The Key To Staying Motivated

When we think about motivation, we tend to imagine an overwhelming feeling of self-worth and ambition. It’s a burning desire that gives you the drive to go out and accomplish any feat that comes your way.

It can be spontaneous. You might get the urge to do something with your life in the dead of night, or when you’re doing something trivial like washing the dishes. It’s no secret that being motivated is one of the most important steps to achieving any of your goals.

So you’ve got that motivation. Let’s say you set a goal to work out and get in shape. Everything is going great, you’ve been consistent for a week or two. You have been eating right and working out almost every day. However, as time goes on, you slowly begin to realize you’re not as excited to do so as you used to be.

It becomes more difficult to get out of bed in the morning. The appeal of lying down, wrapped in a blanket, becomes more alluring than chasing your goal. The motivation you once had is slowly beginning to wear off.

See, that’s the thing about motivation, as powerful as it is, it’s temporary. We could be feeling invigorated one day and unbothered the next.

When we get that surge of motivation we tend to lay out a plan, a course of action we will take to accomplish our goals. But things happen and it doesn't always go accordingly.

Life has a habit of throwing the occasional spanner in the works to keep things interesting. When this happens, it can be easy to lose sight of our goals and slip back into the ways that we were so desperate to get out of.

So how do we rectify this?

This is where I believe discipline comes in. Discipline is what keeps you grounded, it’s what gives you that push to go the extra mile. On the days when it gets tough and it’s so tempting to give up, discipline is what can take you over the finish line.

Now, I’m not going to pretend as if I’m the most disciplined person on the planet. Like everybody else, I have days where I’m not as committed as I would like to be. Nevertheless, I still think it’s important to try. So, I wanted to share a couple of things I have been trying over the years that have helped me form a more disciplined mindset.

Our minds are incredibly powerful. Our minds are responsible for all the choices and decisions we make. So, it goes without saying that the most important step is to condition your mind to endure hardship.

One of the ways I have been trying to do so is through…

Taking Cold Showers

I’ve been trying this method for around a year now. If you’ve ever taken a cold shower or an ice bath, then you know how unpleasant it can be.

Cold showers offer an abundance of health benefits. Including improved blood circulation, increased alertness and reduced muscle soreness just to name a few. In my opinion, the most beneficial aspect of taking a cold shower is the willpower and tolerance that comes from doing something you would prefer not to.

Cold showers are uncomfortable and it takes a lot to endure them. In the decision to purposely put your body and mind through discomfort, you are building a resilient mindset. A mindset that can be useful in situations where you may feel unmotivated or unambitious.

Another method I feel often goes overlooked is…

Managing A Consistent Sleep Schedule

I’ve always had a problem with my sleep schedule. I either go to bed really late and wake up feeling lethargic, or I sleep in for too long and waste half of my day.

For some reason, it’s difficult to switch my brain off and get some sleep. It’s hard to turn off the phone and stop scrolling through social media. It’s even harder to get out of a warm, cosy bed in the morning.

I’ve found that sticking to a sleep schedule of some kind helps to add structure and routine to my life. Not only do I have to go against my impulses to stay up or sleep in, but I also have an intended time of when I would like my work to be completed.

This also teaches me to remain committed to a schedule I set for myself.

Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever. You don’t have to have inhumane levels of self-control or perseverance. We are bound to fall short every now and then.

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you try. No matter how many times you fail or underperform, just keep trying. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in, and day-out.

Many of us, including myself, wait for the perfect feeling or the perfect time to accomplish something. We tell ourselves that if we could just have this amount of money, or be in this particular job then we can finally set out to achieve our dreams.

There is never a perfect time. If there is, it certainly doesn’t last long. The best thing that can be done is to start. You can start small, extremely small but just start and stay committed. It is not easy but you know what it said, difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”

-Jim Rohn