Don’t Procrastinate, Motivate!
Motivation is literally a desire to do things.
It is crucial to attaining goals.
Motivation is the difference between getting up and doing something or being a couch potato all day.
Whether you want to motivate yourself, colleagues, classmates, or children…here are some proven methods to improve your motivation and to motivate those around you. From setting goals to persevering through difficult challenges, these tips will help you accomplish all kinds of great things!
Set Goals
Goal-setting is one of the best ways to engage others and to motivate yourself. Remember your goal must be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Keep in mind, the goal should be important to the goal-setter. It should be challenging to attain, yet still achievable.
Be a Role Model
Be the first one to jump in and volunteer to do something. Then, get it done! Never ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.
Take Ownership
You, and only you, can control your actions, your mood, and your success. Realizing that you have this control will give you the power you need to take ownership of your life. Will things that you want to achieve, goals you want to reach, successes you want to have come easy? Not always. It takes hard work, determination, and making sure to not waste time blaming others. Instead, take charge of your own world and future.
Celebrate Small Successes
It’s the little things that keep us all going. Research suggests that the best way to drive continuous success is to celebrate the small stuff. Break your goal down into smaller, easier to complete parts. Celebrate the accomplishment of each step along the way.
Be Positive
Being positive and upbeat sends a message to others and lays a foundation for success. There is evidence that your emotion – whether negative or positive – infects others with the same vibe. This is called emotional contagion. Therefore, don’t let others see anything but your can-do, happy, positive, and energetic self.
Perseverance
It is so easy to focus on what we wish we had and didn’t have. The phrase “the grass is always greener on the other side” can sometimes make us spend too much time wanting things to be different rather than embracing what we do have. You may not excel in math, you may not have the nicest house on the block, you may not be able to run as far as others, but what are YOUR personal strengths? This is what you should spend time focusing on instead of endless wishing for someone else’s life.
The grass is NOT always greener on the other side. Do not take for granted what you do have!
Post by: Kristina Knight, FLVS PT Professional Certified School Counselor and Amy La Grasta, Manager, FLVS PT School Counseling Team
Resource: Psychology Today, Cutting Edge Leadership by Ronald Riggio, PhD.
Amy LaGrasta, Flex School Counseling Senior Manager, helps students make informed decisions about courses, career and college options, and the study habits needed for online success. Prior to joining FLVS, she served as the guidance director at Estero High School in Lee County, FL where she was honored with the Teacher of Distinction award.
View all posts by Amy LaGrasta
I don’t agree with the perseverance section. Although its good to be confident in yourself and know that you have talents that others may not, it’s always good to strive to earn those things that you don’t have. Having a bit of low self-esteem in a few areas is motivation to improve those areas, not just ignore them because you’re not trying to earn them.
Amy, thank you for sharing this! So many things in life are accomplished through hard work and perserverence, but there are many who lack the motivation. As a parent to four teenagers, it can be very difficult to motivate my children to work because they get so many things without any effort. My wife and I try to encourage them to set goals and assign them chores, but until they feel the bite of not having material things, they won’t understand that they need to work to get what they want.