We’ve all been there at some point. There is a task
ahead of us, we need to get to it and complete it, but we just don’t feel like
it. We need to get off the bed, pick up the phone, and ring our doctor for an
appointment. There’s a social event coming up and there are a million other
things we’d rather be doing, such as shovelling in ice-cream and watching
reruns of Friends.
It’s all okay. It’s all understandable. There are
too many factors that can contribute to a lack of motivation or willingness to
do something for us to avoid all of them. Now and then, it’s established that
this is something that happens, more or less, to all of us. One question
prevails, though: How can we overcome this general lack of motivation?
Here are 10 practical tips for taking action when
you don’t feel like it:
1.
Localize the problem
A good starting point is to uncover what it is
exactly that’s making you avoid doing a certain something. In most cases, it’s
because the task at hand is unpleasant or because we dread going to it. In
other instances, it could be because the initial excitement has washed away and
you’re stuck in the most difficult part – the middle.
“Life is in different stages. Every stage of life is
the foundation for the next stage of life. Every stage of life must be
fully-lived” – Lailah Gifty Akita
2.
Set up the stage
Now that you found the catalyst, work towards
combating it by making your task impossible to avoid. Clean out your entire
schedule, do everything else you could possibly do first, and then you’ll end
up stuck with this one thing and nothing else.
3.
Keep the end result in mind
If we’re talking about something like making an
unwanted call or going to an unpleasant meeting, thinking about the long game
greatly helps. Just think about how short a phone call is and how it won’t
matter at all a few minutes later. If you can’t get yourself motivated or to
genuinely want to do this thing, just look forward to it ending instead.
4.
Find motivation
Not in the literal sense. If we were able to get
motivated on cue then we wouldn’t have a problem that needs to be solved by the
tips in this article, right? Real motivation is finding this little spark that
might trigger your desire to take the action. Set your eyes on someone that
inspires you and use this admiration as a starting point. Pick out the
positives from a task and focus on them to build excitement.
5.
Show commitment
The keyword here is show commitment. If you’re a
person that values the opinions and views of others, your biggest advantage
might be putting your goal out there for the world to see. If you want to lose
weight, for example, publish a post announcing your intention on social media.
Saying it to someone’s face works too, but having it posted online is a lot
more effective. After all, what’s on the Internet stays on the Internet forever.
6.
Make Notes
Aside from commitment with the help of others, you
can also do it all by yourself. Make some notes constantly reminding you of
your goal and leave them in a place you know you’ll read them. Don’t lose sight
of the goal and think about it on a daily basis. This technique will gradually
lessen the weight of your task and it will make it seem more achievable.
7.
Start small
Failures are a part of life just like successes.
Don’t expect a huge result right off the bat. Start off small and gradually
increase difficulty. If you want to work out, start with a short 10-minute
routine. If you have to write a paper, tell yourself that you’ll write 200
words today, 300 words tomorrow, and keep increasing the number.
8.
Find Joy
Find joy in these small successes. Go into the task with
minimal expectations. When you manage to get those 10 minutes of exercise done,
see it as a positive thing. In turn, it will boost motivation and it will make
you realize that your goal is within reach.
9.
Accept the fickleness
Another important thing is to realize the fact that,
no matter how many tips and motivational exercises you will undergo, this is
still a task that doesn’t exactly fill you with joy. If, after a few days of
good work, you find yourself lack in motivation again, this is not the end.
Motivation is like a rollercoaster. Take a break, repeat the previous steps,
press the reboot button, and start over again.
“Your talent determines what you can do. Your
motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines
how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz
10.
Reach for help
Don’t steer away from the support of others. You
might actually need it, especially if you have difficulties picking yourself up
again. The people who know about your goal will very likely be there to help
you rather than to judge you.
The best advice I can give is to constantly keep
your eyes on the benefits, to swap negative thoughts for positive ones. Find
some sort of reward at the end of the task’s completion. If you can’t, follow
these tips and accept the fact that you can’t be 100% committed to this
particular goal, but that it can be done regardless.
What
are some things you do to help yourself take action even when you don’t feel
like it? Please share in the comment section below!
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