What is motivation? It’s hard to explain but everyone uses it or wants it. It could be useful to think of it as shorthand for opening the gap from where you are to where you want to be. In other words how to achieve your goals.

When you let that sink in your mind can begin the process of working out what needs to be in place. For example a better and more useful understanding of where you are so you can work out where you need to go. (How many travelling couples have fallen out over this principle when map reading to find an address!)

Pressure to Perform
With the current economic climate there is pressure to perform, whether you are in business or an employee. And when you feel under pressure that’s exactly when your internal voice, or thinking, likes to predict disaster or remind you of your shortcomings. This type of thinking makes the situation feel even worse and harder to resolve. A useful habit to build is that of challenging this thinking and a good question to use is: Is that really true?

This works on two levels it makes you aware of such disaster thinking when it happens and because it’s a question your mind is then set a task of finding the answer. From this can lead a more rational assessment of the situation and subsequently what you can do about it.

Where do you Want to Go?

Having done some work on where you are you can now consider where’s next. When I work with clients who want to quit smoking this is a very important step. Most smokers know they want to quit and because they’ve failed in the past their association with quitting is failure and loss of face.

Saying you want to quit will largely mean going without, being punished and having to suffer. How long can you endure this state of mind under pressure and the challenges that pop up during the day?

So not a good place to start. Better to sit down and consider all the good you’ll gain by being smokefree and working out how you’ll get through tricky moments that you’ll meet. Also adding rewards that you’ll enjoy at pre-determined milestones adds to your motivation to succeed with your goal.

That’s how it is with motivation. On its own it doesn’t mean much and therefore a hard state to create and even more difficult to maintain. But with a clear understanding of where you are and a desirable future to move to it’s like dynamite.

Supercharge Your Motivation

So take this opportunity to write down what your current situation is, especially if you view it as problematic. Write without analysis, be in ‘free flow’. Then once it’s all out have a brief break, stretch, take a look outside then review what you’ve written.

You should find that the problem state has already started to change and you have some thoughts about what to do to improve things.

Also you should see more clearly how much of the situation is affected by your style of thinking. Thinking can keep you stuck because it will have you going round and round in circles adding more negatives. Better to have a tool that forces a more rational review of the situation and kick starts that creative part of your brain into processing solutions and ways forward.

Next write out what or where you’d like to be instead. Think of it as a place to go towards and what will be the best outcomes and things that you’ll gain. Again write this out like a brain dump. Now look at the new place and again let your mind start the process of working out what you’ll need to do, or learn or get in place or be doing to get there.

This exercise is great to get your motivation state going. So what are you waiting for?

Want to learn other strategies and techniques like this so you can stay on top of work and life demands? You can by joining me on my next workshop: How to Create and Maintain Your Best Self.