How To Motivate Yourself: The Ultimate Guide to Unleash Your Motivation

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman

Motivation is powerful stuff, and it’s a skill you can use throughout your lifetime.

Motivation comes from the Latin word, movere, which means “to move.”

According to Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, motivation shapes three aspects of action:

Your direction or choice.
Your intensity or effort.
Your duration or persistence.

Tony Robbins defines personal power as the ability to take action. It’s why he focuses so much on motivation.

If you master your motivation, you empower yourself to experience life in a deeper and more fulfilling way.

With this ultimate guide to motivation, you will learn how to understand your personal drivers while maintaining a positive mindset and creating a supportive environment to sustain your motivation.

Keys to Motivation

A comprehensive understanding of these core motivation concepts provides a robust framework for understanding what drives you to act in certain ways, helping to predict, influence, and enhance your motivation in various contexts.

Here are a few keys to keep in mind when you focus on improving your motivation:

Purpose: Purpose is the ultimate driver of motivation. When you have a clear sense of purpose—a deeper reason for your actions and goals—it becomes a powerful source of inspiration. Purpose gives your efforts meaning and can sustain your motivation even in challenging times.
Self-Efficacy: This refers to your belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task, which plays a major role in how you approach goals, tasks, and challenges.
Goal Setting Theory: This involves setting specific, achievable, and challenging goals, which can significantly influence motivation and performance.
Internal vs. External Motivation: Internal or intrinsic motivation comes from within and is driven by personal values, interests, and a sense of purpose. External or extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from outside sources like rewards or recognition. Successful motivators know how to tap into their internal motivation and connect their actions to their values and meaning.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: This model, developed by Abraham Maslow, proposes that you are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to higher needs, culminating in self-actualization. You have a hierarchy of needs, starting with basic physiological needs like food and shelter, and progressing to higher-level needs like love, self-esteem, and self-actualization. Understanding where your needs fall in this hierarchy can help you identify what’s motivating you at a given moment.
Self-Determination Theory: This theory suggests that people are motivated to grow and change by three innate and universal psychological needs: competence (mastery), autonomy (control over one’s life), and relatedness (connections with others).
McClelland’s Theory of Needs: David McClelland’s theory identifies three fundamental human needs: achievement, affiliation, and power. Some people are primarily motivated by the desire to achieve personal goals, while others seek affiliation and social connections, and some are driven by the need for power and influence. Recognizing your dominant need can help you understand your sources of motivation.
Understand the Role of Autonomy: Autonomy, or the ability to have control and make choices over your actions, is a powerful motivator. People are often more motivated when they have a sense of autonomy and can make decisions about their work or life. Recognizing the importance of autonomy in motivation can help you structure your goals and tasks in a way that allows for more freedom and independence, ultimately fueling your motivation.
Expectancy Theory: According to this theory, motivation is based on how much we want something and how likely we think we are to get it.
Feedback Loops: The role of feedback in motivation, both positive and negative, and how it can guide behavior and reinforce goals.

These keys to motivation help you understand the various factors that influence what drives you and how you can harness that motivation to achieve your goals and lead a fulfilling life.

Why Master Your Motivation?

Mastering motivation offers several core benefits that can significantly enhance your personal and professional aspects of life.

These benefits include:

Reduced Burnout: By mastering motivation, individuals can better manage their energy and focus on tasks that are meaningful and rewarding, which can mitigate feelings of exhaustion and burnout.
Reduced Feelings of Overwhelm: Understanding what motivates you allows for more effective prioritization and task management, reducing the sense of being overwhelmed by responsibilities or goals.
Improved Self-Efficacy: Mastering motivation often involves setting and achieving goals, which can boost one’s confidence in their abilities, leading to improved self-efficacy.
Increased Satisfaction in Work and Life: Being motivated typically means you’re engaged and committed to your activities, leading to greater fulfillment and satisfaction in both work and personal life.
Enhanced Performance and Productivity: With high levels of motivation, individuals tend to be more productive and perform better, as they are driven to achieve their goals and meet their standards of excellence.
Better Adaptability and Resilience: Understanding and mastering your own motivation can make you more adaptable to change and resilient in the face of challenges, as you have the internal drive to overcome obstacles and continue progressing.
Greater Personal Growth: Motivated individuals are more likely to pursue personal and professional development opportunities, leading to continuous growth and learning.
Improved Mental Health and Well-being: Effective motivation strategies can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life, contributing positively to overall mental health and well-being.

Mastering your motivation is not just about increasing productivity or achieving goals. It’s also about fostering a healthier, more balanced, and fulfilling life.

Motivation plays a critical role in managing stress, enhancing personal capabilities, and improving your overall life satisfaction.

Start with WHY

Simon Sinek’s concept of “Start with Why” is a leadership and communication philosophy that emphasizes the importance of understanding and communicating the fundamental purpose, cause, or belief that inspires an organization or an individual.

Here is a really inspiring walk through where Simon Sinek explains why we should start with WHY:

Here’s an explanation of the concept:

The Golden Circle: Sinek’s framework is often represented as a “Golden Circle” consisting of three concentric circles, with the innermost circle representing “Why,” the middle circle representing “How,” and the outer circle representing “What.”
Why – The Core: At the center of the Golden Circle is “Why.” This represents the deep, intrinsic reason or belief that drives an organization or a person. It’s not about making a profit or describing products and services; it’s about the higher purpose or values that guide actions and decisions.
How – The Process: The middle circle represents “How.” This is where organizations or individuals define the actions, strategies, and processes they use to achieve their Why. It’s about the unique approach or value proposition that sets them apart.
What – The Output: The outer circle represents “What.” This is where organizations or individuals articulate the products, services, or actions they take. It’s the tangible result of their efforts.

