Don't Wait for Motivation

“The dynamic urge is a genuine phenomenon of the human spirit in which people, no matter what the circumstances, continue to want to create something that matters to them.” —Robert Fritz

Have you ever experienced a time where you were making a change or achieving a particular goal, and you thought nothing could stop you? When you are clear about the changes you want, you can feel a sense of excitement while pursuing your goal. You are both motivated and determined. It's as though you are on a mission. What happens however, when your motivation starts to fade? What if you lose your initial fervour while taking the steps toward your goal? Does it mean you no longer want to make that change? Does it mean you no longer have the desire to achieve your particular goal? Before reaching that conclusion, it is imperative to have a clear understanding how motivation functions. The theme of what follows is the role of motivation in the pursuit of goals.

Having clarified your goal, you will no doubt feel inspired to make a plan, and proceed with accomplishing what has to be done. During the initial stages, you feel as though nothing can ever diminish your motivation. You are, so to speak, on a "high" and you have found your rhythm. Though motivation fluctuates daily as you move towards your goals, this doesn't mean you no longer desire what you initially set your mind to. If you waited to feel motivated in order to make a change, or achieve your goal(s), you would be waiting a very long time. People are often fooled by their own motivation. When it's alive within them, they never think they are on the wrong path, but when it declines, doubt raises its head, and people begin to question their goals and desires. Sometimes their decline in motivation tricks them, and they easily let go of their pursuits.

I see this issue with motivation come up time and time again with my clients, and I've experienced this on many occasions. A client I once worked with wanted to offer a new service through his business. His company had done the research and knew that this additional offering would make a significant difference to their clients and the company. As a matter of fact, my client had long wanted to make this change, and the timing was finally right. Soon after executing their plan to implement this service, their initial motivation started to fade. Time frames were extended. When I asked if this service still mattered to my client, his answer was a resounding "Yes." After discussing the reason for the slowdown, I learned that they were experiencing a few hurdles and this lowered their motivation. They had lost sight of the value and importance of their goal.

When clients have lost motivation I always ask if their goal is still important to them. Nine times out of 10, they answer, "Yes." Why then, do they lose their impetus? Motivation has a way of making you feel that you are on track. It's addictive in some ways. It's so much easier to achieve something when you feel motivated. When you feel a decrease in, or the absence of motivation consider the following questions:

1) Ask yourself if the goal you initially set out to achieve still matters to you? If you didn't achieve this goal, how would you feel? What would be the impact in the long run?

2) If the answer to question one is "Yes," it may be helpful to re-evaluate some of the steps/actions you're taking. Will changing any of these begin to move you forward?

3) Motivation comes from doing. When you lose motivation, go back to your initial goal, keep your sights on this, and ask, "What is one step I can take to begin to build momentum again?

These were some of the questions I asked my client. Once we looked at a strategy for staying on track, regardless of whether or not he or his staff felt motivated, they implemented their new service in the time frame initially expected.

Reconnecting yourself to the meaning / importance of why you want to achieve your goals can be a stronger impetus for accomplishing tasks then being subject to how motivated you feel at any given moment. Just because your motivation dies out, doesn't mean you've lost interest in your goal(s). All too often, when you come across hurdles, you may experience a decrease in motivation, and begin to question yourself. It's beneficial to develop the ability to pursue your goals without relying on motivation. Then, when you do experience a surge of motivation, it simply ignites us all the more. The key is to stay in pursuit.

One last thought. When you lose motivation, you can often judge yourself. You may compare yourself to those who always appear motivated. Don't get trapped by this type of thinking, and don't expect yourself to stay motivated. Instead, remind yourself of your goals and dream, and remain in conversation about these. Staying focused on what is meaningful to you will guide your actions.