Success The Mental Health Blog

How To Get Motivated

I’ve often struggled with motivation, and it’s not just me who does.

A lack of motivation can account to a lot of negative habits if we don’t address it.

Low productivity levels at work, no motivation to exercise, no motivation to awaken early and sometimes a lack of motivation to do small mundane tasks throughout the day.

When you lack motivation, getting up from your comfy sofa (or bed) to do a small task which is in the next room requires effort.

But how do we overcome it?

How do we turn the corner and heighten our motivation levels?

Highly motivated people get more done, typically meaning they’ll achieve more and they often have an extremely positive mindset.

Imagine being highly motivated, and someone who easily applied 100% effort into every thing they done.

Well in today’s article I’m going to offer a few tips to help you get there…

1. Inspiration Is Key

Motivation is mostly driven from a state of inspiration. When you’re inspired to do something, motivation is heightened.

Think about the last time you were inspired to DO something…

I bet it was pretty easy to get it done?

When you’re inspired to do something it doesn’t become something you feel you’re forced to do. It’s something that you want to do, it’s something which is alignment with your purpose.

I’ve spoke about this in a previous post, but when you live on purpose your inspiration levels are heightened. Leading to higher motivation levels to get things done.

inspiration

Inspiration comes from the words ‘in spirit’. When you’re inspired by a greater purpose everything starts to become a lot easier.

What path do you feel compelled to follow? What story do you want to tell?

When you’re in true alignment with purpose your inspiration levels heighten, you feel less risk because you simply follow the truth within you and you feel fulfilled.

What inspires you?

What’s your purpose?

Recently my motivation levels for work dropped. The reason? I’d shifted off purpose.

I knew what I wanted to do but the daily tasks to keep businesses running overtook my work day.

I looked back over the past month at times I felt truly motivated to work. Times I was inspired…

All of those times I was truly on purpose with what I wanted to be doing.

Of course there are still tasks I do which I don’t feel inspired to do but I’m implementing more tasks into my day which come from the source of inspiration.

I also start the day with a task I’m inspired to do.

It helps me get up early, start the day positively and then the motivation gained from starting the day in a state of inspiration makes the daily tasks that follow easier.

I was setting my alarm at 5am to get up and do a task I felt I ‘needed’ to do. You can probably guess what happened? I didn’t get up.

If the task didn’t inspire me it led to a lack of motivation.

Now I set my alarm at 5am to get up and do a task I can’t wait to do. A task I’m inspired to do. A task which is in complete alignment with my purpose. You can probably guess what happens now? I get up.

When you tap into your source of inspiration your motivation levels heighten.

2. Good Morning

What do you do in the morning?

I’m a strong believer that a good morning routine can have massive impacts on anyones life.

If you wake up to the sound of a horrible alarm clock, you snooze it a few times, get up because you HAVE TO do something (work, kids, school) and then walk around like a zombie getting ready…

Your day’s gonna suck.

Getting up this way, which a high majority of people do, is going to put you into a negative mindset.

Now as most successful people do, think about how you’d feel if you got up early, you got out of bed because you were inspired to start the day, you exercised, read or did something to aid your personal growth (meditation, affirmations, visualisation), you then jumped into your work day and started on the one thing that inspired you the most…

What mind state would you be in now?

The issue is people think a morning routine like the above is impossible for them.

Bullsh*t excuses such as lack of sleep, not wanting to wake the kids and not having the time to do so are all extremely common.

Waking up feeling inspired rather than feeling like you have to awaken is a mindset shift. That requires no extra time or noise that will awaken the household…

Exercise and tasks that aid your personal growth can be broken down into 10 minute blocks. Combined it’s probably going to take an extra 30 minutes in the morning. Can’t get up 30 minutes earlier or deal with 30 minutes less of sleep? Then you’re going to continue living the same life you live now with a lack of motivation.

morning routine

Plan out a morning routine which sets you up in a positive mindset.

Get up earlier, and get it done.

The results will astound you.

3. Your Power Hour

What part of the day do you feel motivated? What time of the day are you inspired?

Everyone is different but everyone has a ‘power hour’.

When are you in complete alignment with source and your productivity levels are heightened?

For some it might be early in the morning (like me) and for some it might be late at night.

Think about what times of the day you feel motivated and inspired.

It really is about tapping into this, and making sure you get whatever it is you want done in this time. When there’s a time in the day when you’re in alignment with source and you’re inspired it’s time to get things done.

hour of power

I find the mornings are the best time for me. Typically around 6am. I can get my whole to do list done from 6am – 10am.

For some people it might be late nights, struggling to switch off because you’re creativitiy is heightened is often a sign of your ‘power hour.’ For others it’s the middle of the night, often being awaken at the same time every day.

Don’t resist it, get up and really tap into the creativity and inspiration you’ll find from this time of the day.

Avoiding your power hour daily will decrease your motivation levels. It’s there for everyone and avoiding it will just continue to damage connection in spirit (inspiration) and will affect your motivation.

4. Change Your Thoughts

‘I’m not motivated’

‘My productivity levels are bad’

‘I can’t be bothered’

If you find yourself saying the above (or variations of the above) it’s time to watch your language and change your thoughts.

What you say and feel you’ll attract.

If you keep putting out that you’re unproductive, that you lack motivation, that you’re not bothered… you’ll be given it.

Change your thoughts and change your language into someone who is highly motivated, someone who’s inspired and someone who’s successful.

‘I’m highly motivated’

‘I’m inspired for today’

‘I’m so excited for this’

That’s the same 3 statements but turned into a more positive story.

All it takes sometimes is a shift of language and a shift of thought.

If I keep telling myself I’m not motivated the only thing that will happen is I’ll continue to be not motivated.

If I shift my thoughts and my language to the positive light and say and believe that I’m motivated and inspired I’ll become it.

motivation

This simple principle is often overlooked by many because they try to overcomplicate solutions.

No supplement, coffee, productivity hack or routine will change your motivation levels if the language and thoughts you are feeling are negative.

5. Don’t Resist Rest

Last but not least it’s important not to resist rest.

Disconnecting is one of the best things you can do and tapping into your inner child is highly recommended.

Have fun, laugh, do things you love to do and switch off when you can.

The issue most people have is when they lack motivation or they feel they need a rest they resist it and try to keep going.

Listen to yourself. When you feel tired, when you hear your inner child calling to have fun it’s time to disconnect and do so.

When you step away from work, you’ll naturally feel more inspired and more motivated to go back.

freedom

I used to feel guilty if I disconnected. I’d feel guilty if I did something I enjoyed rather than working…

But in reality you need to do this to strenghten your inspiration.

Don’t resist rest, disconnect when you can and have fun.

Get Motivated

So there we have it, 5 ways to increase your motivation levels.

All of them have worked for me, so I hope they work for you too.

Of course there are days when my motivation levels are low, but I find it easier now to get back on track.

Let me know what you think in the comments below and don’t forget to connect with me on social media.

Paul McGregor
I share my hard times to inspire your good times. Founder of MFM and soon to be published Author.
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3 Comments
  • Jose Jan 19,2016 at 3:38 pm

    Thank you for your post Paul; many people will find it useful for the improvement of their lives. I do. Greetings from Puerto Rico.

  • Aslam Naik Jan 17,2016 at 6:19 pm

    Nice post Paul… My power hour is early morning 6 to 9.. and that is when I feel the most motivated and finish most of my tasks.

  • Fiifi Jan 15,2016 at 5:29 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I needed to hear this.

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