When it comes to getting things done, from basic household chores to larger, life-changing goals, we typically rely on motivation to get us going. As you’ve probably already discovered, motivation is not very reliable. Some days we wake up highly motivated, others days not so much.
Sometimes there’s a reason for our lack of motivation, such as not feeling well. Other times, we struggle to put our finger on the cause. It almost seems like motivation is something you either wake up with or you don’t. It can be a hopeless feeling.
A much better approach is to take motivation out of the equation and start relying on strategies that don’t depend on how you feel. Strategies that you control. Strategies you can summon when you know you need to get something done.
The first is Self-discipline, the willingness to do something whether you feel like or not, because you know it needs to be done. This is something you can control and get better at with practice. It’s not easy, and most of us could use more of it, but once developed, you can rely on self-discipline much more than motivation. Self-discipline is way more consistent and reliable. You can count on it to show up every day.
The second is Inspiration, which some people confuse for Motivation. I see these as two sides of the same coin. Inspiration is what lifts you up, while Motivation moves you forward. Inspiration deals with the Why while Motivation is concerned with the What. Inspiration can be found, generated, or discovered. Once you discover what inspires you, you can re-visit it whenever you need it. An uplifting quote, positive affirmation, or meaningful religious passage, can serve to lift you up and light you on fire. Use that Inspiration to get excited and create momentum.
The third strategy is Persistent Action, the act of taking consistent steps in the direction you want to go. It’s the habit of being proactive vs. reactive. Persistent Action can be found in healthy habits such as planning your day the night before, or simply setting alarms on your phone to remind you to do something. Block scheduling, breaking down large goals into small steps, or focusing on one thing at a time, can really help here. Remember the old saying, “what gets scheduled, gets done.” Eliminate distractions (i.e., your cell phone) and get to work. By developing an action bias, you’ll start to favor action over inaction, regardless of your level of motivation.
You can beat procrastination, but you need to be intentional about it. Don’t wake up hoping the motivation fairy sprinkled some magic dust on you while you were sleeping. Go to bed with a plan for the next day so you can hit the ground running. It’s OK to take advantage of motivation when it strikes. Just don’t count on it.