Finding your WHY helps you drive from a renewable and sustainable source of energy, personal power, and motivation.

Dan Pink’s Drive: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose

Dan Pink’s book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” explores the concept of motivation and challenges traditional notions of what drives human behavior.

Here is a walkthrough of the big ideas in Drive:

Pink identifies three key factors that contribute to intrinsic motivation, which is the kind of motivation that comes from within a person rather than external rewards.

Here’s an explanation of Dan Pink’s Drive:

Autonomy: Autonomy refers to the desire to have control over one’s own actions and decisions. When people have autonomy, they feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their work. They are more engaged and motivated when they have the freedom to make choices and pursue their interests.
Mastery: Mastery is the pursuit of getting better at something that matters to an individual. People are motivated when they can see their own progress and development. It’s the satisfaction of becoming more skilled or knowledgeable in a particular area that drives intrinsic motivation.
Purpose: Purpose is the sense that one’s work contributes to something larger than themselves. When people feel their work has a meaningful impact on the world or aligns with their values, they are more motivated. Purpose provides a reason to get out of bed in the morning and do meaningful work.

Dan Pink argues that these three elements—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—can be more effective motivators than traditional external rewards like money or bonuses.

In fact, he suggests that traditional “carrot-and-stick” approaches can sometimes stifle creativity and intrinsic motivation.

Dr. Andrew Huberman: Do Something That Sucks, That’s Safe

To reset your motivation and overcome amotivation, engage in challenging yet safe activities.

Dr. Andrew Huberman emphasizes that taking action, even when it’s uncomfortable, precedes changes in emotional states.

By intentionally doing something difficult, you create a stark contrast with your current state, enabling a faster return to your motivation baseline.

This process triggers the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to motivation, and can effectively reset your motivation level.

Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Tendency’s Framework: How You Meet or Resist Outer and Inner Expectations

Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework is a psychological framework that helps individuals understand their response to inner and outer expectations.

It categorizes people into four distinct personality types based on how they meet or resist expectations.

Here’s an overview of the Four Tendencies:

Upholders: Upholders readily meet both inner and outer expectations. They are highly self-motivated and disciplined, and they have no trouble sticking to schedules, meeting deadlines, and keeping promises to themselves and others.
Questioners: Questioners meet inner expectations but resist outer expectations unless they believe they are justified. They are highly analytical and will only comply with requests or rules if they see a good reason for doing so. They need information and reasoning to motivate them.
Obligers: Obligers meet outer expectations but struggle to meet inner expectations. They are motivated by external accountability and tend to prioritize others’ needs over their own. They need external deadlines and supervision to stay on track.
Rebels: Rebels resist both inner and outer expectations. They value their independence and resist any form of control, even from themselves. They tend to do things their way and are motivated by choice, freedom, and spontaneity.

To use the Four Tendencies framework to motivate yourself and change behaviors, you first need to identify your tendency.

You can do this by taking Gretchen Rubin’s quiz or by self-reflecting on how you respond to various expectations.

Once you know your tendency, here’s how to leverage it:

Upholders: Set clear, specific goals and create schedules or to-do lists. Focus on your commitment to yourself and your ability to meet your own expectations. Embrace routines and structure to maintain motivation.
Questioners: Seek information and reasons behind your goals and expectations. When you understand the “why,” you’ll be more motivated to follow through. Questioners thrive on autonomy, so use this to your advantage by setting goals that align with your values.
Obligers: Create external forms of accountability. Share your goals with others, work with an accountability partner, or join groups that require your participation. Make your inner expectations as external as possible.
Rebels: Embrace your desire for choice and freedom. Set goals that align with your values and give you a sense of autonomy. Frame tasks as choices rather than obligations to increase your motivation.

Understanding your tendency can help you tailor your approach to motivation and behavior change.

By working with your natural inclinations and using strategies that align with your tendency, you can increase your chances of success in achieving your goals.

Discover Your Ikigai: “What Makes Your Life Worth Living”

Here is a simple definition of Ikigai according to Nick Kemp:

“What makes our life worth living; the reason we battle on through life.” — Nick Kemp

Here is a simple way to visualize the 8 needs of Ikigai, according to Nick Kemp, which he shares on the back of his book, Ikigai-Kan: Feel a Life Worth Living.

Ken Mogi, a neuroscientist and author of Awakening Your Ikigai, describes Ikigai as an ancient and familiar concept in Japan that can be translated as “a reason to get up in the morning” or “waking up to joy.”

According to Japanese psychologist Michiko Kumano, ikigai is a state of well-being that arises from a person’s devotion to activities they enjoy, which also brings them a sense of fulfillment.

Kumano distinguishes ikigai from hedonia, or transient pleasure, and aligns it with eudaimonia, the ancient Greek concept of a life well-lived that leads to the highest and most lasting form of happiness.

Discovering and exploring your ikigai can be a way to rekindle your motivation and joy.

Embrace the Tug-of-War Between Pain and Pleasure

Human motivation often operates like a tug-of-war between the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure.

While it’s natural to seek pleasure and avoid pain, understanding this interplay can be a powerful tool.

Recognize that sometimes the discomfort of facing a challenge or pain of change is a necessary step towards achieving greater pleasure or long-term satisfaction.

By reframing your perspective and realizing that some discomfort is a steppingstone to pleasure, you can navigate motivation more effectively.

For example, if you’re trying to motivate yourself to exercise regularly, focus on the long-term pleasure of improved health and fitness instead of the short-term discomfort of exercise.

By acknowledging that short-term discomfort is a pathway to long-term pleasure, you can shift your mindset and find motivation even on challenging days.

