And if you can put these together, you’ll create a healthy cycle. With that, let’s a look at how you can inject more motivation into your life:
#1: Jumpstart Your Dopamine Production
Physical activity is one way you can directly influence your brain chemistry and set the stage for feeling motivated.
Exercise is a great way to trigger the release of feel-good hormones. Aside from dopamine, there's also serotonin, adrenaline, and endorphins that can put you in a state of post-workout bliss.
Don’t underestimate the link between your overall health and mental well-being. These have a direct effect on your level of motivation, so make the time for cardio and other related activities.
But you don’t need to have an elaborate workout routine or splurge on fancy equipment and a gym membership. You can sweat it out on a budget by going on YouTube and making a playlist of basic exercises.
Talking walks is also incredibly beneficial, too. And best of all, you can spend as little as 15-30 minutes a day doing this.
As you keep up this routine, you’ll feel better about yourself and feel motivated to do more. Suddenly, you’ll find the time for longer workouts and start doing other exercises as well.
Try doing it with other activities like watching TV or listening to an inspiring podcast. Also, you can do it during your work breaks to stay energized throughout the day.
Starting with baby steps makes it less overwhelming to get into this habit. Ease yourself into it, and you’re more likely to build traction and stick to it.
#2: Get Inspired
Another way to light that fire inside you is by looking to other people who have the level of success you want. Study their process and the steps they took to get where they are today.
Chances are they have a book, video blog, podcast or some other medium where they teach other people to follow in their footsteps. Reading about their accomplishments and learning their story is an external source of motivation you can internalize.
Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) uncovered a phenomenon where you can create what they call “intrinsic rewards” by observing other people.
When you see someone enjoying what they do, that feeling is almost contagious. So in a way, these people can actually pass their motivation onto YOU.
#3: Get In The Driver’s Seat
Studies also show that the more you feel in control of a task or project, the more motivated you’ll be to see it through. On the contrary, feeling forced to do something drains your energy to get it done.
Most people don’t realize they act like their own boss and crack the whip on themselves. Not only is this approach demoralizing, but it's also incredibly demotivating.
Instead, try this little exercise:
Imagine negotiating with yourself, like a worker would with his or her boss. Discuss the things you need to get done today or this week and figure out what you'd get out of it.
In this dialogue, start off by telling yourself, “Ok, so you need to come up with five business ideas today and choose the best one. Also, you need to do cardio for 15 minutes, either in the morning or afternoon.”
Then you’d say, “Ok, but if I do that, I get to watch an hour of Netflix or catch up on my book… whichever I feel like doing later.”
After you’ve gone back and forth and worked out the terms, you can shake on it and get to work.
By giving yourself options to choose from, you’ll feel more empowered – which, of course, boosts your motivation in the process.
Learn How to Force the Universe to Manifest Your Dream Life
