Self Motivation

By Amarachukwu Okpunobi

If there’s a skill you are yet to get now especially as a young person, it should not be self motivation. Yes, self motivation is a skill. Not all who can motivate can get themselves motivated, likewise not all who have the skill of self motivation can motivate others. But believe you me, in all your getting, get self motivation. It is if great necessity to have that which keeps you going and drives your mission.

Many of us find ourselves in motivational slumps that we have to work to get out of. Sometimes it’s like a continuous cycle where we are motivated for a period of time, fall out and then have to build things back up again.

There is nothing more powerful for self-motivation than the right attitude. You can’t choose or control your circumstance, but you can choose your attitude towards your circumstances.

This piece therefore provides some steps in gaining the skill of self motivation.

Start Simple

Start small and start simple. It may be hard to start something but still, start. You don’t need the whole finance, all of the knowledge or even all the supportive hands you wish for before you start up something. Keep motivators around your work area – things that give you that initial spark to get going.

Also, identify your own motivation style, so you can play to its strengths and always stay motivated.

Keep Good Company

Make more regular encounters with positive and motivated people. This could be as simple as chats with peers or a quick discussion with a friend who likes sharing ideas.

Positive and motivated people are very different from the negative ones. They will help you grow and see opportunities during tough times.Negativity is contagious as well as positivity.

Keep Learning

Read and try to take in everything you can. The more you learn, the more confident you become in starting projects. Don’t be ignorant of whatever business, idea or vision you want to pursue. Read extensively and see to it that you have necessary knowledge about it.

See the Good in Bad

When encountering obstacles or challenging goals, you want to be in the habit of finding what works to get over them.Besides thinking positive, building your internal motivation is important to your mental strength as well. It’s not always going to be a smooth ride, but amidst all of the process in the journey, learn something different from every experience.

Stop Thinking

Just do. If you find motivation for a particular project lacking, try getting started on something else. Something trivial even, then you’ll develop the momentum to begin the more important stuff. No other person sees your dreams unless you make them a reality. Learn to dream and make them happen.

Know Yourself

Keep notes on when your motivation sucks and when you feel like a superstar. You’re not going to be in the best place all the time, it’s certainly going to piss you off. Understand yourself, know when you’re not getting it and know what works for you. There will be a pattern that, once you are aware of, you can work around and develop.

Track Your Progress

Keep a tally or a progress bar for ongoing projects. Remember where you started and don’t forget where your going. Know when you’re growing and progress. Be able to differentiate growth and stagnation. When you see something growing, you will always want to nurture it.

Help Others

Share your ideas and help friends get motivated. Seeing others do well will motivate you to do the same. Write about your success and get feedback from readers. Be cautious about this, knowing the people you share your ideas with matters alot. Some are dream killers. Don’t let them talk you into negativity. Nevertheless, don’t stop helping others get motivated.

Once you get to the stage where you are regularly helping others keep motivated – be it with a blog or talking with peers – you’ll find the cycle continuing where each facet of staying motivated is refined and developed. At the end, you may find out you sustained yourself because there were others who were also motivated by what you do.