introduction
At the start of any journey, we tend to have high levels of motivation; yet motivation quickly wanes when the first obstacle appears. A stalled career path, stewardship of a difficult relationship, or a sudden shock can lower motivation for even the spirited among us.
Motivation is not just an instinct or burst of energy; it is a skill that determines our ability to engage consistently even when the going gets tough. The capacity to motivate ourselves through challenges is an important advantage to us as individuals striving for personal growth and professional achievement as well as to create mental resilience and coping strategies for the new and uncertain times that will be coming in the future.
In this article we will discuss strategies that can be used to maintain motivation through challenges, focusing on three key components: identifying clarifying purpose, establishing a system of sustainment rather than relying on willpower and developing mental resilience through mindset and support.
Creating Goals with Purposeful Intent
Clarifying what your goals are and understanding their purpose provides guidance.
When the work you are doing does not have purposefulness associated to it, you become less motivated to perform that work. The research from psychology shows quite clearly that individuals who are more committed to the goals they are pursuing tend to demonstrate greater persistence and performance. This data indicates that creating clear purpose and understanding the work you do creates a better internal compass to guide yourself through those hard times when faced with uncertainty.
When faced with a challenge, vague goals of “success” or “do better” do not provide a lot of emotional connection for you.
Ways to Elevate Purpose
Connect goals to individual beliefs
Ask “Why does this mean anything to me?”
For example: “I want a raise,” versus “I want to expand my role and take initiative in order to create a positive impact for others in my company.”
Divide larger goals into smaller targets
Individual milestones give people a sense of accomplishment when completed and confirm that they are making consistent progress.
Example of a long-term goal: Start your own business
Example of short-term targets: Conduct market research → Create a sample model → Get a customer
Create a statement of personal purpose
- Using this statement during difficult times will help remind you of why you do what you do.
Purpose-Based Motivation is Different Than Most Other Kinds of Motivation
Most people utilize external motivators such as money, recognition or deadlines however motivation that comes from purpose is internal, hardy, and stays existent when motivation from external sources starts to wear off or when roadblocks hit.
- Develop Systems and Habits to Maintain Motivation Instead of Depending on Willpower
The Limitations of Using Willpower Based Motivation
It is commonly held that people who have high motivation can simply “push through the difficult times.” This is untrue as willpower is a limited resource that will fluctuate greatly when under stress, fatigue and anxiety. If an individual has to rely exclusively on willpower during challenging times, they generally experience either burnout or are inconsistent in their work.
In contrast, the reason you can maintain high levels of motivation for the long hall is because you are relying on systems (e.g. structured habits and defined work spaces) to support your efforts with little energy.
How Do Systems Help With Long-Term Motivation?
Creating Routine Will Help By Reducing Decision Fatigue
Fixed work, exercise, and learning schedules decrease the need to “feel motivated” to do something.
- Design Your Environment For Success
- Remove distractions from your environment
- Put visual reminders of your goals in the place where you will see them most often each day
- Utilise Tools To Automate Your Progress (Calendars, Trackers, Apps)
Focus On Consistency Instead Of Intensity
Research supports that small amounts of repeated action will outperform one-time large bursts of action for forming new habits.
Real World Example:
- Someone preparing for a certification exam may find themselves unmotivated after a long day of work. To combat this, they can:
- Set aside 30 minutes each morning to spend studying
- Utilise a checklist to track their progress
- Stop working on studying after a certain time every night
By implementing this system and creating predictability and manageability around their action, they are able to maintain their motivation.
How Is This Encouraged By Using A System Rather Than Traditional Methods Of Motivation?
Traditional methods of motivation focus on the terms of “discipline” and “mental toughness”. While discipline is important, it is much easier to accomplish tasks by turning them into defaults and taking away the emotional burden of discipline when you use a system.
- Utilise Your Mindset And Support Network To Build Mental Resilience
Why Do You Experience Psychological Challenges?
Most of the time, emotional endurance is the biggest hurdle in your way when you are challenged, regardless of whether or not you have the necessary skills. Common psychological issues include fear of failure, self-doubt, and comparing yourself to others; all of these can destroy motivation, even when you have the necessary skills to succeed.
Using a resilient mindset will help you to reframe challenges as temporary and solvable instead of as permanent and impossible.
Adopting a Growth Mindset to Protect Motivation – Change Your Perspective on Setbacks
When experiencing a setback, change how you interpret it; instead of saying; “I am not good at this,” use the words; “I am discovering and learning what does not work.”
To Convert Frustration into Motivation – Learn to Accept Discomfort and Setbacks
Progress rarely moves in a straight line. By accepting the challenges of growth you will reduce your level of frustration and emotional resistance.
To Maintain Your Self-Motivation – Develop a Sense of Compassion to Yourself
Continuously criticizing yourself drains your motivation. When you are critical of yourself, you reduce your motivation and desire to continue growing, while when you evaluate constructively, your motivation returns, allowing you to continue progressing.
What is the Value of Social Support in Sustaining Motivation?
- When motivation is shared, it becomes easier to sustain it.
- Mentorship provides a broader perspective
- Peer accountability provides a layer of responsibility
- Community connection reduces the feeling of being isolated while facing adversity.
Individuals who have strong social supports are more likely to continue to face challenges and maintain their long-term motivation.
What Makes Resilience-Based Motivation Different?
Most self-help motivation techniques encourage people to be independently motivated, while in reality, human beings are social beings, therefore, support systems are not considered a weakness but a competitive advantage.
calculation
It’s not just about being enthusiastic all the time as you struggle to stay motivated. The key to staying motivated is identifying how your purpose, systems, and mindset work together. The points we’ve talked about in this article include:
- Having a clear purpose gives motivation a solid foundation based on meaning instead of the thought of receiving a reward temporary.
- Creating a habit and system helps you depend less on having willpower, which often can be very weak.
- Developing resilience through a mindset and supportive environment gives you protection for your motivation through emotional/mental challenges.
The call to action
you change your motivation from a temporary feeling to a long-term ability. Those who will be able to stay motivated when things become difficult, unpredictable or uncomfortable in their lives will be the ones that will win in the future. So start now to refocus your purpose, build simple systems, and establish a support network around you–because motivation will not come to you, you need to create it and make it grow.