Staying motivated can be tough under the best circumstances. Whether it involves motivation to get in shape, get your business running, finish your coursework etc. It takes work. So how can you stay motivated when your to-do list runs to four pages, when you have not had electricity in two weeks, when you just got another rejection letter, when the car air conditioner and your washing machine decide to stop working at the same time and you can’t find time in the day to work on your own personal projects?
How to Stay Motivated
1. Set a goal and visualize it down to the last detail.
You have to see it in your mind’s eye first. Athletes visualize their performance ahead of time right down to the smell of the sweat dripping down their faces as they cross the finish line. See yourself achieving your goal.
2. Wake Up Earlier
The early bird gets the fattest worm. I know this is an old saying but the values are true. You get more work done when you start your day earlier.
3. Make a list of the reasons why you want to accomplish the goal.
In our busy, distracting world, it’s easy to get blown off course. This is why you need to ground yourself in your goal. For extra “success insurance,” write your list with a pen.
4. Break the goal down into smaller pieces; set short term goals and rewards.
 A major source of stress in our lives comes from the feeling that we have an impossible number of things to do. If you take on a project and try to do the whole thing all at once, you’re going to be overwhelmed. Break it down into the smallest realistic steps and only do one at a time.
5. Have a strategy, but be prepared to change course.
The more you review the plan, the more you get ideas on more effective ways to solve problems. The plan can change but the goal remains the same.
6. Get the help you need
The urge to be superstitious can come in here especially with us Africans but it helps to tell a trusted person your goals so you can get motivation from an outside source.
7. Deal with lack of motivation.
Some days will test you. It is (almost) inevitable that at some point along the way, whether because of temporary setbacks or tiredness, you will need a little boost. When that happens, I think of what others have endured to reach their targets and keep going.
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up.
 8. Continually check in with your reasons for carrying on.
Don’t become distracted by the praise or criticisms you may receive. Check that your motives are intact.
 
So how do you stay motivated? We’d love to hear from you.