Motivation

By Lori Scharf

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This time of year, motivation is very important. This is the time when all our goals and resolutions need to be kept in focus so they can become habit. It’s hard, too.

This year a couple of my goals where to write as much as possible and read my bible every day. But, wouldn’t you know it, both of those de-railed in the first week.

Goals and forming new habits is hard; but here are a few of my tips on keeping motivation flowing.

• 1. Motivation isn’t a feeling, it’s a commitment

During the first few days, motivation is easy! You’re still excited about the new year and you new goals. Then things change. Your life gets back up to speed, and suddenly you forget of don’t have time, then you’re behind. It’s hard to feel motivated if you’ve already failed when you’re only this far in.

The thing is, feelings fade. Motivation is often mistaken as a feeling, the high you get when you have energy and focus and feel like you could take on the world. The truth is, that feeling is rare, and if you wait for those feelings to hit every time you step out the door to go for a run, sit down to write, or start cleaning, you’ll never get anything done.

The key to motivation is doing it even when it’s hard or unappealing, and that makes it all the harder. Building habits is incredibly hard, and commitment is the only thing that can keep you going when it’s rough.

• 2. Consistency is key

Although consistency is really a part of commitment, it deserves it’s own slot. Without consistency, your goals probably can’t be reached.

Writing consistently took me way further than any article or course ever could have. As I showcased in my posy Then And Now, A Year In Writing, a year of writing almost every day made my writing sooo much better. Other things like feedback and learning from other writers also played a part of course, but sitting down and writing as much as possible made all the difference.

The same goes for any project or hobby, whether it be exercising, reading, or learning a new language. Consistency matters more than anything. the more you do something, the better you get, and the better you get, the easier that goal is to accomplish.

• 3. Have clear goals and plans to meet them

Setting clear goals and step-by-step plans to reach them is motivating because instead of looking at the mountain of work that needs to be done, you can have a roadmap telling you where you need to be by when.

Writing is a bit hectic for me right now because of our move, but once we get settled I can make a roadmap for my goal of completing 2 novels over the course of this year. However I do have a one year reading plan for my Bible, which is super helpful.

If you can, print out a step-by-step plan of how to reach your goals over the course of this year, month, week, or whatever time period you’re working with! It will make your ride a whole lot smoother.

• 4. Accountability & Community

The best way to reach your goals is telling someone what they are and finding someone to do them with.

This week, over 2,000 young writers are banding together in one community for Crazy Writing Week, put on by the Young Writer’s Workshop. It’s day 3, and we’ve already collectively written over 3,000,000 words and written together for over 4,000 hours. Isn’t that incredible? That’s what community does.

One study by Dr. Gail Matthews showed that groups with clear goals, plans, a community, and accountability were much more successful then groups without these things.

A few other things you can do to stay motivated:

1. Use sticky notes to put daily goals and motivational quotes in places you’ll see them.
2. Pray every morning that God will help you reach your goals for that day.
3. Start small and work your way up to larger goals. This will also help when trying to form new habits.
4. Leave room for off-days and surprises that life throws at you. This will also help you get ahead if you’re on a streak!
5. Celebrate! Reward yourself for reaching your goals, even if their small.

I hope this article helped you understand more about motivation and will help you achieve your goals! If you have any other tips or tricks, be sure to drop them in the comments!

Until next time,

Lori