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How to develop and maintain motivation. The Science Guide to Motivation: How to Stay Motivated for Long Time? Every little bit helps

Almost any job you do can lose its luster over time if there are no changes to keep you motivated. There are always some distractions around us. We can easily start to think that this is not the job we want to do right now. And when we realize that we will have to do the same work for a long time, it becomes even easier to lose motivation.

It's human nature to get tired of something that goes on for a long time. When we receive or are given a new challenge, we often feel enthusiastic for a few days or weeks. Everything is new and exciting. We try to learn a new topic as quickly as possible and strive to make an impression. But after a few months we get used to everything, and the enthusiasm begins to wane. If we don't find a way to keep ourselves motivated, we get bored and start looking for something different and new.

It is at this stage that it begins to manifest itself. If the tasks we perform are repetitive and monotonous, the picture gets worse and worse. If this requires us to be attentive, then the real problems begin. First of all, it is for such situations that we need to know how to stay motivated.

The human brain is capable of many things. We are practically capable of doing anything we can imagine. This has been proven many times in history. But this same brain is easily distracted and often requires effort to keep it focused and motivated.

Keeping your brain focused on the same task for a long period of time is not an easy task. The more monotonous the work, the more difficult the task becomes.

Research has shown that the average person's maximum attention span is 45 minutes. What can be said, then, about those meetings and discussions that last for three or four hours? It is not surprising that most often they are not fruitful. In all likelihood, after the first 45 minutes, the thoughts of most of the audience begin to drift away from the agenda of the meeting.

Finally, what can you suggest to stay motivated?

These are a few small tips (in addition to the tips given in the article):

1. Avoid doing the same job for too long. Take breaks every half hour or hour. Get up (if you're sitting, of course) and walk or do some exercise.

2. Try to alternate between two boring tasks. This will reduce the degree of uninterestingness of each of them by 50%. If there is someone near you who does similar work, try to exchange tasks with that person.

3. Determine the goal and control the process of moving towards it. It's much easier to stay motivated when you see that you're moving in the direction you want. Understanding how far you've come is also a great way to motivate yourself. Try to look back and evaluate your achievements.

4. Reward yourself after you have completed your work. This tactic can work wonders. If you finish a job, you have every right to reward yourself. The more, the more boring the work was or the tighter the deadlines.

The reward doesn't have to be something special or big. This could be a nice lunch in a nice restaurant, or a box of chocolates if you have a sweet tooth, a trip to the movies, or a massage.

5. If you have some uninteresting work to do, write it down and stick it somewhere on your computer so that it serves as a constant reminder until you get it done.

6. Try to make your work environment as attractive as possible to you. Maybe there will be room for some motivational words or maybe there will be posters that will make you smile. If possible, try playing soft, soothing music in your work area. Again, if possible, keep some live plants in your work area; watching them grow is a wonderful source of inspiration.

There often comes a time in life when we begin to realize that something needs to change. We read relevant literature, watch inspiring videos on the Internet, find a role model and try to become like him.

But 1-2 weeks pass (and sometimes a couple of days), and we already begin to think that this is not ours. Laziness, fatigue, the wrong goal, lack of desire - 1000 and 1 excuses to give up everything and return to your old life with the thought: “I tried to play sports (eat right, get up early, read every day, etc.). That's not mine".

I have prepared some inspiring ways to stay afloat and continue to act. To have a powerful emotional boost, I put my gadgets aside and picked up paper and pen. There is something magical about paper...

Seeing the goal is the main condition for maintaining your motivation

Sometimes the problem of maintaining motivation lies in the fact that people simply do not see where they are going and why it is necessary. Someone said that you need to run in the morning, someone said that you need to drink more water. Someone said something, and the person seemed to agree, but did not fully understand why it was needed.

First, I suggest working on your own picture of the goal. Prepare a nice notepad and pen. Sit back comfortably, it will be best if you first relax and allow yourself to write not from your head (you should buy a car; Kolya has such a cool cottage, I want it too, etc.), but from your heart. Write exactly what you want. If your brain doesn’t turn off, it’s good to first exercise, take a shower, and, in a state of slight fatigue, sit down to write a plan of action.

Imagine yourself 5-10 years later. The goal should be large-scale and bright. How do you look and feel in your 30s, 40s, 50s? Describe your vision of the future in all areas of life:

  • Beauty and health;
  • Personal relationships with a loved one;
  • How are relationships built in your family, life, traditions;
  • Career, education, growth, experience, development, travel;
  • Your ideal daily routine, what time do you go to bed, get up, how much do you work;
  • Material well-being, your house, car, etc.

