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How do I independently motivate myself?

150 Answers
Last Updated: 05/12/2022 at 1:16pm
How do I independently motivate myself?
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Moderated by

Tanyia Hughes, Adv Dip Psy

Psychotherapist

I have been through a lot in life too, which helps me to be able to empathize with situations, thoughts and feelings that we have. Sometimes, it's not easy just being human.

Top Rated Answers
Profile: Kilali
Kilali
July 27th, 2016 5:01am
By confession and repetition. Ever heard the line, 'tell yourself a lie enough times and you start to believe it's true'. Well the same logic applies here. Make it a must to constantly remind yourself that 'You can do it' and 'You are worth it' and soon you start to believe it. This causes you to act differently. You start to feel like 'you can do it' and 'you are worth it'.
Profile: Greatlistener87
Greatlistener87
July 8th, 2016 2:47am
Tell yourself that you want to achieve all that you want to achieve and reward yourself whenever you achieve something that you really wanted to achieve.
Profile: insightfulPerspective50
insightfulPerspective50
July 15th, 2016 6:29am
Write down your end goals but more importantly WHY you want to achieve this goal. For example if you want to start eating healthy, write down what your ideal end goal would look like. It could be to look your best, feel your best etc. This could apply to anything. Make sure there is a way for you to be reminded of this on a daily basis. For example, write a note in front of your mirror in the morning. But always make sure to take care of yourself as well. Don't get discouraged if you make mistakes. Just pick up and try again :)
Anonymous
July 9th, 2016 9:47pm
Write down your goals and try to achieve them. When you achieve them, be proud or yourself!
Profile: competentBlueberry60
competentBlueberry60
October 13th, 2017 2:50pm
Well you could start by setting small attainable goals for yourself, take action to achieve them and consequently reward yourself for achieving it and the next time aim marginally higher and follow the same cycle of rewarding yourself. Once you get into this cycle you'll form a good habit that needs to be kept up routinely.
Profile: fruitySunset76
fruitySunset76
November 5th, 2017 10:16am
Look for things that make you happy. Find things that motivate you to get out of bed in the morning, or start that school assignment, or do some exercise of whatever it is. Create a goal and work towards that. Don't make it too unrealistic but make sure that it's something you actually want to work towards. Just find something you love and that you're happy with and use that to motivate yourself to do things.
Anonymous
August 17th, 2016 8:33am
I motivate myself by watching motivational videos and by browsing images of motivational quotes, also some courses regarding positive psychology can be of great help
Anonymous - Expert in Exercise Motivation
September 22nd, 2016 2:24am
If you are trying to do a project and it is immense, try breaking the project into smaller steps and doing those one at a time instead of tackling the project as a whole. If you are having trouble motivating in general, try making little goals for yourself. Silly goals are helpful because the act of getting up and doing stuff helps motivate us in the long-term and we still feel good when we accomplish tehm. Set goals for yourself like "Walk around the building today," or "Look out of the window today," or "Do one chore today." It's hard to be motivated when we see the full list of everything we ever want to do in our heads, or even just the daily list of things we want to do can be overwhelming sometimes: smaller steps will help to motivate.
Profile: talkswithariba
talkswithariba
October 23rd, 2020 1:51pm
This can be difficult. Not having a support system around you can make it difficult to stay motivated. But it's not impossible, because the only person that can really motivate you, is you. Consider reminding yourself of your goals when you're feeling down. Watch motivational videos if you're interested in those. Celebrate your little "wins" so you stay on track and motivated towards your goals. In addition, try not to put too much burden on yourself - one step at a time - because it might exhaust you out you'll be burnout in no time. Lastly, trust yourself and the process.
Profile: Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Sunisshiningandsoareyou
October 24th, 2020 11:10am
Time and again, we face many obstacles on our path and journey towards some goals we are trying to achieve, and while it's okay to rely on external motivation, the real deal is when one is self motivated, when the motivation comes from within, we really try our best to achieve those goals. One can independently motivate themselves by reminding them what makes the goal so important for them, is it something they really look forward to and want to achieve , if the answer's Yes, You got your own motivation, the task itself , the impact that task or goals might have in our lives determine how willing we are to achieve it and if that's something important and crucial to us, We got this necessary motivation to keeep going till we complete that task or achieve that goal ! Positive affirmations and rewards on small victories, works well too ❤🌻
Profile: Psychiatrist101
Psychiatrist101
August 18th, 2016 6:27pm
By breathing and maintaining a calm state of mind. Enjoying life to the fullest and taking obstacles head on.
Profile: stream26
stream26
October 18th, 2019 9:15am
One thing at a time. Make a goal. And then keep a daily log of actions you take to achieve that goal. I like to keep it simple, and just write down what I worked on, and how long I worked on it. Then a month from now, even if you haven't yet achieved your goal, you'll be able to review the log and actually see how you've progressed. You'll be amazed when you add up the hours, and seeing how far you've come will motivate you further and give you faith in the process that you're developing. Keeping the log will help you find out what is and isn't working. And when you see that the log has a few blank days in a row, that should motivate you to get back to work.
