Run the Race
Motivation. When it comes to becoming the best version of yourself, motivation is the name of the game. Keeping up the stamina and perseverance required for self-help and self-improvement can be incredibly difficult. In quite a few ways, however, keeping up with your emotional and mental self isn’t that much different from keeping up with your physical self. It takes a steady and regular routine and deep knowledge of yourself to run the race of life well. Here are some ways to keep motivation flowing.
Never Be Satisfied
Have you hit a goal of yours? Take time to celebrate it and to rest and then get up and aim higher. Each part of that sentence is important. If you don’t acknowledge the significance of an accomplishment then the significance of the next one won’t mean much either, and you’ll quickly lose stamina. If you don’t rest, you will inevitably face the immovable wall of burnout and lose the ability to chase any goals whatsoever. Finally, always reaching for the next clifftop is essential to your motivation. Mundanity and boredom are the kiss of death to a long list of goals. Make sure there is always something new and beneficial on the horizon. A good ‘carrot on a stick’ strategy works wonders. Increase your goal for output or work to whittle down the time given to a repetitive task. The important thing is to never be satisfied with the status quo, or you will rapidly lose momentum.
Compete With Yourself
Are you your greatest critic? Use that inner voice to your advantage. Competition is an incredible source of motivation and small towns have grown into metropolises because of it. If you aren’t already in a competitive business then keep track of your own personal output, whether that be sales, word count, or number of products produced, and raise the bar for yourself. Take stock of where you are what you struggle with and what can be improved and get to work. Who needs real-life competitors when there’s always your personal best to beat? Year to year, month to month, challenge yourself to outdo your past performance. Run the race longer, faster, and with more efficiency than your past self, and push yourself to excel at activities that might otherwise be taken for granted. While external motivation is important, internal ambition and determination are essential to thrive truly.
Be Respectful
Alright, I just said a whole lot about pushing yourself, and it’s just as important as I made it out to be… but so is being aware of and respectful to your limits. Recognize the breaking point of your biggest competitor (yourself) and be merciful. As I emphasized near the beginning, celebration and rest after big accomplishments are very important. Burnout is a real thing and though it is sometimes unavoidable, there are many precautions to take before you reach that point Pushing yourself to greater heights doesn’t mean berating and punishing yourself. There is a healthy way to pursue self-motivation. Give yourself the right fuel, like a healthy amount of sleep, nourishing foods, and fulfilling non-work activities. An athlete must not only excel at their sport but keep up the regime necessary to excel at that sport, and that includes rest and encouragement. So respect yourself as you would any other hard worker. Sometimes it can be just as hard to rest as it can be to work. Give yourself what you need.
Fight for the Team
Even in a race against yourself, you aren’t alone. Your co-workers and your family are running beside you, so make room on the road. Run your race well but don’t let your personal goals get in the way of your teammates’ well-being. Community is important for anyone’s healthy lifestyle and remembering those around you, their needs, wants, and importance to you personally, is necessary for a fulfilling existence. I may be belaboring the metaphor at this point, but life is a team sport and should be pursued not only with a healthy amount of motivation and stamina but also with respect for those around you.
This awareness and respect will lead to a new form of motivation as you are not just fighting for yourself but for the important people in your life. A goal achieved for you is a goal achieved for your community and a challenge lost is an opportunity missed for everyone. Let others encourage you and let them spur you on to new heights and achievements. Allow them to be there to pick you up when you’ve run out of steam and make them the reason you pick yourself up for another lap.
The finish line is different for everyone, but you can set your own by never settling for average, always making a new personal best, and constantly being aware of your own and others’ needs. Becoming the best version of yourself is hard work, but with the proper self-motivation, you can continue to pursue your goals without setbacks.