Try to vividly imagine and describe how you look, how you feel, how your relationship with your loved one, family is built, what you have already experienced 5-10 years later, what you have achieved. Having described your ideas for each of the points, write below how you achieved this.

Example: “Today I’m 40, I have a beautiful, resilient, toned body. I managed to achieve this thanks to daily yoga practice, proper nutrition, proper care of my skin and body...”

Imagining your future self, make an action plan and distribute it over 10 years. Write what you need to do every year, what you need to do this year, this month, this week to become the person you imagined yourself to be in 5-10 years?

Having a clear picture, you will know why you are already working and developing today. If you miss a workout or want to eat something very harmful, remember about your future self. What kind of person will you be if you continue to indulge your old habits?

Work on your habits

Habits are what we do every day, regardless of the circumstances. As it is not difficult to imagine, we do not need to draw on our own resource of motivation for them. Therefore, it makes sense to replace negative habits with positive ones. For example, evening watching TV or reading on social networks.

To do this, you can create a simple habit chart. In the left column you can list all the habits you want to implement and indicate the dates in the heading. For each completed task, you can put a tick or a plus sign, and for each not completed task, you can put a minus.

Thus, when working on a particular habit, you will feel a little like a hero by giving it a plus sign. Soon this game will begin to stimulate you to develop, you will clearly see the dynamics of your work and perhaps even notice the first results. You will begin to feel yourself changing along with your new habits. After all, habit is second nature!

Relax - you need some rest

This point is especially relevant for perfectionists and for those who are looking for how to maintain motivation towards goals. Yes, we all strive for the ideal, but it is important to understand that we will never achieve it. As soon as we become the best version of ourselves, we will have new goals and objectives for the development of our personality. It turns out that this process is endless. Allow yourself to get tired and hit emotional rock bottom sometimes. Allow yourself some rest. Be prepared that sometimes you will be on the rise, and sometimes the growth will be difficult and painful.

However, always remember where you are going and who you are, do not let your sad thoughts and despair overcome your mind. Change is always gradual and uneven. Be prepared for this and enjoy the process!

What motivates you to achieve your goals?

Write about it in the comments.

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Motivation– an incentive to action that determines the individual’s subjective and personal interest in performing an action and (or) achieving a goal. The term motivation comes from the French motif, which in turn comes from the Latin moveo - I move.

Motivation in Marketing- this is an incentive to achieve the company's goals with the indispensable guidance of marketing principles. In other words, motivation is the process of encouraging someone to take a necessary action, to achieve a result, with an indispensable balance between the goals of the company and the goals of the person being motivated (employee, client) to most fully satisfy the needs of the market (and all this on the principles of marketing).

Motivation process– a dynamic process of a psychophysiological plan – the desire to control human behavior.

Motivation (stimulation) is the mechanics of motivation to achieve a goal through the formation of external motivation. Affirmations are statements that form a positive attitude towards a matter.

Motive- a motivating reason, a reason for launching a mechanism of action, in order to acquire a desired, material or spiritual object, the acquisition (achievement) of which is the meaning of human activity. Motive is a reflection of the need in consciousness, which encourages a person to set a goal and take the necessary actions to achieve it. Motive is often confused with need and purpose. A goal is the result of conscious goal setting. A need is, in essence, a conscious dissatisfaction.

Motivation can be internal and/or external, material or not material.

Intrinsic motivation (intense motivation) - motivation associated with the content of the activity itself, but not with external circumstances, existing in the absence of external motivating factors: requirements or reinforcements. Intrinsic motivation means a person’s desire to perform an activity for the sake of that activity itself. The term “intrinsic motivation” was first defined in 1950 in the works of R. Woodworth and R. White.

Extrinsic motivation (extreme motivation) - motivation that is not related to the content of a certain activity, but is conditioned by circumstances external to the subject. In this case, the factors that trigger the motivation mechanism, initiate and regulate it, are outside the individual. Internal motivation can help us create an “ordinary miracle” with ourselves; external motivation is a serious tool in the hands of skilled manipulators.

Positive and negative motivation. Positive motivation based on positive incentives. Negative motivation based on negative incentives.

Demotivation– the process of eliminating motivating factors, motives, inducement to lack of action. Demotivated man– an individual with no interest, no motivation, no reasons, reasons for action and (or) to achieve a goal.

Motivation system– a set of management techniques, including: formulating goals, assessing internal motivation, stimulation, analysis of current motivation, aimed at achieving the individual’s goal.

