8 keys to stay motivated and achieve your goals

Self-motivation is one of the key elements that make up the emotional intelligence. People who have developed this skill achieve their goals more often, they are more independent and they have high self-esteem, because they are able to overcome problems, generate solutions and persevere.

Do we all have the ability to motivate ourselves without external incentives or obligations to do it for us? For what reason do some people feel motivated in their day-to-day life and others fall into apathy, abandoning their goals shortly after proposing them? The reason why it is often difficult for us to reach our goals It happens by giving an answer to these questions, and for this it is good to understand what it means to be self-motivated.

The concept of self-motivation

Self-motivation is the ability to extract from oneself the necessary push to carry out the appropriate behaviors that bring them closer to their proposed goals. It is being able to provide oneself with interest, the reasons and the enthusiasm necessary to continue with your projects. And yes, it is something that is available to everyone.

Now, why do we always fail to achieve our goals? It's simple. Due to the lack of habits that bring us closer to them.

The human brain It has an energy saving system that causes that by inertia tends to perform the behaviors that you have been repeating for years day after day. Let's say you prefer not to think too much and turn to what you already know.

That is why when we try to get closer to a proposed goal and goal, we usually give up after a short time. Our brain's tendency to routine outweighs our willpower. We end up frustrated when we see that no matter how much we want to do it, we cannot change our behaviors, and therefore we become unmotivated.

A work plan to achieve our goals

So... How do we add a new habit to our lives without giving it up after a few days? The first thing we need is a work plan.

Contrary to what we may think, it is not so important to set a time limit (in 30 days I have than having lost 7 kilos) how to design an action plan that allows you to get closer to your goals.

The action plan must be as detailed as possible. If we continue with the example of weight loss, the ideal would be to choose each night what to eat the next day in great detail, without giving rise to improvisation. It is not recommended that such a plan is too restrictive (which could be an overexertion that would lead us to abandon it quickly), it is enough that it provides us with a structured framework with a couple of new elements linked to our goals.

If our work plan is perfectly detailed and framed within our schedule, It will be as simple as following it to the bottom without stopping to doubt what the next step will be, because that is where our economizing brain will pull the resources previously used.

Find yourself an agenda or calendar and start designing your week today, and then simply follow the instructions that you have designed yourself just like you let a GPS bring you closer to your destination.

Practical guidelines for self-motivation

Once I have the action plan outlined, how do I keep myself motivated to carry it out?

1. Take it seriously

You have decided to set that goal after conscious reflection because you know what is best for you and what you want in your life. And there is nothing more important than that. It is because of that distractions or changes in schedule don't work, try to be strict and committed to what you have proposed.

2. Perform visualization exercises in the short, medium and long term

Try to imagine what your life will be like if your routines change, keep in mind that what you do at this moment will have an impact on the future. That will help you not fall into the procrastination or "I'll do it tomorrow" syndrome.

3. Practice mindfulness 

This will help you stop running on autopilot and make consistent decisions. Add a couple of hours a week of Mindfulness or meditation, they will help you to be in the here and now and make better decisions.

4. Tell everyone your plan

Due to the Principle of Coherence, you will feel "cognitively bound" to your words and you will try harder to fulfill what was spoken.

5. Respect your sleep schedules and exercise three times a week 

You will need energy and clarity to carry out your new habits, that is why you need to be rested and with an oxygenated brain.

6. Observe each of your behaviors 

Consider how far they bring you closer to or away from the goal you want to achieve. Perform if necessary self-registrations; They will allow you to visually observe where you are and what you need to modify.

7. Choose goals or design projects that you are passionate about

This is the best way to stay motivated.

8. Reward yourself every so often for your achievements

Use positive self-reinforcement and be the one to regulate the rewards, without waiting for them to come from outside.

And finally…

Remember that making good or bad decisions every day is up to you. Note that your results are the fruit of your habits, because we live in a world governed by the law of Cause and Effect. Your "future self" will appreciate that your actions today are healthy and consistent with your life plan.