This insight helps you balance the forces of pain and pleasure for sustained motivation.

Action Comes Before Motivation

Action often precedes motivation because taking a small step or action towards a goal can trigger a positive feedback loop that generates motivation.

This phenomenon is known as the “activation energy” of motivation.

Here’s how it works:

Initiating Action: When you’re faced with a task or goal, you might not initially feel motivated to tackle it. In fact, you may feel resistance, procrastination, or amotivation (lack of motivation).
Taking a Small Step: Instead of waiting for motivation to magically appear, you decide to take a small, manageable step towards the task. This could be as simple as opening a book, setting up your workspace, or writing the first sentence of an article.
Creating Momentum: Once you start the action, you begin to build momentum. The act of doing something, no matter how small, sends a signal to your brain that you’re making progress. This can trigger a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Motivation Follows: As you experience this sense of progress and accomplishment, your brain starts releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward. You begin to feel more motivated to continue the task or even tackle more challenging aspects of it.
Positive Feedback Loop: The cycle repeats itself, with each small action leading to increased motivation, which in turn fuels further action. Over time, this positive feedback loop can lead to sustained motivation and productivity.

The key insight here is that waiting for motivation to strike before taking action is not always effective.

By starting with a small step, you create the conditions for motivation to naturally emerge as you make progress.

It’s a practical approach to overcome procrastination and enhance productivity.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself–The Starter Set

Here are some core proven practices to motivate yourself:

Be on fire

By choosing to “be on fire”, you can signal to yourself that you are a naturally motivated person.

By seeing yourself as a motivated person, you’ll find ways to be more congruent with your identity.

While playing foosball, if somebody was playing incredibly well, we would say, they were “en fuego”, or “on fire.”

You know when you’re on fire. You know what you’re like when you’re in the zone and you’re fully engaged, and you are at you’re best.

Sometimes, the easiest way to get back to this mode is to simply remember what it feels like.

Here are some questions to help light you up:

When you got your mojo working and you’re at the top of your game, what do you focus on?
How do you carry yourself?
How do you move?
How do you speak?
How do you breathe?

Do more of that and feel yourself fire on all cylinders.

Bend the rules to bring out your best

If you set the rules, you win the game. If you focus on outcomes, then you gain a lot of flexibility in how you get there.

Part of winning in life and feeling good is playing your cards in a way that works for you.

This requires self-awareness and reflection.

Challenge yourself to play your hand better and to play with a full deck of possibility.

Create some space

Carve out time in your schedule to focus, recharge, and renew.

Continuously find ways to make more space, turn things off, and savor your down time.

Great down time leads to great up time.

Just because you’re in an “always on” world, doesn’t mean you have to play the game that way.

Bend the rules to bring out your best.

Create the arena that serves you

Surround yourself with the people, places, and things that bring out your best.

Sometimes this means going to where the grass really is greener.

Cut the dead wood

Some things just weight you down or bog you down.

If it’s holding you down, then it’s holding you back, so drop it.

If it’s dead weight that doesn’t serve you, then let it go.

In the words of Peaceful Warrior, “Put your bags down.”

Do the opposite

Do the opposite of whatever is not working.

If you’re the one that brings you down, then be the one that lifts you up.

Don’t let anybody tell you can’t do something, or that you’re not good enough

Especially you.

From the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness:

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right? … You got a dream…

You gotta protect it.

People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it.

Period.”

Eat, sleep, and exercise on a cadence

Your cadence will serve you emotionally, mentally, and physically. It’s something to look forward to.

It sets up boundaries that help you unleash your best.

It’s also a way to recharge without going past your boundaries, or waiting until you burn out to take a break.

Empower yourself

Who’s holding you back? You are. Don’t play the blame-game, just own it so you can do something about it.

Really do something about it … Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.

Cut the ties that bind you and unleash yourself.

As long as you’re taking action, you can keep correcting your course.

Find a way

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and if you are committed to the outcome, you’ll find a way to get there.

Get resourceful by leveraging all your resources, including your knowledge and your network.

People will help when you ask the right way, and when you are helping yourself.

Internalize your success

If you internalize your success, then you empower yourself to give your best in any situation.

You won’t depend on the applause or appreciation of others.

You won’t depend on the money, the praise, or the accolades.

One way to internalize your success is to hold yourself to a higher bar, or simply to “do it for a job well done.”

You can also simply take pride in your work, or you can use what you do for growth and mastery.

Switch to the past, present, or future

You can use the past, the present, or the future to motivate yourself.

For example, you can draw from your victories in the past, or great moments in your lifetime.

You can use the future to dream up possibility and inspire hope.

You can use the power of now to be in the moment and savor the experience and be fully engaged.

The key is to use the past, present, or future to empower and motivate your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself to Take Action

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself to take more action:

Act on your inspiration

Use your best energy for your best results.

Turn your ideas into action and find the quick wins. Quick wins quickly add up, and you’ll find your confidence and competence bloom.

On the flip side, your passion can expire, if you wait too long or miss the window of opportunity.

In fact, a common way to kill ideas or momentum is to spread them out over time or keep pushing them out.

If your passion does expire, one way to rekindle it is to talk to somebody about why you cared about it, and that can often light the fuse again.

Build momentum

Get some momentum going, even the small wins count (if you count them.)

The trick is the more you count your wins, the more you’ll have, the more you have the better you’ll feel, the better you feel, the better you will do … it’s a cycle.

Do worst things first

Don’t let things loom over you. Once they’re out of the way, the rest is a glide-path.

Find your flow

You can find your flow by having a clear goal, having actionable feedback, and working on something that challenges you, but where you have the confidence in your skills to respond to the challenge.

If you can lose yourself in your work, you can find your flow and enjoy the power of full engagement.