The main components of motivation are:

  • needs, desires, expectations, etc.;
  • certain behavior;
  • goals, incentives, rewards;
  • Feedback.

Exists 2 levels of motivation: conservation motivation; achievement motivation.

Motivation for conservation– motivation aimed at not losing what has already been created.

Achievement motivation– motivation aimed at achieving a goal. Achievement motivation requires much greater emotional strength and greater effort. The famous writer and manager H. Jones noted: “With the highest sense of purpose in the world, with the strongest leadership and with the most successful strategy, a company will achieve nothing until each of the ordinary members of the organization understands what he is trying to achieve and does not make every effort to achieve it.” achieving this result."

Motivation of consumer behavior– work to provide a targeted impact on consumer behavior, consisting of marketing incentives and adjustments of consumer behavior in relation to the subject of marketing. The consumer's consciousness is a set of motives, needs, requirements, personal values, patterns of decision-making, determined by mentality and individual characteristics. Feedback from the consumer on the motivation of behavior is purchases, loyalty and interest in the subject of marketing.

Motivation of consumer behavior involves solving the following problems:

  • determining market trends and forecasting demand, prices and other parameters, etc.;
  • analysis of consumer motives;
  • analysis of the most effective methods of influence;
  • active influence on clients;
  • increasing customer loyalty.
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Motivation is a very powerful tool in the right hands. Sometimes it is very easy for a person to motivate himself and he remains inspired for a long time. But at times it is very difficult to do this, and he slowly begins to be sucked into the “swamp” of procrastination and apathy. In this article, you will find some effective ways and useful research on how to stay motivated for a long time.

1. What is motivation and how does it work

Scientists define motivation as the urge to do something. In other words, it is a set of psychophysiological processes that prompt a person to perform a certain action. However, there is another definition of motivation.

What is motivation?

So what is motivation? This concept is best explored in Steven Pressfield's book The War on Creativity. He writes: “At some point, doing nothing begins to cause a person more discomfort than carrying out an activity.”

In other words, sometimes it is easier to do something than to do nothing. It’s easier to gather strength and go to the gym than to continue to lie on the couch and gain weight. It’s easier to overcome embarrassment and call your potential client than to lose a bonus due to an unfulfilled sales plan.

Any of our choices has its “price,” but it is better to experience inconvenience from any activity than to later regret that you did nothing. However, in order to get down to business, you need to cross a certain line that separates the zone of procrastination from the zone of active action. This often happens when we are approaching a deadline.

This raises a very important question: what can we do to overcome this line and stay motivated at all times?

Common misconceptions related to motivation

The surprising thing is that motivation usually arises after you do something unusual, and not before. Many people have the misconception that reading a motivational book or watching an inspiring video is enough to inspire them to do something. However, so-called “active” inspiration can serve as a more powerful incentive to action.

Motivation is usually the result of an activity, not its cause. Once you start doing something, inspiration will naturally develop and you will be able to complete what you started.

Thus, in order to motivate yourself to perform any action, you just need to start doing it. Below we will talk about how to apply this advice in real life.

2. How to motivate yourself and start doing something

Many people struggle to motivate themselves to achieve certain goals. Without motivation, we spend too much energy and time on taking actions that lead us to the desired result.

According to writer Sarah Peck, many aspiring authors struggle to complete their work because they can't answer the question of when they'll next sit down to write. The same goes for training in the gym, business, art, etc. For example, if you don't have a workout schedule, then every day you will wake up thinking, "I'll go to the gym today if I'm in the mood."

Making a schedule seems like a very simple step. However, it will help you organize and systematize your activities. Usually people try to stick to a schedule despite lack of desire and motivation. Many studies confirm this fact.

Stop waiting for inspiration to strike and simply create a clear schedule that you will follow. This is the main difference between professionals and amateurs. Lovers are waiting for inspiration, and then they take action.


What is the secret of famous artists? How do they stay motivated all the time? They don’t just create a schedule of actions, but develop rituals.

The famous dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp spoke about her daily ritual in an interview. Every day she gets up at 5.30 am, puts on her workout clothes and leaves the apartment. The girl then hails a taxi and tells the driver to take her to the gym, where she works out for two hours. The ritual is not in the training process, but in the trip itself. Once Twyla tells the driver where to go, the ritual is over.

It seems like a very simple action. However, if you repeat the same thing every morning, it will soon become a habit. And once the action becomes habitual, it will be easier for you to perform it regularly, because we don’t think about routine everyday actions, but simply do them “automatically.”

