the donut you could reward yourself by indulging in a new pair of shoes instead. This is called positive reinforcement, and it really does work. If you do challenge yourself and then get positive results when you complete the task, then you will keep challenging yourself.

So, the next time you're feeling de-motivated about an upcoming task or event, tell yourself that you will get a reward after it is done. This reward can be as simple as taking your dog for a walk in the park, or something as lavish as a trip to the day spa to get a massage. Whatever the treat, make sure that it is one that gives you that extra boost to finish the task.

Use the Help of Others
One of the biggest motivators of all is pride. If you tell others about your goal then you are bound by your pride to finish it. So, the next time you have an important task to complete tell everyone you know, and don't know - the internet is full of blogs that people have used to be accountable for something they are working through, like trying to lose weight. If you like writing, blogging can be a great motivational tool.