Finish faster

The faster you finish, the more you will finish.

The more you finish, the easier it gets.

Finishing builds momentum and it’s highly motivating to see the impact of your effort.

Crossing the finish line builds your confidence.

It also shapes your mental model in a way that reinforces your persistence and perseverance.

Keep moving forward

There’s always bigger fish to fry. One way to move forward is to ask, “What’s the next best thing to do?”

Just start. Motivation will often show up, after you’ve started

Don’t wait for inspiration.

The key is to take action and have a bias for action.

There are many things you do, that won’t seem fun or you won’t want to do at first, but once you get going, and you’re in full swing, the motivation will follow.

Make it a “MUST”

If you have a bunch of things you “SHOULD” do, then make them a “MUST.”

We do the things we MUST, more often than we do the things we SHOULD.

Hold yourself to a higher bar.

Simplify it

Complexity can kill motivation.

Simplicity can unleash it.

Switch gears

Speed up or slow down.

Get yourself in gear, and play with your pace to win the race.

Don’t get stuck in second gear.

Sometimes, “it’s slow and steady that wins the race.”

Turn “have tos” into “choose tos”

Choice is powerful.

If you stop saying “have to”, and start saying “choose to,” you’ll begin to feel more in control and more empowered throughout your day.

Many things may not seem optional, but what you’re doing is choosing those over the consequences.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself When Dealing with Anxiety, Stress

When navigating anxiety and stress, two essential practices to motivate yourself include deep breathing exercises and setting realistic goals.

Deep breathing can help calm your nerves and regain focus, while setting achievable objectives provides a sense of control and accomplishment amidst challenging situations.

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself when dealing with anxiety and stress:

Breathe like a Navy SEAL

When you are feeling stressed, the key is to slow your heart rate down.

You can do that by using two different breathing techniques, the same ones the Navy SEALs use:

Combat breathing (or “tactical” breathing): Breathe in through your nose to a count of 4, breathe out through your nose to a count of 4. Continue this until you calm your heart rate down.
Box breathing: Expel all the air from your chest, then, with empty lungs, count to 4. Breathe in through your nose smoothly counting to 4. Hold that breath to a count of 4. (Don’t clamp down and create back pressure. Instead, keep an expansive and open feeling.) Exhale that breath through your nose smoothly to a count of 4. Repeat the steps.

The first breathing technique is simple and you can do it anywhere, anytime, whether in a meeting or on a drive.

The second breathing technique helps retrain your nervous system to remain calm under stress and to naturally breathe more deeply.

Don’t let anxiety or worry get the best of you.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. It wears you down and it’s the death of a 1,000 paper cuts.

Nip your worries in the bud and put your worries into perspective.

For example, use the 100-year rule — ask yourself, “Will t it matter in 100 years?”

Another simple way to get a handle on your worries is to write things down onto one list.

Thinking on paper is way more effective than swirling things in your head.

The other beauty is you can pair up with a friend to help you think through the stuff that bugs you.

Use stress to be your best

Distinguish between anxiety and stress.

Stress is your body’s response and anxiety is your cognitive response.

You can use your nerves to perform better and actually make stress your friend.

By reframing stress as a friend rather than a foe, you can use its energy to excel in challenging situations.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself When You are Bored

Remember that boredom can sometimes be a signal that you need a mental or emotional break.

It’s okay to take short breaks to recharge, but these practices can help you maintain motivation and productivity when you’re ready to get back to work or pursue your goals.

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself when you are bored:

Set specific goals

Define clear and specific goals for what you want to achieve.

When you have a purpose or target in mind, it can reignite your motivation.

Break down your goals into smaller, manageable tasks to create a sense of accomplishment as you progress.

Find your intrinsic motivation

Discover what truly interests and excites you.

Whether it’s a hobby, a project, or a new skill you’d like to develop, engage in activities that align with your passions.

Intrinsic motivation, driven by personal enjoyment and fulfillment, can combat boredom effectively.

Change your routine

Boredom often stems from monotony. Shake things up by introducing variety into your daily routine.

Try new experiences, explore different environments, or even rearrange your workspace.

Novelty can stimulate your mind and reignite your curiosity.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation and practices can help you stay present and engaged in the moment.

When you focus on your current activities without judgment, you can find a deeper appreciation for them.

Mindfulness can transform routine tasks into meaningful experiences.

Seek inspiration

Look for sources of inspiration that resonate with you.

Whether it’s reading inspiring books, listening to motivational podcasts, or watching documentaries, exposing yourself to new ideas and perspectives can rekindle your enthusiasm and creativity.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself When Dealing with Change

Dealing with change can be both exciting and daunting, and maintaining motivation during these transitions is crucial for personal growth.

What you need are effective strategies to embrace new opportunities and challenges with enthusiasm.

These practices can empower you to adapt, thrive, and make the most of any changes life throws your way.

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself when you are dealing with change:

Be the change you want to see

You can change yourself faster than you can change other people.

If you want to change the situation, change yourself and notice the ripple effect.

Set the bar and model the path for others to follow.

Leading by example is a powerful way to leverage the principle of “monkey see, monkey do.”

Be part of the solution

As my Mom always told me, “You’re part of the problem, or you’re part of the solution.”

It’s always motivating to know you are part of the solution.

Call it an experiment

One of my managers taught me this. If you’re going out of your comfort zone, call it an experiment.

This frees you up to try new things.

This also works in an organizational setting to explore and experiment new paths, while getting over the organization’s fear of trying something new … after all, it’s just an “experiment.”

Embrace the change

Resistance is futile, and it wears you out.

Instead, take the bull by the horns, and make the change work in your favor.