Many famous people have developed their own rituals. Much has been written about this in Mason Curry’s book “Genius Mode. Daily routine of great people."

The key to any ritual is that you don't have to make any decisions about what to do first and what to do next. Many people fail to achieve success because they cannot start doing something. If you can turn your activities into a habitual ritual, then it will not be difficult for you to finish what you start, even if difficult tasks arise along the way.


How to develop a motivating habit

By following three simple steps, you can create your own ritual and turn motivation into a habit.

Step #1. Any ritual should begin with some very simple action. For example, you might drink a glass of water before you sit down to write your novel. Or you can put on your favorite sneakers before heading to your workout. These actions are so simple that it is impossible to refuse to perform them.

Step #2. You have to force yourself to move. Lack of motivation is often associated with a lack of physical activity. Remember your physical state at a time when you are bored or sad. You don't make any active movements, do you? At such moments, most people just sit on the couch and stare at one point. In this case, the opposite statement is true: if you are physically active, your brain also begins to work more actively. For example, when you dance, it is simply impossible not to feel a surge of energy and revitalization. Physical activity does not always mean doing any exercise. For example, if your goal is to write a novel, then this activity should be directed towards writing.

Step #3. It is necessary to adhere to the same plan of action every day. Their initial task is to motivate you to do a certain activity. As a result, you won't have to wait for inspiration. Instead, you will simply begin your usual ritual, and then smoothly move on to the main action.

3. How to stay motivated for a long time

Strategies have been mentioned above to help you motivate yourself and get started on a task. But what about staying motivated over the long term? How to stay motivated?

Imagine that you are playing tennis. If you choose a four-year-old girl as your opponent, you will quickly get bored with the game, since winning will be too easy. On the contrary, if you play, for example, against Serena Williams, then constant defeats will quickly demotivate you. Such an opponent will be too tough for you. You will be interested in the game if the opponent has equal abilities. You will have a chance to win if you put in the effort. Thus, challenging but achievable tasks help us stay motivated.

People like challenging tasks. But the level of difficulty should be optimal for a particular person. Tasks that are too complex demotivate us, while tasks that are too simple quickly become boring.


At this moment, a person experiences a special state of emotional uplift. Athletes usually refer to this as “being on fire.” At this moment, a person is so focused on completing a specific task that the whole world around him fades.

To achieve this state, you must follow the rule described in the previous section. If you choose a task of optimal difficulty, you will not only be motivated in the long run, but you will also experience a feeling of happiness after completing it. As psychologist Gilbert Bream said, “One of the important sources of human happiness lies in completing tasks of the appropriate level of difficulty.”

However, to reach peak motivation, you still need to constantly measure your current progress. In other words, it is important that you receive feedback at every stage of the task. Evaluating your own progress is key to maintaining a state of motivation.


What to do if you start to lose motivation

Motivation to perform an action will inevitably begin to fade at some point in time. In such cases, you can use the tips below.

1. Your brain is a source of valuable suggestions.

Imagine that every thought that arises in your head is a proposal, not an order. For example, when an author writes an article, the thought that he is tired comes into his head. This leads to a suggestion to quit your job, choose the path of least resistance and give up.

Just remember that none of these suggestions are instructions for action. These are just options, and you have the opportunity to choose one of them.

2. Discomfort is temporary

Almost any action you take will end very soon. For example, your workout only lasts an hour or two. Your report will be ready by tomorrow morning.

Now life has become much simpler than before. Even 300 years ago, if you did not grow your own food and build a house, then you were doomed to death. And today, a tragedy for a person is the fact that he left the charger for his phone at home.

Thus, be mindful of the prospects ahead. Life is wonderful, and any discomfort is temporary.

You will never regret doing a job well.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Surely the best reward life can give you is a job worth doing.” We all want our work to be useful to people and for them to respect our work. However, we do not want our attempts to be in vain. Everyone wants a reward, not hard, monotonous work. Everyone wants a gold medal, but few want to train as hard as members of the Olympic team. So, remember that the reward is worth the effort it takes to get it.

That's life

In life, we constantly balance between the desire to distance ourselves from everything and self-discipline. Life is a collection of hundreds of thousands of small decisions about whether to fight or give up.

Don't underestimate those moments when you don't feel like doing anything. Spend this time in a way that makes you proud of yourself.

