Unfortunately as humans we don’t have the luxury of constant motivation. There are some days we feel so lethargic it’s almost ideal to lie in bed all day. Perhaps, your drive to achieve your goals and objectives is weakening as time goes by. Believe it or not, this happens to everyone. It’s possible you might experience feelings of stagnation even when you’re steadily moving towards your goals. Motivation is affected by a huge number of factors with each person’s motivation depending on different ones. However, there are some common habits that can easily kill your motivation.

*Please remember this blog post is for information purposes only and should not be used for any self diagnosis.*

With that said, here are six habits that are killing your motivation.

 

• Comparing yourself with others.

Humans have a fundamental need to evaluate themselves and the only way to do that is in reference to something else. Living in a populated world with other life forms which look and behave exactly like us makes it very easy to find the reference we need. We do this even when the comparisons aren’t meaningful. Even when they make us unhappy. Even when they don’t actually make us better, smarter, or more productive human beings because it’s the only way to reduce uncertainty in areas we’re insecure about. Comparing your success with others can sidetrack you and make you lose your motivation. You think about all the steps and effort that you have to make to reach your goals while others seem to have achieved it with lesser effort. This can foster feelings of discontent and resentment. So you end up focusing on these emotions and losing sight of what truly matters. Treating someone as your mentor because they’ve succeeded in reaching a goal that you would like to reach is very helpful as long as you don’t lose track of yourself and your own ambitions. After all, all of your attention should be focused on building your own success. 

• You desire to be perfect. 

Probably you’re someone who is hypercritical about how they do their things. This might cause you to be reluctant to take action on your projects, ideas or assignments because why waste your time and effort on something if it’s not going to be perfect. Moreover, you won’t be satisfied with it. Pursuing perfection can be one of the quickest ways to kill your motivation. Your pursuit of perfection can make you not want to do anything at all. Expecting the first attempt to be perfect and falling short can be demotivating. Rather, start with a rough draft and improve on it until it reaches a point where you are satisfied with it. This will surely move you closer to your goal. 

• Skipping the process to the final goal.

How often do you envision yourself already reaching your goals and succeeding? You most likely skimp on unnecessary steps in an attempt to fast track? Skipping through the process might make you even more frustrated because you still don’t seem to be getting the desired results and of course not having a proper foundation for what you want to be is the perfect recipe for failure. You might start feeling as if your goal is completely out of reach and start to lose faith in yourself. Covering the fundamentals helps prepare you for the journey ahead. When you have the nitty gritty covered, you’re equipped with the knowledge of what to expect and begin shaping a roadmap for the journey. 

• You get distracted and procrastinate. 

Scrolling through social media has become an unconscious act now. In an era where distractions can be found literally anywhere you look, losing motivation and getting sidetracked has never been easier. You constantly get distracted and start procrastinating just when it matters the most. This may delay you to a point where moving forward seems impossible to you. 

Distractions are almost unavoidable but a break is essential. So it’s imperative to figure out when your break is more of a distraction. It will happen from time to time and even the best of schedules can fail. Sticking to a schedule that is less rigid and has breathing space allows you to remain refreshed and is a great way to keep the distraction cravings in check. 

• You don’t have a plan. 

If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. You probably have a clear goal but have no idea how to reach it. Not having a plan to follow can be one of the main things killing your motivation. When all you know is the final result but not which step to take to get to it it blurs your vision. Nonetheless, not having a plan does not mean forsaking the goal. 

Alternatively, it helps to start with small achievable goals that you think will move you one step closer to your final goal. When you overcome these small hurdles that you set yourself, it will boost your confidence and motivation. 

• You neglect your health. 

How often do you pull all nighters? How much priority do you put on your health? Not being in a proper health condition can easily kill your motivation. When your body does not have the energy necessary for you to do tasks how can you then take steps towards your goals and objectives? Your mind and body need to be in sync for your plans to work. This can be very demotivating because you feel like you have the right mindset and the right intentions but your body can’t keep up. Prioritising your health be it through your diet and your daily routines will not only help with your motivation, but also improve every single area of your life. Finding the right motivation is a highly relative process. It’s normal to run low on it at times. What matters is that you don’t let it run dry. 

These points mentioned aim to show the general direction to consider when you feel you’re running low on motivation. These are intended to steer you in the direction of the appropriate places you should look into. 

There is no magic spell that works for all. Rather, it’s dependent upon how these can be customised to suit your own needs. 

What are some ways you refill your motivation levels? Leave a comment down below about your experiences and please feel free to share any thought you have as well. If you like this blog post please do well to hit the like button.