There’s always an angle, and there is always a play.

Rattle your own cage

Sometimes you just have to shake things up.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself by Creating More Clarity

Creating clarity can create confidence, and the feeling of confidence can help you feel more motivation.

Creating clarity in your life is like turning on a powerful motivational spotlight that illuminates your path forward.

In this discussion of proven practices for motivation through clarity, we’ll delve into strategies that help you gain a crystal-clear understanding of your goals and desires.

By removing ambiguity and doubt, you can supercharge your motivation and confidently pursue your dreams.

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself by creating more clarity:

Figure out what you want

When you know what you want, that becomes your North Star, guiding light, and ultimate motivator. Clarity helps create confidence in your path, and it helps you focus and direct your action and energy.

Prioritize and Simplify

When you have a clear understanding of your goals and priorities, it becomes easier to focus on what truly matters.

Simplify your tasks and responsibilities by identifying the most critical actions that will move you closer to your objectives.

Eliminate unnecessary distractions and activities that do not align with your goals.

Develop a Clear Action Plan

Break down your goals into a step-by-step action plan.

Outline the specific tasks, deadlines, and resources required to reach your objectives.

Having a clear plan in place not only provides direction but also instills a sense of confidence and motivation.

Reflect and Refine Regularly

Set aside regular moments for reflection.

Evaluate your progress, assess what’s working, and identify any obstacles or challenges.

Adjust your strategy as needed to maintain clarity and motivation.

Reflecting on your journey allows you to stay aligned with your goals and adapt to changing circumstances.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself When Dealing with Comparison Issues

When grappling with comparison issues, it’s essential to focus on your own progress and growth rather than constantly measuring yourself against others.

By practicing the art of self-competition, you can set personal benchmarks and strive to surpass them, fostering a healthy drive for self-improvement.

Remember, your journey is unique, and comparing it to others can often hinder your motivation and satisfaction.

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself when dealing with comparison issues:

Be YOUR best

Compete with yourself and make it a game.

One way to motivate yourself to new heights is to give things YOUR best shot.

When you reach a new personal best and breakthrough barriers, you continuously create and push your mental model further of what’s possible.

Embrace Your Uniqueness

Recognize that everyone is on their own journey, and no two paths are the same.

Embrace your uniqueness and focus on your individual growth and progress.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, measure your success against your own goals and aspirations.

Celebrate Small Wins

Break down your larger goals into smaller, achievable milestones.

Celebrate each small win along the way.

This not only boosts your motivation but also reinforces a positive mindset.

Acknowledging your progress, no matter how incremental, can help you stay motivated and committed to your path.

Practice Gratitude

Cultivate a habit of gratitude by regularly reflecting on the things you’re thankful for in your life.

Gratitude shifts your focus from what you lack to what you have, promoting a positive outlook.

When you appreciate your own journey and the opportunities you’ve been given, you’ll find motivation in the present moment.

How To Motivate Yourself When Making Decisions

Motivating yourself during decision-making involves understanding the potential impact of your choices and aligning them with your goals and values.

By visualizing the outcomes and benefits of making the right decisions, you can fuel your motivation to navigate uncertainty confidently.

Additionally, considering the consequences of inaction can serve as a powerful motivator to make timely and informed choices.

Here are some proven practices for motivating yourself when making decisions:

Decide

Nothing builds momentum like decisive action.

Similarly, nothing kills momentum like confusion and a lack of clarity.

Just decide. Decide you’ll be done with it today.

Decide you’ll set a new bar. Decide it’s time for a change.

Decide this will not stretch out past the week. Decide this month is the month you make it happen.

Decisive action is motivating, it builds momentum, and it crowds out excuses.

There’s no room for excuses when you’ve made up your mind and that’s exciting.

Say “No” to the stuff that drags you down

If you don’t say No, then you’re serving no one. You’re bringing yourself down.

The trick to saying No, is simply don’t make room for it.

Crowd out the yuck stuff, with the stuff that brings you to life

Say “Yes” to the stuff that lifts you up

Spend your time on the stuff that lifts you up.

This includes spending time in your values, and spending time in your strengths, as well as spending time with the people you want to spend time with.

Get creative and find more ways to say “Yes,” to the stuff that lifts you up, and feel your spirit soar.

How To Motivate Yourself with Discipline, Self-Awareness, Self-Control

Here are some proven practices for motivating yourself with discipline, self-awareness, and self-control:

Build your inner strength

When you hit a setback, don’t dwell.

Brush it off.

Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue onward and upward.

Hold the scenes in your mind that remind you that you’re a force to be reckoned with and you won’t go down without a fight.

If you’re going down, you’re going down swinging.

Don’t let other people push your buttons

That takes your power away, and you are not their puppet. Only you should push your own buttons.

Inspire yourself with skill

Don’t let other people push your buttons. But you should be able to push your own buttons.

You do this through self-awareness and practice.

Pay attention to what feels good, sounds good, smells good, tastes good.

Pay attention to the words and thoughts that bring you to life. Pay attention to the people and tasks that catalyze or drain you and look for the patterns.

The more you learn your personal patterns, the more buttons and levers you will have for motivating yourself whenever you need it, in whatever you do.

Stick with it

Sometimes the best way to motivate yourself is to resolve to “never give up.”

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself with Emotions and Passion

Here are proven practices to motivate yourself using emotions and passion:

Be confident and calm

Don’t run around like a chicken with your head cut off.

It’s bad energy for you and others.

From the best athletes to the most successful executives, to the most brilliant poker players, it’s confident and calm that win the game, and enjoy the ride.

Choose confident and calm overanxious and insecure.

Gaining clarity and bringing a good mental picture into focus of what you want to accomplish is a way to be confident and calm.