O Limpian, who snatched gold from fate, feels empty - and then what? The careerist who has finally taken the Big Chair is confused - is it really possible to relax? “When you reach a peak after a long journey, the question suddenly arises: what to do tomorrow? “It all looks like mild post-traumatic syndrome,” says David Purdy from the Institute of Leadership & Management (UK). Let's look at four specific cases of post-victory syndrome - and what to do about them.

1. You lost weight...

To the planned level. Months of grueling exercise and strict diet are behind us. Now we can eat that cake, right?

Forget about the finish

You were wrong from the very beginning when you formulated goals expressed in numbers: a certain weight you need to achieve, or a jeans size you need to fit into... At the beginning of your journey, you need to set yourself “behavioral” goals: make it a habit to eat three times a week run 10 km; prepare your own lunches for the office, rather than eating fast food of unknown origin, etc.

Take a photo

Again: at the beginning of your journey, make it a rule to take pictures in your underpants in front of the mirror once every two to three weeks. Take your first photos in harsh light and from the most unfavorable angles for your belly. If you're craving some cake or thinking about skipping a run, just look through your photo album and see what you were like.

Rejoice

Accumulate positive motivation: as you lose weight, celebrate everything new and good that has appeared in your life: a surge of energy, compliments from women, etc. Make a list of such observations in your smartphone and look at it every time you feel the urge to return to old habits. Now this life is forever, so remind yourself of its good sides.

2. Career has stalled...

First of all, because the internal impulse that allowed you to reach your current level began to fade.

Envy

A study, the results of which were published in the journal Emotion (USA), confirms that envy for a careerist is rather a useful quality. The main thing here is to choose the right object for yourself, the achievements of which you (at least theoretically) are also capable of achieving. Stop praying for the biography of Steve Jobs, better go have lunch with a classmate who is already wow, and you still drive a Lada.

Grow within yourself

Consider every new work project as an opportunity to gain new skills and knowledge, and new contacts. After finishing the project, summarize what it gave you in terms of personal (professional) growth and how you can use these skills in the next project. A career is not only the size of your salary and office, but also what you can do at each stage.

Use motivators

Install the iDoneThis application on your computer. This program asks you every day what you have achieved today. Then he saves the answers and uses them to encourage and spur you on when you lose momentum.

3. You received a medal:

ran your first marathon or won first place in a powerlifting competition. The next medal will not give you such an influx of endorphins.

Change the projectile

In preparation for the competition, you practiced the same skill every day. Change your fitness regime for a while - for example, instead of endless jogging, try squash classes or workouts in a rocking chair. The body will respond to a new type of exercise with a fresh rush of endorphins.

Plan for downturns

Write a list of your “ifs” and “thens.” For example, “If I can’t maintain my pace, then I’ll run to the top of this hill and then slow down.” Or “if I don’t feel like going to training, then I’ll tell myself that it will be an easy training, and then maybe I’ll leave.”

Make detailed plans

If you set single goals, then motivation will jump up and down. Instead, it's better to outline a flexible, big plan for improving your fitness. Let's say you plan to take part in 5-10 competitions over the next two years, and one of them will be a major and important one. Aim for your first ultramarathon in 18 months, for example. This long-term goal will keep you motivated throughout the competitions in between.

4. You've found a mate

It’s done - she moved her things to you and now fries you eggs in the morning. This is a big victory, but what to do next?

Say three words

Such as: “Tell me more.” Or: “More details here.” In short, ask and listen, show interest. Firstly, she will be pleased. Secondly, it will bring some clarity to your relationship: as the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found, people who have lived together for many years misinterpret their partners' actions even more often than strangers.

Form a team

Put together furniture from IKEA. Take part in competitions where your couple will perform as a team. Couples must overcome difficulties. Create them yourself and overcome them as allies - this is a good skill in case of future scandals. And in general, a “partner” is not someone who satisfies your lust, but someone who you can rely on in case of trouble.

Own together

If you divide things in the house according to the “mine-yours” principle, your union will be no different from your living with your friend Lekha in the same dorm room in your second year. And it will last just as long. Fill the apartment with common things - photographs, palm trees in tubs, gifts from mutual friends, a joint vacuum cleaner. It seems like primitive advice, but the British magazine Personal Affair categorically states: the more such things are visible in your home, the stronger the couple.

Percentage of dissatisfied

  • 57% office workers complain that they are career stands still
  • 74% men admit that they "lack of willpower" to achieve your desired fitness shape
  • 39% workers point to bad atmosphere in the team
  • 50% lost weight on a diet in a year return to previous form
  • 60% married couples recognize that they relationships need improvement
  • 40% people are thinking right now Should they leave their partner?