12 Ways to Find Motivation

‘Motivation, Motivation, Motivation – the 3Ms’ Alan Latchley

Short Term Incentives 

These encourage short term behaviours. Which in the end is demotivational because they don’t last. What can you do to encourage yourself and people around you to have incentives that last longer and maintain motivation accordingly? 

The Dangers of Distraction 

These days we are all distracted from tasks and valuable work by emails, calls, messages, people, and meetings. To achieve a productive day becomes harder and harder, and some things require quiet and concentration. When it comes to work, or time spent on positive endeavours, self-awareness is essential. The psychologist Jordan Peterson says that when we have those periods, 10 minutes, half an hour, whatever it is, when we are functioning at our best, producing our best work, delivering key value, helping someone positively, then we must examine what led up to that period of time, so we can create it again, and then also what stopped it from carrying on. If we can understand how to become really good and effective, we’ll do it more, and we’ll try and avoid those distractions, which means we will achieve more and that in itself will be more motivational. We are all creatures of habit – we know which habits make us less effective as human beings, but we may be less aware of what are the habits that get us into the state we need to be in, more often. Sports stars work with their coaches when they are successful to look at the mindsets and behaviours that created the success they achieved, so they can repeat them. 

You cannot turn round ALL bad days

Motivation also comes from honesty. Sometimes we will fight to turn round a bad day and that effort is exhausting. Sometimes things happen – you cannot come back from it today. Nobody could. Maybe tomorrow. So go home, sleep, rest, eat, smile. Tomorrow is another day – get your mind ready for it. 

Working Out Solutions to Problems

One of John Cleese’s tips is about the mind and how it works. If you’ve got a problem you’re trying to solve, then one of the best things you can do is sleep on it for the night. Because your brain will continue to work on it whilst you’re asleep, and often ideas and solutions start to present themselves when you wake. 

Planning time for Work, Thought and Reflection

So many people live in ‘back-to-back meeting’ land. Sometimes so much that they never have time to do some of the tasks decided in the meetings. As you plan your days build in time for working, plus thought and reflection. That is as valuable, probably more so, than the meetings themselves. 

Other things that are motivational

Positive people, optimists. Work to rid your life of mood hoovers and energy vampires. 

Groups of people with like-minded interests are motivational. 

Learn something or be trained in something completely new. 

Replying to negative emails with 100% positivity. 

Tell people they are usually positive and motivational – and they will be. 

Telling people success is possible, is very motivating, 

Listen to podcasts and audiobooks. 

If you have teams, or individuals who require motivation then please look at Reality Training as a motivational training and executive coaching provider. Stay Motivated!