It’s also very motivating.

Some things in life are like flipping a switch, and confidence is one of those switches.

Decide to be confident and calm to start the process.

Change your state

If you’ve ever had a case of the Mondays or if you’re not a morning person, or if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you know what it’s like to be in a less effective state.

Our motivation runs strong when we’re in a better emotional state.

One of the fastest ways to change your state is to play your favorite music or to lose yourself in your favorite hobby or remind yourself of a favorite story, or read inspiring words that tap your inner strengths and unleash a better version of yourself.

Change your thoughts to change your feelings.

Choose the thoughts that serve you.

Do passion work

As a friend of mine at work says, find a way to do the work you’d do for free.

Do more of the stuff you’d do, whether you were paid for it or not.

There’s always a way to weave that into your job, and you are the one that needs to own this (you know you best, and you know what fires you up, and gets you jazzed.)

Energize your approach

Unleash your inner-Tigger and let your juices flow. Finding your passion in whatever you do brings good things to life. Energy is contagious, and you can be a fire starter.

Link it to good feelings

If there’s something you want to do for the long-haul, then link it to good feelings.

Make it easy to do it and link it to good thoughts and feelings that support you.

A simple way to do this is to play your favorite music, or to find a compelling reason, such as who you are doing it for, or why it will matter to yourself or somebody you care about.

Love the mission

Some people do it “for the love of the game.”

Love your mission, the way you love the game, and find a way to play at your passion, and summon your inner strength to conquer any challenges on your path.

Play your favorite music

Play the songs that rock your world. Play the songs that make your spirit soar.

Use a little mood music wherever you go.

Whether it’s “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” “I Will Survive,” or the theme song to Rocky, use music to motivate you.

Make it easy to make music a part of your ambiance whether it’s at home, in the car, or at work.

Turn your anger into action

Your fury can be your key to fierce results.

Want it with a passion

Nothing beats the pursuit of a worthy and compelling objective.

Proven Practices for Motivation Yourself When You are Dealing with Fear or Failure

Here are some proven practices for motivating yourself when you are dealing with fear or failure:

Change your approach

If it’s not working, change your approach.

Nothing burns you out like solving the same problem over and over, or not making progress on a problem.

Conquer your fears

The Green Lantern teaches us that it’s will that conquers fear.

Another way to tackle your fears is to take away the threat or figure out what the true concern is.

If you tackle it head on, you take away its power over you.

Conquer your problems with confidence

Winning at small problems builds your confidence and your competence.

There are many ways to solve your problems with skill.

The simplest way is to start asking better questions, and to cast a wide net for potential solutions.

Deflect the setbacks with skill

When things go wrong, don’t make them permanent, don’t make them personal, and don’t make them pervasive.

Instead, find the lesson and use the feedback to improve your effectiveness.

Remember that there is no failure, only feedback, and it’s not over until you give up or stop showing up.

Divide and conquer your problems with skill

Chunk it down. Limit the quantity, or limit the size, or limit how much time you will spend on something.

Find a way to chop things down to size and bite off what you can chew.

As the saying goes, the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

You can chop just about any problem down to size, and that’s all you need to do.

Slice it down to where you can start to take action and build your momentum.

You’ll quickly accelerate as you start to see your progress … and just like Who’s in Whoville, progress is progress, no matter how small.

Don’t let fear stop you

A great way to conquer fear is to put the fears on the table and find a way to take away the threat, or prepare for the worst case scenario.

Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” and then to put this into perspective.

Once you get to the true concern, and the source of the concern, you can start to chip away at the fear, and test yourself, while you stretch yourself.

As Roosevelt said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Don’t let it paralyze you.

If anything, use it to take action, and prepare.

Don’t look for excuses

You can always find them.

Don’t play the blame game

Don’t be a victim.

Nobody wins in the blame game, and you take your power away.

Nobody likes a victim mentality. “ Own” it.

When you “own” it, you can change it.

The choice is yours, and you empower yourself with skill.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself with Focus

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself with focus:

Ask questions that move the ball forward

Questions are a powerful way to increase your options, and gain leverage.

You can use questions to challenge your views, and to switch to more empowering mindsets.

Ask yourself, “What’s a better way?”, “How can I jump that hurdle? ”, “How can I have fun while doing it?”, etc.

Focus on one pitch at a time

Treat every task as a separate performance.

Focus on the greater good

One of the fastest ways to lift yourself up is to take the focus off yourself, and put it on the greater good.

You may find a stronger flow of inner-strength, and you may find more cause, confidence, and clarity when you direct your attention to the greater good.

Focus on the numbers

One summer, a friend of mine tried to do pull ups and managed to do one.

This infuriated him. Within two weeks, he could do fifteen pull ups.

Focus on the things that empower you

There are many things you can focus on: the good, the bad, and the ugly, what’s right with the situation, what’s wrong this the situation, your wins, your losses, the journey, or the destination, etc.

Focus on the things that empower you and help you take action. Action is your friend, and it’s your focus that lights the way.

Focus on what you want

Set your eyes on the prize and focus on the goal and the end in mind.

One of the best ways to kill your motivation is to keep dwelling on what you don’t want.

Instead, get a clear and compelling picture of what you do want, and focus on that.

Once you set your eyes on the prize, you’ll find more ways to make it happen.

Focus on what’s working

Nothing’s perfect.

But if you focus on what’s working it can be very motivation, especially when it seems like nothing is working.

Use what’s working as kindling to inspire and motivate more of the right actions.

Point your camera at the things that fire you up

Throughout your day there are many scenes.

You can zoom in or zoom out, and you can pan around to a variety of things.

The trick is to point your camera at the things that inspire your day.

