How to Get Motivated

Sounds simple enough right? Just start doing it and then you’ll just keep going. Oh how I wish it were that easy for most of us. Anything worth doing isn’t going to be easy….if it were, everyone would do it! Whether you are trying to get motivated to work out, to eat a little cleaner, to pay off some debt, or start a new hobby….getting started and building that momentum is going to take some effort. Here are a few things that I recommend for how to get motivated!

Set Goals

“Become a Millionaire by the time I’m 30” is probably not the kinda goal I’m talking about. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great goal! But you need smaller goals set to get you there. Now planning for that type of goal requires more knowledge than I can give you….you may want to meet up with a financial planner on that one! For a goal like “becoming a runner,” start with baby steps. Run 2x a week for a month. Next month, 3x. You get it. Paying off debt? Obviously the end game is to be debt free. So set your small goals….pay this credit card off by October, pay this loan off by December, pay for all of Christmas with cash. Small goals that get the ball rolling!

Make A Plan

You can’t have goals and then just wander around aimlessly hoping they will get achieved some day. Lets say your goal is “to become a photographer.” Well the camera ain’t gonna work itself. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Canon Mark iii. But I have to know how to use it. Go out and shoot EVERY day. Bring friends along to be your subjects (Carson got SO many slurpees as payment when I was learning!) Set aside the time to practice. Set aside time to watch videos/read blogs/attend workshops. Trying to get motivated to work out more often? Set aside the time to go. Block off an hour or so of your time for the gym. Whether it’s before work, on your lunch break, or after. Make the plan!

Track Your Progress

As a photographer, I’m drawn to all things pretty. As a Type A person, I’m also drawn to pretty charts. I went to a friend’s house last week for the first time. She had a chart on their fridge for EVERYTHING. One for exercise, one for budget, one for meal planning, one for the kids chores. She literally watches her momentum with each task build. It is SUCH a great idea! Might take a little more effort to get those charts made (remember the Type A part of me – it HAS to be pretty or I won’t use it), but you watch your progress happen, and that is HUGE when you are struggling with how to get motivated.

Reward Yourself

Now we all know about “cheat meals.” Not something I personally agree with, but to each their own. Rewarding yourself is SO important! Hit all of your workouts for the month? Treat yourself to some new leggings and a new tank top. Pay off a credit card? Go splurge a little. Keyword being little. Don’t set yourself back. Your goals will be different from anyone elses, so your rewards should be too. Maybe your credit cards are all VERY high. Celebrate after you knock off $1,000. You need small rewards to keep you going!

What keeps YOU motivated? I would love to hear some tips and tricks from you =] It’s a brand new week, a fresh start. Get started on what you’ve been putting off!

be silly. be honest. be kind.