Profile: Bookiie
Bookiie
January 8th, 2021 3:42pm
Everybody has a different way they get motivated. And to find a way that works for you, we need to look a bit into various aspects of motivation. There is intrinsic (the one where you are motivated because you are interested or enjoy doing something) and extrinsic (the one where you are motivated with something outside your interests as some kind of award (money, compliments from others, etc.) or expectations of society and other). It would be great that we all have intrinsic motivation without the need for outside awards, but let's be real, most of the things we have to do aren't that enjoyable and intersting. So for the beginning of the motivational process, I'd recommend experimenting with various external factors to find what award system is suited to you. For example, if you struggle with motivation for studying some experts recommend making studying fun (e.g. making a song out of the material you need to learn) or rewarding yourself with something sweet after you finish let say 50 pages. If you have no idea what rewards to use, try getting to know the topic a bit more, and also it is possible to google "how to motivate myself to ___"
Profile: BritBry
BritBry
January 15th, 2021 5:46pm
Sometimes I find it very hard to start something. I basically trick myself to start "playing around" with it. So, if I have a big writing project, I'll take a piece of paper and create some "bubbles" of ideas. Or if I have a creative project I'll look at some books that might be inspiring. I then find that I keep going. Launching right into the meat of things can be too intimidating. As a creative, breaking things down into little pieces doesn't always work either (though it's a good practice). I find just saying to myself, well, give it a go for a few minutes helps.
Anonymous
April 29th, 2018 3:09pm
Affirmations.Because we or our brain works in patterns only and patterns are always formed by repetitions. It may sound funny or boring but every word you day to yourself matters. Every scene you can imagine in your head creates a little chemical change inside you. I am not talking about external words or picture. Make your affirmations what you wanna achieve or motivate urself about. Repeat it, write it, record it, write on ur wallpaper, wall, mirror everywhere you can.!
Profile: Sugary10
Sugary10
September 9th, 2020 2:04pm
You have to set a particular perception for yourself and dedicate your motivation from everything you love without minding others opinion. Because in the first plase it is your life, it's your journey and what comes ahead of you will always depends on your decisions. Motivates yourself to become the best of you and do not let out side forces interferes with the goal you've set. You need to consider all the challenges, conflicts and problems in life as a process for you to grow more independently. You have to motivate yourself in order to keep your emotional and physical well-being cooperates with one another. Life maybe cruel, atleast you are motivated enough to live for it.
Profile: optimisticPink84
optimisticPink84
January 9th, 2019 7:57pm
If you want to motivate yourself to reach a certain goal, I'd always suggest to ask yourself the question: Why do you want to reach this goal? What is the feeling you want to achieve by reaching the goal? The answers to those questions can also give you new ideas, on what you really want and why you're doing what needs to be done to achieve it. Furthermore, if your goal is a very big one, it can make sense to break down the big goal into smaller step-by-step goals that are faster and easier to achieve. This way you take one step at a time and it it easier to see yourself making progress and being motivated to take the next step.
Profile: hope0207
hope0207
August 7th, 2020 6:29am
hello! to independently motivate yourself, you need to think about what you really want. are you satisfied with yourself right now? if not, then WHO do you want to be? once you've identified what you want to achieve, think about how you can get there. appreciate yourself for all the things that you're good at, even if it's something really tiny. thank yourself for taking care of YOU. maybe try writing a letter to yourself where you pen down all your good qualities. exercise, do what you love. do things that are good for you, practice a little self-care, too
Profile: Curious5789
Curious5789
August 1st, 2020 10:54pm
Motivation is very hard to get when anyone is just starting out. So I believe the best way is to get an external resources to help me out. I listen to motivational speech, videos, and podcasts to help me out. There are may ways to go about this but I feel these are the most efficient. Another tip would be making your bed. I know it sounds trivial but when I make my bed in the morning that is already one thing off my checklist for what I have to do that day. Hope this helps, thank you.
Anonymous
July 29th, 2020 8:55pm
There's something called internal motivators that help us with motivation that comes within yourself versus an external motivator that comes from an outside source Like an incentive. Positive thinking is powerful and telling ourselves to do something for it's own benefit has an impact. For example, doing something that you don't necessarily want to do but you do anyway, because you know it'll make you feel accomplished. Another way is to make something meaningful, find a purpose in your actions. Keeping those thoughts in mind will help motivate oneself independently, and of course the more you do it the better you get
Profile: serenityking25
serenityking25
June 17th, 2020 12:14am
Watch Youtube videos about your goals. Watch videos that show people achieving those goals. It doesn't even have to be a major life-changing goal-centered video; it can simply be a night routine to get you started on feeling a bit better and productive about your day. It's hard finding that bit of motivation but once you see others doing the same, it can help start a change inside of you. It makes you feel as if you aren't alone and you're not. It may help you find that connection and get you started on things. Don't be discouraged if certain things don't work for you. There's a multitude of other things that can work and help. The path is never easy but the journey teaches you a lot both about yourself and the world around you.
