I am in the process of writing a book, and lately I’ve been having a hard time staying motivated. (Well, let’s be honest, it’s not only a recent problem!) It’s got me thinking about how we stay engaged and inspired and on track with our long-term commitments.
You may have something that you care about that you’ve been working on over time. It may be your work, being involved in your kids’ school, making a difference in your community, writing a book, or something else. Like many of us, you may also struggle to stay motivated in this area even though it’s something you say you care about and that you know you care about.
I know that I would love to find that one magic way to inspire myself that will always work – any day, in any situation. Yet, this doesn’t seem to be the way it works. In some instances, I find it’s really helpful to create specific clear goals for my long-term endeavors. It will raise my energy and get me in action. Then, when I notice my motivation lacking again, I try to come back to the specific goal-setting approach and it doesn’t seem to work. Ugh! I just want to find a solution that I can go to and have it work…every time.
From the outside looking in, it may be obvious that different times, different moments, call for different approaches. Ok, then, I just want to know what that approach is, in any given moment! Instead, it seems I need to search anew each time. It could be setting an intention, crafting specific goals, talking to others who are passionate about something similar, attending a motivational event, journaling about my passions, stepping away momentarily, pampering myself, envisioning what I ideally want, etc. You probably have others methods that you’ve used to re-energize yourself.
For me, it can feel like hard work to figure out how to get myself back on track. This is a big pitfall. I’m not likely to feel very motivated when I’m stressing out and working hard to figure out how to be motivated. Stressing out. Working hard. Trying to get motivated… doesn’t sound very fun or inspiring, does it?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all-situations solution. Yet, there is one concept that is always useful for me to keep in mind. That is to keep it light and make it a game! When I get all serious and significant – which can be easy to do with a project or endeavor that is important to me – I lose my humor, my sense of fun and playfulness, and my sense of adventure. When I bring playfulness and consider it a game and ask myself questions like, “What could I do? What would be a fun way to proceed? What games do I want to play in this area?” then I’m back to being an explorer and enjoying the journey. Ideas then come to mind. I’m able to proceed in a way that feels useful and fun.
So, for my book writing right now, it would feel fun to have some writing dates with others and show up with a simple intention to make progress. What about for you? What are you passionate about? And, how do you stay motivated?