You've Lost Your Motivation. Now what?

A couple of weeks ago, I sat on the couch next to my honey and said “I don’t know if I can keep this up.” I was in a slump. I felt like I was doing so much for so little return that it hardly seemed worth the effort. We talked through it. It helped to, as we say in French, empty my bag. I know I am doing what I am meant to do, but I was feeling particularly disheartened that day.

It's happened to all of us at some point. We've been cruising along, working hard and doing everything we're supposed to... and then suddenly, our motivation disappears. We start feeling unmotivated, uninspired, and just generally "blah." It can be frustrating and even a little scary when we lose our motivation. After all, if we're not motivated, how are we supposed to get anything done? 

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to get your motivation back.

What causes a lack of motivation?

There can be many different causes for a sudden drop in motivation. 

It might be something as simple as being bored with the task at hand, or feeling like you're not making progress. When we feel like we're stagnating, it can be difficult to keep going. We get discouraged when we don't see progress. Snapping out of that feeling of discouragement is key.

It could also be that you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, which can lead to what's known as "decision fatigue." This is when you're so overwhelmed with choices or options that you can't even make a decision, which in turn makes it hard to take any action.

Or, you're taking on too much. Trying to do too much at once can be completely overwhelming, and can leave you feeling like you're not doing anything well. This is a common cause of motivation loss, especially if you're a perfectionist.

Or, it could be that you're just not feeling well physically. This is the easiest cause to avoid. Isn't it true that when you're tired, everything feels harder and more of a mountain than a molehill? That's where your daily recharge and weekly self-care routines become lifesavers.

No matter which one ails you, you must find a way of working through it, so you can get your mojo back!

How to get back on track

Once you've identified the cause of your lack of motivation, there are a few things you can do to start feeling motivated again.

Bottom line, keep it simple!

• If you're bored, try mixing things up a bit. Approach your task or project from a different angle. Add some variety to your routine. This will help you to avoid feeling like you're stuck in a rut.
  
  
• If you're feeling overwhelmed, break down your tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. This will help you feel like you're making progress, which is key to maintaining motivation.
  
  
• If you feel like you're not making progress, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the details that we lose sight of how far we've actually come. Step back and take that 10,000-foot view, so you can see how far you've come!
• If you're taking on too much, see if there are any tasks you can delegate or eliminate. The goal is to lighten your load so you can focus on what's most important. If you are someone who does a lot for others, make sure you have some clear boundaries in place. Understand what you need to do for yourself first so that you know where and how you can accommodate others. Avoid taking care of other people's needs before you've done what you need to do for yourself.
  
  
• If you are lacking energy and don’t feel physically well, create a routine. A daily and weekly routine will help you stay on track and make sure you're taking care of yourself both physically and mentally. Make sure your routine includes time for exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, and fun. And stick to it as much as possible. The more consistent you are, the easier it will be to maintain your motivation. And if you haven’t been feeling well for a while, consult a doctor, because there may be deeper reasons why you feel that way, especially if you’ve tried many things are they are not giving you the result you want.
  
  

And don’t forget the power of simply waking away when you need a break. When we are go go go non-stop for too many days or weeks at a time, we need a change of scenery! Go do something fun! You remember what that is right…? 😉 Plug yourself in nature. Go ride a roller coaster. Indulge in your favorite passtime. Whatever works for you, go do it!

Use KUDOS to avoid losing your motivation in the first place

How we set ourselves up goes a long way. Having a strong foundation will ensure that you stack the deck on your side, to prevent losing your motivation.

1. Know your why - do you have a big enough dream, a big enough motivation to pull you forward so when you don't "feel like doing it", you do it anyways because your carrot is so big that you can't help yourself? If not, time to get to work. Define why you're here, why you're doing what you're doing. Make sure you have a mix of internal and external reasons, with an emphasis on internal. If you’ve created a vision board, stand in front of it for a couple of minutes every morning before getting started, as a reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing!
   
   
2. Ur goals matter - Be clear about your goals. When we don't have an endpoint, it's difficult to stay on track. Know what your goal is, and work backward. What are the steps you need to take to get there? Make sure they're small, manageable steps that you can complete easily. Don't forget to build in some accountability. It's a lot harder to slack off when someone is depending on you. Find someone who will help hold you accountable to your goals, whether it's a friend, family member, or coach.
   
   
3. Design your surroundings for success - take a look at your environment and make sure it's set up in a way that supports your goals. The saying "a cluttered desk leads to a cluttered mind" is definitely something that I experienced. Everyone's a little different, so find what is going to work for you.
   
   
4. Observe what is going on - start keeping a journal. This is a great way to document your progress, and it can also help you identify any negative patterns that might be affecting your motivation. At the end of the day, review how your day went, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Keep the good and figure out what you can do differently on the bad and the ugly, so you minimize the risk of the same things happening again.
   
   
5. See, acknowledge and celebrate your milestones - Acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small. This will help you to see your progress and keep you motivated to keep going. Have some grace for yourself - There will be times when you fall off the wagon. That's OK! We're human, and we all make mistakes. The important thing is to not beat yourself up about it.

Final Words

So, if you find yourself lacking motivation, don't despair! Just take a step back and assess the situation. There are many things you can do to get yourself back on track. Just remember to be patient, be kind to yourself, and keep moving forward!