Think in pictures and snapshots, and take mental pictures of the things that make you feel good.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Fun

Here are proven practices to motivate yourself using fun:

Don’t take yourself too seriously

If you do, you’ll never make it out alive.

The more you can laugh at yourself, the freedom and flexibility you have to play your best game in life.

Being your best is a journey, and one of the best ways to deal with the tough humps is to build your sense of humor, so you can roll with the punches, and get to what’s real.

Get your game on

Make it a game. Bring what you know about games to whatever you do, including making it fun, setting goals, keeping the score, using feedback to improve, and using competition to inspire, as well as teamwork and collaboration to win the game.

Go for the epic win

There’s simply no win like the epic win. If you’re going to go for the win, then go for the “epic” win.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Goals and Limits

Here are proven practices to motivate yourself using goals and limits:

Set a deadline

Knowing when something is due, or setting a drop-dead date, can help you funnel and focus your action and attention.

It can also be very motivating when you have a tight deadline, either because you can hit a window of opportunity, or because you know that once it’s over, it won’t be looming over your head anymore.

It’s hard to get motivated for things that are due, “whenever.”

Set a quantity limit

Quantity limits are a great way to chop things down to size.

Can you do one of those? … Three of those? … Five of those?

A lot of things get easier when you chop them down to size.

Set a time limit

Limits help you work in bursts … concentrated effort for a short period of time.

You can use a time limit or a quantity limit.

For example, see how much you can do for an hour, vs. do it until it’s done.

Set extreme goals

Sometimes goals have to be extreme to feel worth it.

Dream big.

Set crazy limits or hurdles.

Set mini goals

Use little goals to get started and build momentum.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Mental Models, Mindsets, and Metaphors

Here are proven practices to motivate yourself using mental models, mindsets, and metaphors:

Be a force of one

People throughout time have done amazing things as one-person bands.

While there is strength in numbers, and it’s a force multiplier, be the catalyst, be the change, and be the producer that makes things happen.

Don’t get in your own way, and don’t hold yourself back from what’s possible.

Change the frame, to change your game

Problems aren’t problems when you reframe them as challenges.

Challenges are opportunities for growth, excellence, and your personal best.

One way to always win in a situation is to challenge yourself with this question:

If this situation never were to change, what’s the one quality you need to make the most of it?

Use your growth as a springboard to new heights and a catalyst for change.

Choose the metaphors that light your fire

Rather than a tragedy or a chore, make it a game, make it a dance, make it an epic adventure.

Model the best

Find the people that set great examples of what’s possible. Use them as shortcuts and as inspiration for possibilities.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Pain and Pleasure

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself using pain and pleasure:

Remind yourself how short life is

One way to give your fall is to remember that nothing lasts forever.

Remind yourself, that It could always be worse

Remind yourself how bad it could be.

It’s always relative. It really can always be worse and you can always find examples.

Change your frame of reference to motivate yourself to take action.

Use a big stick

When all else fails, sometimes you actually do need to use a stick to motivate yourself.

Just remember this isn’t the best strategy for the long-haul.

Use pleasure and pain

In general, we move towards pleasure, and away from pain.

If you’re not motivated, you either haven’t created enough potential pleasure, or you haven’t figured out a way to create enough pain.

You can use pleasure and pain to help stack motivation in your favor, and gain leverage over yourself.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself When Dealing with Perfectionism

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself while dealing with perfectionism:

Choose effective over perfection

Perfection is a fallacy and it’s over-rated.

A better focus is to be effective.

Make it work, then make it right. Think of perfection as a process of improvement and you can version your perfection over time. Focus on “good enough for now” and “satisfice.”

Taking action is a key way to stay out of analysis paralysis and keep your motivation strong.

Don’t worry about the perfect place to start, just start.

Embrace iteration

Instead of aiming for a flawless end result, embrace the concept of iteration.

Start with an initial version or draft, even if it’s imperfect, and gradually refine it through successive iterations.

This approach not only reduces the pressure to be perfect from the start but also allows you to make continuous progress and improvements.

Set realistic standards

Recognize that setting impossibly high standards can be demotivating and counterproductive.

Instead, establish realistic and achievable goals and expectations for yourself.

Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps to make progress more attainable.

Emphasize learning and growth

Shift your focus from achieving perfection to continuous learning and growth.

View challenges and setbacks as opportunities for development rather than as failures.

Embrace the idea that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and a stepping stone toward improvement.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Progress

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself in terms of making progress:

Chart your progress

If you want to motivate, find a way to keep the score.

Progress is a top motivator of performance. Even incremental progress boosts motivation.

This is based on a multi-year study that tracked activities, emotions, and motivation level of hundreds of knowledge workers in a variety of settings.

Count the wins

Your wins only count if you count them. It’s up to you to shine the spotlight on them. A little appreciation, even for yourself, goes a long way. What goes around comes around, motivation is contagious, and, it’s the fuel of compassion that will serve you well.

Reward your effort and your results

Don’t just focus on results.

Success is a numbers game, and the best way to keep getting up at bat is to reward your effort.

Whether you’ve raised your bar, done a good deed for yourself or others, or stuck with something when it counts, acknowledge and appreciate your personal victories.

Here are some questions to ask to appreciate your effort:

Did you show up when you should?
Did you make your plan and work your plan?
Did you do something a little better than you’ve done before?
Did you hit a new high water mark?

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself with Purpose

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself using purpose:

Choose significant tasks that are meaningful for you

Don’t be your own enemy of inspiration and worst task master.

Either choose better tasks, or find a way to make the tasks you choose to do more fun.

You can do this by connecting them to your values.

For example, if you like to learn, then make the task about the learning.

If you like excellence, then challenge yourself to shine.

