When you’re first getting started with a new goal, you’re excited, inspired, and eager to crush your goals. But before you know it, the excuses pile up – which is totally normal when you’re busy, tired, and stressed – and motivation is nowhere to be found. So, while getting started with motivation can feel easy, the hardest part is staying motivated. But, we’re only human. Even the most motivated and successful people feel uninspired from time to time. Rather than judge yourself, make a game plan! Enter: motivation hacks — the secret to your success.
Ahead, we’re helping you spark some fresh inspiration and crush your goals with these genius motivation hacks. Keep these in your pocket on those days where you’re feeling less than inspired – don’t give up! You’ve got this, and we’ve got you!
These Motivation Hacks Could Be Exactly What You Need Right Now
#1 Determine Your Why
The number one motivation hack is knowing your why. If you want to muster up that motivation, give your goals meaning and purpose. Why are you getting started in the first place? What are your goals, and why did you set them? Get really clear here, and come back to this whenever you feel uninspired. Reminding yourself why you’re working toward a goal (no matter how big or small) can help foster that original inspiration and keep you on track.
#2 Harness Your Inner Child
Remember, as a kid how much you looked forward to things? A quick ice cream stop or a trip to Disney, that one event was all you could think about until it happened. It gave you so much energy and excitement!
Why not tap into that inner child now? If you want to stay motivated, keep it fun, fresh, and exciting. Schedule in something to look forward to on your calendar once a week or month. Something as simple as your favorite yoga class or a fun road trip can do the trick.
Research shows it can reduce stress and boost your mood! And by increasing those happy feelings, we’re increasing the likelihood of more positive decision-making. Yes, it’s that simple. We thrive when we’re happy!
#3 Practice Daily Affirmations
Affirmations work to create new neural pathways in the brain that enforce a particular belief. Plus, research shows positive daily affirmations can decrease stress, reduce negative thoughts, and increase our resilience when unexpected bumps in the road arise. For instance, if you want to build more confidence, you would say affirmations that build your self-esteem.
In this case, you can use affirmations that keep you motivated, like these:
- I am unstoppable
- I am successful
- Today will be a productive day
- I am filled with focus
Say or write them every day for the best effect!
#4 Find a Cool Community
Community is a great way to relieve stress. We’re social creatures, after all! But along with needing people to connect with, we can use our communities to motivate us into action.
Old news, right? Not really!
You can find unique ways of motivating yourself with virtual group workouts, like joining a FitOn Challenge or getting started with our new FitOn courses!
Or, head to the FitOn App and invite your friends to join in on the fun! Work out with your friends from all over the world who can give you tough love.
#5 Focus on What you GET to Do
The best motivation hacks focus on positivity. It’s so easy to get caught up in the negatives, like “I can’t eat that,” or “I’m not strong enough yet.” This isn’t very uplifting, and it can leave us feeling like there’s no point in even trying. However, let’s flip the switch.
Focus on what you HAVE done and what you GET to do. “I get to eat these nourishing foods. I can do this workout. Any progress is still progress!” According to research, simply having a positive attitude and better body image can lead to healthier dietary choices and lifestyle factors that are attainable and sustainable.
Suddenly, you’re rearing and roaring to prove to yourself how much more you can accomplish. Ahhh, the power of positivity.
#6 Connect Your Habits
Creating a new habit can feel like the most annoying fight of your life. So, set yourself for success.
You can do this by connecting new habits to already existing ones. For example, if you want to start meditating each morning, do it around the time you brush your teeth. Place a meditation reminder sticky note on the mirror. Then, every time you brush your teeth (or look in the mirror for that matter), you remember to meditate, too.
#7 Make a Motivation Hacks Folder
We all have those “meh” days, where our heads feel covered in lazy fog. Sometimes, that means to rest. Other times, it means picking yourself up and doing something energizing, like a workout.
The problem? Peeling yourself away from that Netflix-potato chip session.
Again, you can set yourself up for success by planning for these moments. Create a computer folder, email inbox folder, or actual paper folder of everything that motivates you: favorite songs, vision boards, motivational videos, family pictures, etc.
Whenever you’re struggling to get down with the get-down, filter through your motivation hacks folder and let the inspiration flow.
#8 #8 Visualize Your Reality
Just like professional athletes envision a winning game, you can envision what your own win looks like. You know that goal you just can’t seem to muster? Whether it’s losing 10 lbs, practicing self-care, or cleaning up your diet, take a second to imagine what it will be like when you achieve it.
Soak up the sights, smells, sounds, feelings, and thoughts you’ll have when you “win.” Come back to that vision whenever the slug bug comes to town. According to literature, the brain stimulates the same neural pathways regardless of whether you visualize yourself performing a task or physically carry it out – pretty incredible, right?!
#9 Let Go of Motivation (Just a Little)
We’ve all been there. We procrastinate doing a workout for so long that suddenly we’re trudging up Mt. Motivation with nothing to show for it. When this happens, we start to overthink everything, from how it won’t matter anyway to there’s not enough time.
Instead, let go of trying so hard to motivate yourself. Get out of your head and into action. Focus on one thing at a time. And remember — even the smallest steps lead to big leaps.
#10 Commit to 10-Minutes
Speaking of small steps, give the ten-minute rule a try. When you’re feeling uninspired, commit to just ten minutes before you write off your goal or task. Even on the busiest of days, we all have 10 minutes! Whatever your goal is — whether it’s going for a walk, cleaning your pantry, or getting started with a meditation practice — tell yourself you’ll perform it for just ten minutes. After that, you can reevaluate and decide if you want to continue or not. Once you get started, motivation usually kicks in and takes care of the rest! But even if you’re just not feeling it, you can feel good knowing you just put a solid 10 minutes toward your goal.
#11 Applaud Your Efforts & Successes
Be your own biggest cheerleader. Give yourself recognition for all the hard work you’re putting in. All those little things add up — rather than undermining them, applaud your efforts! The fact that you’re even here reading this is a success worth recognizing. Celebrating our achievements not only boosts our confidence, but it also boosts our motivation, too.
#12 Anticipate The Ups and Downs
Even if you use every motivation hack in the book, some days will be harder than others. Try to remember that the ups and downs are all part of the journey! If you skip a workout, splurge on an unhealthy meal, or break your month-long meditation streak, don’t throw in the towel. Yes, you can still do this, and no, you did not “fail”. So, get those thoughts out of your head and cut yourself some slack. Plus, taking a break can be healthy for both your mind and your body. This is tough work, so be kind to yourself!
Motivate Your Mind, Your Body Will Follow
The beauty of motivation? Once your mind catches on, the body naturally follows. All it takes is a little bit of mindset work.
Feeling ready to get down to goal business? Gabrielle Union shared her top three tips for motivation with us. These motivation tips may be exactly what you need to bring out that inner motivation even more.
“Only compare yourself to the person you were yesterday.”
“Visualize what you want.”
“Write your own affirmation.”
