The greatest motivation in the world is self-motivation. A young man spends his entire day scrolling through Facebook, dreaming of reaching a great position in life. After a long conversation, he finally admits, “I understand everything, but I just don’t feel like studying.”
People get motivated by listening to motivational speakers or reading inspiring quotes, but this feeling often fades quickly. When we hear something inspiring, we feel energized, but shortly after, we return to our habits.
Why Self-Motivation Matters
The most crucial factor for success is self-motivation and self-discipline. Without control over your mind, no external motivation will help you.
The famous American author and motivational speaker Stephen R. Covey once said, “Motivation is a fire within you. If someone else tries to light it for you, it will burn very briefly.” This means others can inspire you, but ultimately, you must take action yourself. No one else can achieve your goals for you.
What is Motivation?
Motivation can be categorized into two types:
- Intrinsic Motivation: This is internal motivation that comes from within. For example, staying up all night to study for an exam or working hard to achieve a personal goal.
- Extrinsic Motivation: This is external motivation, such as getting inspired by watching a motivational speaker or hearing about someone else’s success story.
Simply put, motivation is a driving force that prepares your mindset to achieve goals. The right motivation can take you to heights you never imagined.
How to Stay Self-Motivated
1. Set Clear Goals
In school, students often write essays about their “life goals” just to get good grades, without actually knowing what they want. This is how dreams die—when people don’t truly understand their aspirations.
Renowned sales trainer Rajib Ahmed once wrote, “Out of 500 million sperm cells, one succeeded in creating you. That means you were born a winner. So why would you give up?”
Set goals for your life. Think big, be big. Dream beyond reality and use that vision to stay motivated.
According to Pablo Picasso, “Our goals can only be reached through a plan in which we must believe and act upon. There is no other route to success.”
Goals can be divided into three categories:
- Short-term goals: Achievable within a few weeks or months.
- Mid-term goals: Goals that may take one to two years.
- Long-term goals: Major life goals like career planning, buying a house, or starting a business.
2. Develop the Habit of Saving
Imagine starting a business and then running out of money to sustain it. This could make you lose motivation and give up. That’s why saving a portion of your income every month is essential. Having savings will ensure you never lose confidence.
3. Avoid Debt
People with excessive debt often struggle with stress and frustration, as most of their income goes toward loan repayments. Avoid taking unnecessary loans unless necessary.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive People
Stay away from those who discourage you with negative words like, “You can’t do it” or “You’re not good enough.” Positive-minded people are the best motivators. Whenever you feel demotivated, talk to someone who boosts your confidence.
5. Learn to Respect Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes people make is comparing themselves to others. Thoughts like “He scored better than me, so he will get the job” or hearing things like “The neighbor’s son is better than you” can destroy self-confidence.
Instead of comparing yourself, focus on your past achievements. Think about how much effort you put in and the obstacles you overcame.
Be your kind of perfect! This mindset will help you regain lost confidence and move forward with your goals.
As Alice Domar said, “When you’re trying to motivate yourself, appreciate the fact that you’re even thinking about making a change. And as you move forward, allow yourself to be good enough.”
6. Learn from Mistakes
Making mistakes is a natural part of life. Everyone, no matter how successful, has made mistakes. The difference between failure and success is learning from them.
Albert Einstein once said, “There is nothing known as ‘Perfect.’ It’s only those imperfections which we choose not to see.”
7. Stay Focused on Your Purpose
Always ensure that the purpose behind your actions is clear and meaningful. The wrong kind of motivation can lead you down the wrong path. Your purpose will keep you motivated even in difficult times.
Dr. Stephen R. Covey once said, “The key to motivation lies in the motive itself.”
8. Say No to Overthinking
Excessive worrying often leads to negative thoughts. Yes, the future is uncertain, but that doesn’t mean something bad will happen. It could also mean that something wonderful is waiting for you.
As Nobel Prize-winning doctor Dr. Alexis Carrel said, “A businessman who does not know how to fight worry dies young.”
9. Learn to Be Happy
Everyone faces problems in life, but constantly worrying about them won’t help. Anxiety and stress won’t solve your problems; they will only make things worse.
You may have failed an exam or lost a job, but your life isn’t over. Accept what has happened and move forward.
Hal Elrod, the author of The Miracle Morning, believed that spending more than five minutes on negative thoughts only worsens the situation. That’s why he suggested focusing on the future rather than dwelling on past failures.
As the Dalai Lama once said, “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your actions.”
10. Plan Your Day
To maintain motivation, plan your day. In addition to long-term planning, having a daily schedule helps you stay on track. Spend just 15 minutes every night planning for the next day.
This way, you won’t wake up unsure of what to do. Instead, you’ll have a clear direction to follow.
As Will Arnett put it, “I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.”
Motivation is like magic—it drives success. Stay motivated, and let us know in the comments how you keep yourself inspired.
