Now What? How To Channel Your Motivation After Getting Pumped Up About A Goal
Many articles, books and videos will tell you how to get motivated, or how to get hyped so you can do your best work, but then they leave you alone. You get motivated, and then what’s next?
It’s not enough just to get pumped up about doing something and feel good that you have all this energy. You need to channel that passion and be constructive; here's how:
Shake The Nerves
Whether you’re sharing your project with someone or doing it by yourself, you’re bound to get anxious about working on something that interests you.
This can be both good and bad, as you could be thinking anywhere between two extremes: “This project’s gonna be awesome! I can’t wait to get started!” or “What if this thing sucks? I can’t take the embarrassment.”
Whatever you’re thinking, getting excited about doing something usually gives you a high that, unfortunately, prevents you from getting anything done. So breathe, relax, literally shake yourself if you have to, and start working.
Start Doing!
When you’re motivated to do something, start working immediately. Whether it’s that final essay you need to write, a business you need to plan or start, or a piece of media you need to produce, you shouldn’t let that moment of drive fade. Once you get amped, do something -- anything -- that pushes you to reaching your goal.
Zone In On Your Work
When you start working, you can bet there’ll be distractions. Your cell phone, the TV, Facebook, Twitter, your little sister -- they all have the potential to keep you from focusing on your project.
So lock yourself in your room, put your phone on silent (and face down), close your web browser and hop to it!
Go As Hard As You Can
Every hit of motivation flatlines eventually. Until it does, you need to make sure that you're maximizing your productivity .
Write as many articles, chapters or lines as you can. Code as many pages as you can. Take as many photos as you can. Rehearse your lines as many times as you can.
Keep working and pressing until your motivation high phases out because, when it does, you’ll feel like the laziest, lamest person who ever lived if you didn't capitalize on the opportunity.
Shake The Naysayers
There will definitely be people who are either jealous of you or threatened by your attempt at success and your sudden drive to pursue it.
They will try to discourage you and get you to slow your progress, stop working altogether or even destroy all the work you’ve completed already.
If you allow their opinions of your motivational surge to stop you from going after your goals, then what was the point of getting fired up in the first place? Be adamant about what you’re doing and push aside anyone who isn’t helping you succeed.
Keep Getting High
If you honestly believe just getting high one time will be enough to carry you through the entirety of a project, think again. Every boost fades.
However, unlike with drugs, when your motivation goes away, you tend to withdraw from your goals rather than have withdrawal.
You find that you lose interest in your plans rapidly and, at a point, don’t want anything to do with them. Unless you keep finding ways to inspire yourself and get excited and hyped about that dream you have, you’ll stop pursuing it.
As I said, when you get motivated, it’s not enough to just linger in the feelings of being pumped. You need to do something with your state of mind.
You need to focus on what you’re high for, get started, zone in and shut out the things and people who might deter you from achieving your goals.
Also remember that a one time, quick fix isn’t enough when you’re gunning for your dreams. You need to be constantly getting motivated and pressing to reach your goals.
Photo via Tumblr
