From those new to figuring out their life path to highly successful people, everyone has periods of time when their motivation lacks. Motivation is not something that is always in action and easy to keep rolling. Whether your motivation is lacking for your personal life or your career life, It is important to remember that this is natural and can happen to anyone. The issue isn’t trying to prevent this issue from happening, it’s about how you deal with it when it does.
Let’s dig into some of the barriers to feeling motivated and how to overcome them!
What Are the Barriers to Motivation?
1. Lack of Time
We often say that we have no time for personal activities, when in actuality, we often don’t plan our day accurately. If you are mismanaging your time then you will certainly miss out on activities that bring you joy. It is important to develop time-management skills in order to not miss out on social events or activities that can enrich your life!
2. No Resources
How often have you fallen back on “lack of funds” as a reason to not partake in social events or activities? As an old saying goes, “When there’s a will, there’s a way”, so don’t waste time thinking you do not have any options- there are plenty of fun and free activities available! Check out your local Eventbrite site for example and community forums and you will be overwhelmed with options!
3. Unclear Goals
Another prevalent barrier to motivation is uncertainty. Let’s compare two goals: “I want to be successful” and “I want to be a successful project manager in three years”. Do you see the difference? The former is too general, while the latter is more precise. Having a clear vision of what and why you want to do, makes it easier to get started.
Four Tips on How to Overcome Motivational Barriers
1. Explore Your Reasons
It’s the reasons behind your deeds that force you to reach goals and succeed. If you don’t feel motivated, your reasons might not be strong enough to get the job done. You need to know why you want to do it. Why is it so vital? If the reasons aren’t emotional enough, they won’t boost your motivation to move ahead. By diving deep into your intention, you make it more meaningful for you.
What makes you want to do it? What result do you want to achieve? Make sure your reasons get you motivated. Don’t forget about the outcome — imagine it every time you feel no motivation lacking.
2. Get Inspiration from Others
Reading about people’s success stories can really put a pep in the step. If you feel like you are not motivated, it’s helpful to start your day with the right state of mind every morning. Think about what kind of people inspire you. Are they celebrities on TV? Maybe someone from your workplace? Is it a relative that makes you feel inspired? The mindset you start the morning with will shape your mood, and help you overcome barriers you face during the day.
3. Plan Your Life
Many of us understand the importance of planning, but we often forget why prioritizing things matters when it comes to daily life. James Clears, the author of Atomic Habits, said: “Stop waiting for motivation or inspiration to strike you and set a schedule for your habits”.
He believes that motivation flows in actions. For this reason, you must make daily planning your regular habit. Once you know what you need to do and when the things need to be done, you will feel more focused on your goals without being distracted by trivial things. Creating a to-do list helps you visualize your daily ambitions, keeping up motivation.
4. Work Out Your Barriers
By ignoring your mental motivational barriers, you don’t bring motivation to your life. You just encourage this state of mind that slows you from reaching goals. What makes you hold back from getting things done? Why do you procrastinate on them? These and other questions require answers.
You can both have an inner conversation with yourself or find support from outside. Why not work with a life coach? It’s a common practice to draw on coaching when you need a kickstart. A life coach will help you identify your barriers and work them out to transform your mindset and life!
