The 3-Step Magical Formula to Find & Keep Motivation

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution and given up on it by the end of January?

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

Studies show that more than half of the people who make resolutions fail at achieving their goals. Many of us make resolutions, like “I want to get fit”, but by the end of January, we are back to our old habits, and the cycle repeats each year. Why is this the case? What is stopping us from accomplishing our resolutions and goals?

One of the major things that holds us back from learning something new, starting a new habit and staying on track, is lack of motivation. Finding motivation and staying motivated can be difficult. It is very easy to lose motivation, especially if you do not see any results or rewards, but it is important not to feel discouraged. The key is to know what motivates you so you can find the best ways for you to accomplish your goals and achieve what you want.

First, what is motivation?

Motivation is the desire and the drive to accomplish something. It initiates, guides and retains behaviours that are goal-oriented, and causes you to act upon those behaviours. Motivation is essential for creativity, productivity and purpose.

In this article, I will share three simple tips to find what motivates you and keep that motivation going until you achieve your goals.

1. Understand the “WHY”

Imagine your boss sends you an email on Friday evening, telling you to prepare a comprehensive report with lots of data, and have it ready by Monday morning. There is no information about why the report is needed and why you should be working on it over the weekend. How will you feel? Will you be excited and motivated to work on it, and put in your best effort? Or will you be exasperated that you have to work on the weekend for no specific reason? Studies show that when you are clear about the reason for doing something, you naturally find more energy and motivation to be more productive.

Knowing the reason why you want to achieve a goal is essential to your success. When I got my first temporary job as a Payroll Clerk (without any payroll education), my manager assured me that if I achieved certification, I would be hired as a Payroll Administrator. This assurance, plus my ambitions of building a career, became the reasons why I was motivated to learn while working full time. Balancing studying and working while taking care of my duties at home was challenging and at times exhausting. However, I kept reminding myself of the reason why I was doing it, which kept me motivated until I graduated with the Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP) certificate. As promised, I was hired and grew my career with the company while learning continuously.

When you initially set your goal and you do not clarify the reason, it will be hard for you to keep on track to accomplish your goal. Most likely you will drop the ball and give up on the goal completely. However, if you understand the “why” of your goals, you will keep reminding yourself of the reason and this will be your motivation for continuing and staying on track. You can apply this tip to anything you want to do, especially if you want to make a change in your life, learn something new or get rid of a bad habit. You will realize that your reason is often more motivating than the task itself, so focus more on the “why”, and strengthen your motivation. For example, “I go for a walk every morning because I want to reduce my cholesterol”; Or, “I wash my dishes every night because I want a clean house”.

2. Piggy Back on Your Favourite Rituals

This tip is great especially for repetitive or long term goals. For example, if your goal is to write a book, you will first need to break this goal into smaller tasks, such as writing a few pages at a time. This type of goal will take a long time to finish, and it is very easy to lose motivation along the way. Perhaps you are too busy, you don’t have time or your ideas are not flowing when you want them to.

The trick to stay motivated with recurring or long term goals is to pair them with your favourite ritual – something you already do and enjoy every day. For example, if you enjoy your morning coffee time, or afternoon tea time, you can piggy back on this ritual by writing a page or two while having your coffee or tea. This is what I did when I was studying; I would read a chapter or make notes while having my coffee. As time goes by, the ritual of enjoying your beverage will motivate and mentally prepare you to continue working on your project daily without losing focus or getting frustrated, and it will become habitual.

3. Reward Yourself

Everyone likes to be rewarded, and rewarding yourself naturally motivates you to do more, to be better, and to keep going. Remember to reward yourself and celebrate your achievements at every step of your journey. If your goal is too big, break it down into smaller, more achievable tasks and reward yourself every time you accomplish a small task. For example, if your goal is to write a book, break it down into writing two pages a day, and reward yourself at the end of each week, or when you complete a chapter. For example, when I was doing my courses, every time I passed an exam, I would reward myself with an indulgent dessert!

Rewarding yourself does not have to be anything complicated or expensive. Simply do something that you enjoy, or buy something nice for yourself. For example, go out for breakfast, enjoy a gourmet dessert, watch your favourite movie, or get a massage. The idea is to do something that will make you feel good, which will in turn keep you motivated to stay on track with your goal until you accomplish it.

Motivation is the key to learning new skills, adopting good habits and accomplishing your goals. Be specific and clear about the reason for your goals. Your reason will be your motivation and driving force behind your actions and behaviours, which will lead you to accomplish your goals. Break down your goals into smaller tasks and pair the task with your favourite ritual so that it becomes a habit and you enjoy doing it. Finally, remember to reward yourself every time you accomplish a task.

“A goal gets us motivated, while a good habit keeps us stay motivated” – Aristotle.

Have you learned something new or started a good habit recently? What motivated you to start, and what is your motivation to stay on track? Please share in the comments below.