Anonymous
May 24th, 2020 7:39pm
Something that worked for me was to start reading self help books, listen to motivation podcasts, and listen to up beat music that has independent vibes. If you're on social media, you can follow motivational accounts so you have that support always at hand. Try to start the day with a few stretches, a deep breath, look in the mirror and say "I got this, and nothing can stop me!" because it's true! Confidence is a long process for some, but i completely believe in you and so does everyone on 7 cups. Live your life to the fullest, because everyone falls occasionaly- that makes us human. Cut out any toxic people and bad habits, because they will drag you down with no mercy. Fear is useless, seize the day and make it yours.
Anonymous
May 22nd, 2020 3:45am
Motivation is something that guides us through thick and thin, and sometimes it's hard to follow through with it, but it helps when you think about the outcome and how rewarding the process is. Also take time to reflect upon yourself and self-care, keep your mind positive and love yourself, build confidence within you. Motivation is not only about the goals and dreams for our future, but also for ourselves personally. It also helps you see life from a different point of view, and you discover something new about yourself and the world everyday, it's the beauty of life in one of its purest forms.
Profile: cal1860
cal1860
May 16th, 2020 12:06pm
Identify what you want to do - your goal. It might be getting motivated to take a shower. You're at the start (point A), having the shower is the goal (point B). Make a short list of the steps needed to get from point A to Point B. For example, step 1 could be get out of bed; step 2 could be turning the shower on to warm up; step 3 could be getting ready, and so on. If you can't do the whole series of steps, try doing them one at a time. This will build your motivation through giving a sense of accomplishment at each step. Don't think of yourself as a failure for not doing all the steps at one try. Be kind and gentle with yourself and take things slowly. I found this method worked when I had severe depression. I found my mind would only focus on the moment I was in, I couldn't plan ahead for even the next minute. It helped me build up my motivation to do other things.
Profile: whimsicalFish8566
whimsicalFish8566
May 15th, 2020 2:10am
To motivate myself, I like to write things down. If I am able to see what I would like to accomplish on a list it holds me accountable for what I want to do. Writing things down turns ideas into reality. If I just think about doing something it becomes easy to push it to the back of my brain and forget about it. When I write things down I am able to cross them off once I have completed them. I find it very fulfilling to be able cross items off of a list. It makes me very excited when I am able to cross another completed task off.
Anonymous
April 19th, 2020 6:29pm
Motivation is a hard thing some times. You have to set a goal. Set an immediate goal (achieve that day) something simple and very easy to achieve nothing is too small. Set some short term goals (achieve in a few days or weeks). Set a long term goal (achieve in a few months) this will help in keeping you motivated. When you have that long term goal make a vision board things you want to achieve and some inspirational words or quotes. Make your goals for you. If it help tell someone about your goals have them ask you about it every so often to keep you accountable or lend dome support when you need it.
Anonymous
April 9th, 2020 10:22am
Motivation can be a very difficult thing. For me personally I have to motivate myself to workout everyday and try eat healthier. These are situation that I find hard. I try to think about the my reasons for trying to be healthier and I also give myself goals so I can celebrate my small achievements on the way to my end goal. Think positively about your motivation. Set a plan for yourself and don’t worry if you find yourself straying from the plan every now and then. Just remember why you wanted to set that goal for yourself in the first place.
Profile: Omnipresent
Omnipresent
March 28th, 2020 9:07pm
I try reading about the lives of people whom I admire and then try to find inspiration from their stories. I also believe that no one is perfect, which enables me to keep on improving. There is nothing in this world that can stop me if I get going. The only real problem is that starting point. Just like friction keeps on increasing untill it reaches a maximum value after which the body starts moving inspite of the friction, we too are made in an analogous way. All we need to do is to find that tipping point somehow, however far that might be.
Profile: littlelittlelove
littlelittlelove
May 15th, 2019 5:50am
I independently motivate myself by doing something good for another person. Whether it is lending a helping hand, volunteering, or sharing something with a friend; I like helping out and seeing someone else smile because of what I have done for them is very pleasing and uplifting to the soul. I like knowing that I am appreciated. Especially in today's society there is so much going on whether people take each other the wrong way or people tend to argue; there is just so much jealousy and anger and animosity between people who could simply get along if they only communicated with one another and serviced each other.
Profile: Saturnstars
Saturnstars
February 20th, 2019 9:43am
The biggest step is to go outside your comfort zone. Do something that you don’t normally do. Go somewhere you’ve never been. Wear an outfit you’ve been thinking about wearing for ages but was a little nervous. Talk to friends about motivation and maybe you can come up with a plan together. Make a goal to go for a walk everyday so you feel like you’ve still done something that makes you feel successful. It’s important to take care of yourself and be slow. Drink lots of water as this will help clear your mind. You’ll do great! Just let yourself breathe!