Tips on how to stay motivated and keep going on the path to achieving your goals — because we all get a little side-tracked from time to time.

I suppose it goes without saying: life has its ups and downs. Turns out, personal motivation in following your dreams does too.

Whether it’s your fitness routine or buckling down to tackle your to-do list, that burning fire of inspiration isn’t exactly boiling all the times, is it? No, in fact some days it’s barely more than a simmer. As nice as it is to take a rest and give ourselves time for the inspiration to come back, sometimes that’s just not possible. Sometimes we have deadlines to meet or other times we just have to stop making excuses and get down to it.

Goals and dreams do also need chick-ins along the way. And while checking in with yourself, there’s no better time than the present to discuss how to stay motivated!

Be honest with yourself.

Are you on the right track?

Are you slipping behind?

Or, have you given up completely? (Gosh, I hope not!!)

How to Stay Motivated?

Million dollar question, right? I’m certainly not a pro on the subject but when it comes to my 9-to-5 life and the work I do for Dream in Lace, I have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that help me get back on track with my motivation is running low.

These tips on how to stay motivated might also ignite a spark to reenergize your self and get going again!

Down below, find my five top tips on how to stay motivated – whatever your personal goal may be. 

 

1. Scope Out Your Surroundings

First off in our discussion of how to stay motivated I want to point out the importance of checking in on the world around us.

Whether that’s reading an industry blog or website, perusing magazines, watching the news, talking to a friend or even getting outside for a while – taking in our surroundings can really do wonders to spark that interest back up. Sometimes we all get so caught up in our own headspace that we need a little bit of a reality check.

2. Find Your Tribe

The internet is a beautiful place with infinite opportunities to help you connect with the right people! Sites like MeetUp.com are loaded with local meet-ups of just about every interest you can think of. And don’t ever forget about the value of LinkedIn.

Similarly, seminars and networking events in your area of interest are happening all the time. Hop onto Google and do a little digging on what’s out there and I’ll think you’ll be amazed to find some really great opportunities in your own backyard. Want to go a step further? Join a professional network in your industry.

I work in communications and am a big fan of IABC (International Association of Business Communication). A professional network will introduce you to those working locally in your industry as well as continuing education opportunities, job leads and more.

Struggling to carve out the time – or cash- for a seminar or professional network dues?

Webinars are happening literally every day and are often free!! Then, there’s podcasts! These free gems offer excellent food for thought on every topic you can think of. There’s also YouTube and a more recent discovery of mine? Skillshare. On Skillshare verified experts lead on-demand workshop classes. From software to photography to cooking to digital marketing, it’s essentially like Netflix — for skills!

No matter what avenue you take, the point is to surround yourself with like-minded people to feed off their energy and get inspired with new ideas. When it comes to figuring out how to stay motivated, a big part of that can truly be as simple as checking in with those who are chasing similar goals as you.

3. Take a Walk Down Memory Lane

Sometimes, taking a look back is the best way to move forward. Okay, that sounds like a kooky tip for how to stay motivated — but it surprisingly works!

Hit the pause button and take a look BACK at old projects, writings and reports you’ve worked on through the years. When you look back at where you were at an earlier stage in your professional development, you’ll likely be struck by just how much progress you’ve made and start to better appreciate where you are now. (You might also stumble across a few things that make you *cringe* in embarrassment for your younger self…which is all good because it shows how far you’ve come!)

Realizing the direct impact of your hard work paying off is the ultimate reward and when you see it with your own yes? Priceless!

4. Discover a Power Anthem

Recently, I had a pretty rubbish day and when I got in the car…the radio was playing Uprising by Muse. It seemed cosmic, because 1) I rarely listen to the radio and 2) it spoke straight to that down-trodden bit of my soul that felt deflated. No surprise – within minutes my spirits were lifted.

Another go-to favorite of mine is Unstoppable by Sia. It’s such an empowering tune that I feel like literally nothing can stand in my way. If you need help finding a power anthem, I put together a Spotify playlist that’s full of them! Check out my motivational playlist, here!

5. Set Up a Reward System

Sometimes the secret to knowing how to stay motivated is the promise to reward yourself as milestones (big or small) are reached.

The road to major goals can at times be overwhelming – especially when your personal motivation is down in the dumps. Do yourself a favor and break down your major goals and establish mini-goals along the way. Then? Reward yourself as you hit them.

Formula: Once you achieve X —> you get Y.

“Y” can be anything from a simple glass of wine at the end of a long hard day to booking a vacation. The idea is to tackle your major goals back segmenting them into a to-do list and celebrating progress along the way.

How to Stay Motivated? Pick Yourself Back Up!

I really hope these 5 tips on how to stay motivated will help you along if you’re feeling discouraged or burnt out. Those feelings are only normal and natural! The key is to find ways to help pick yourself up again to keep going.

We’ve all heard the saying “Dreams don’t work unless you do” and it’s OH so true!

There’s simply no shortcut. To achieve your goals, you have to put the work in. The good news? Perseverance is what pays off in the end! Everyone, self included, gets side-tracked now and then. When that happens, knowing how to pick yourself up to keep going is what counts. Don’t let a speed bump ever stop and give up altogether.

Share Your Tips:

Do you have any tips on how to stay motivated hanging out up your sleeve? Please share! Hard work and following your dreams is without question a marathon, not a sprint. Let’s rally together and help each other along the way! xo

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Stay stylish and chase your dreams!

XOXO
Kelly

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