Get Motivated!

It's great to have big ideas and plenty of plans for the future, but getting started on turning your dreams into reality is the tricky part. Finding the motivation to begin a task is often more difficult than coming up with the idea in the first place. Even if you are excited about the finished results, it's all too easy to put off a task for another day, so it always remains just an idea.

Motivation is the drive to make ideas happen. Some people are very practically driven, while others struggle to get beyond the ideas phase. People can lack motivation for many reasons but, surprisingly, laziness is seldom the cause. Lack of motivation usually has deeper roots. It's these deeper causes which need to be confronted and removed in order for you to progress. So try our tips for putting the spark back into your dreams by becoming motivated and realising your plans.

What's holding you back?

Fear: This has to be the number one reason for lack of motivation. The fear of failure can make you procrastinate over the smallest of decisions so you never get started. Also fear that you don't have the ability to realise your plans in the exact way you would wish. Plans may look perfect on paper but once you start trying them out you'll hit hurdles and problems that need to be solved. So it's easier to never start than to have to deal with setbacks. The secret is that you have to begin. Yes, you might fail. Yes, you might discover the idea was not a good one. But if you don't face that fear and try, you will never know.

Lack of concentration: With social media, emails, internet searches, and a hundred other distractions vying for your attention, it's easy to see why concentrating on one task can be tough. Finding your focus can be every bit as challenging as completing the task itself. The solution is to become more disciplined - there's no quick-fix, you have to switch off all distractions and work for your allotted time.

Lack of time: From the minute your alarm clock beeps until you draw the curtains at night - every second of your day seems filled: so how on earth do you make time for something new? The trick is that you have to create time. Cut out the small repetitive tasks, such as checking your social media 16 times an hour, or let the children watch an age-appropriate film to free you up for an hour.

How to become motivated:

Try these tips and tricks

1. Every morning, make a list of what you want to achieve that day. Break your larger goal down into lots of little, more manageable sections. Setting a specific goal will help you focus and each small task you complete will show you the progress you are making.

2. Find a positive mantra or phrase that is meaningful to you. Say it in your head whenever you feel your concentration slipping. This will keep you mindful of the goal you are working to achieve. Your mantra might be: 'I live in this moment' or 'I'm working for a better future'.

3. If you wake up feeling uninspired or if your motivation dips during the day, try pretending! Sounds strange, but it works. Tell yourself that you do feel motivated and you are going to achieve lots today. The surprising fact is that because you create your own reality, if you tell yourself you are feeling motivated, you will be!

4. If the task ahead feels overwhelming: start small. Take a simple part of what you have to do and complete this first. Once you have finished one thing, the rest doesn't seem as daunting.

5. Set treats and targets for yourself. Complete one section of your task then do something pleasurable, such as watching a film or having a slice of cake. Little rewards are potent motivators.

6. At the end of each day, look over what you have achieved. Ask yourself if everything has gone to plan - if not, then what can you do to avoid the same mistakes in future? Feel proud of what you have achieved each day - this will make you determined to continue.

7. Remember your successes. Make a list of ideas that turned out well - how can you build upon these? Don't dwell on the ideas that don't work out - learn from them then move forward.