Choose the words that mean something to you

Do you want to call back a customer, or win a raving fan?

Do you want to do that project, or go on an epic adventure?

The words you use matter, and you can be your personal bard of brilliance.

Strike the right chords with words that make your soul sing.

Find your “one thing”

Do more of the one thing that matters most. Lots of things are important. But one thing matters to you most. Do more of that. That’s the thing to focus on. When you focus on your one thing that truly matters, your motivation and mojo flow in new and powerful ways.

Find your “why”

When you have a compelling “why,” it will inspire you through thick and through thin.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself with Strengths

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself by using your strengths:

Identify your strengths

Begin by recognizing your unique strengths, which can include qualities like creativity, empathy, analytical thinking, or leadership. Self-awareness is the first step in leveraging your strengths effectively.

Delegate or collaborate

In both personal and professional life, delegate tasks that fall outside your strengths to others who excel in those areas.

Collaborating with individuals who complement your strengths can lead to more innovative and successful outcomes.

Set Strength-Based Goals

When setting goals, align them with your strengths.

This ensures that your objectives are in harmony with your natural abilities, making them more attainable and enjoyable.

Achieving these goals will boost your motivation and sense of accomplishment.

Play to your strengths

Strengths are your natural thinking, feeling, and doing patterns. The more time you spend in your strengths, the more you will find and gain your motivation. It’s also a great way to recharge yourself.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself by Teaming Up

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself by teaming up:

Build your band of merry men

Robin Hood knew the journey of life was better with his pals that watched his back.

Surround yourself with the people that inspire and delight you, wherever you go.

Team up to tackle the tough stuff

Pair up with people that give you good energy and help you tackle any challenge.

While it’s great to be self-reliant, and you should be strong as a one-person band, many things are more rewarding, more fun, and more motivating when you team up.

You know you’re a great team when you run towards problems vs. away.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself with Thinking and Self-Talk

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself through self-talk:

Ask yourself, “What would Tony Robbins do?”

It’s a powerful thing when you look through another lens.

Plug in your favorite role model but use them to gain perspective.

It’s a fast way to think out of the box, and to look at the situation through another lens.

If you need more humor in the situation, ask, “What would Lucy or Bob Hope do?”

If you need to be more intense, ask, “What would Bruce Lee do?”

If you need to be more debonair, ask, “What would Richard Branson do?”

Be a coach, not a critic

You can be your best coach or your worst critic.

You know yourself best, and you know how to beat yourself down, or lift yourself up.

User your inner coach for constructive feedback, and give your inner-critic a break.

Change the story you tell yourself

The stories we tell ourselves inspire us or bring us to our knees.

Unleash your inner storyteller and tell yourself better stories.

Tell yourself stories of hope, inspiration, and strength.

Tell yourself stories of confidence, competence, and compassion.

Write a new ending, write a new chapter, and write your story forward, a day at a time, a moment at a time.

Don’t play the same broken record

Find a new song.

Whether it’s an excuse you tell yourself, or a story you tell yourself, or just the way you explain something that’s disempowering, change your tune.

Think the thoughts that serve you

How do you lead your best life?

A thought at a time.

This is where it all starts.

You’re the thinker of your thoughts.

Each thought can help you spiral up, or it can tear you down.

Proven Practices to Motivate Yourself Using Visualization

Here are some proven practices to motivate yourself through visualization:

Connect with Your Future Self

Building empathy with your Future Self involves connecting with your long-term goals and aspirations on a personal level.

Start by vividly imagining your Future Self, their achievements, and the life they lead.

Then, consider the emotions, values, and experiences that your Future Self values most.

Finally, use this emotional connection to your Future Self as a powerful motivator today, aligning your actions with the person you aspire to become and the fulfilling experiences you aim to create.

Choose the scenes that serve you

If the movies you play in your head show you failing or flailing, then play another scene.

You’re the director, you make the cuts.

Create a wall of inspiration

Put those pictures up that show you the greatest things in life and what’s possible.

Get those hopes and dreams up on the wall that remind you what’s worth fighting for.

Put those words on the wall and quotable quotes that fire you up and make you feel alive.

Breathe life into your day with a living wall of the best of the best.

See it in your mind’s eye

“What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.” When you can see something in your mind’s-eye, it’s easier to make it happen.

See what’s possible in a way that blows your mind

Challenge your boundaries by envisioning possibilities that expand your horizons, pushing your imagination beyond its limits.

Explore ideas and scenarios that not only surprise you but leave you in awe of the uncharted territory your mind can uncover.

In doing so, you tap into a wellspring of creativity and potential you may not have realized existed.

Find Your Inner Drive and Unleash Your Greatest Productivity

Motivation is the invisible force that transforms dreams into reality, and the spark that turns challenges into opportunities.

Remember that motivation is not a finite resource.

It’s an ever-flowing river of possibilities.

You hold the power to harness its currents and steer your course towards your aspirations.

From understanding the psychology behind motivation to implementing practical strategies, it’s a quest to unlock your inner drive.

You’ve uncovered the keys to overcoming obstacles, building resilience, and embracing change with open arms.

But here’s the truth: the journey of motivation is ongoing.

It’s a lifelong exploration of what truly moves you, what ignites your passions, and what fuels your determination. It’s a journey filled with both triumphs and setbacks, but it’s a journey worth every step.

So, as you stand at this crossroads of knowledge and action, embrace the power within you.

Never forget that the ultimate secret to motivation lies within you—your dreams, your desires, your why.

With each sunrise, you have the chance to reignite your inner drive, chase your ambitions, and live a life that’s fueled by passion and purpose.

The world is waiting for your brilliance, and your motivation is the key to unlocking its endless possibilities.

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