Every first quarter of the year (the first month, specifically), people are very much into making resolutions for self-improvement. A new year usually means having a fresh start and we us it to jumpstart any plans for self-improvement we want to undertake.
However, as the year progresses, it is easy to lose your motivation to push through with your self-improvement plans. Busy careers, a couple of setbacks, or maybe even getting bored are just a few of the many reasons self-improvement resolutions do not happen.
So, whether it is in the form of a healthier lifestyle, better performance at work, or better relationships with people, here are a few things to do to keep being motivated to improve yourself.
1. Surround yourself with great people
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This is a quote from Jim Rohn, an American motivational speaker. You can also check a few of the best energetic morning prayers for self-improvement and keeping you motivated.
This is why you say that you have a lot in common with the people you spend your time with. It is not always that you spend time with them because you agree on things. Sometimes, it’s the other way around.
The people you choose to have in your life have a huge impact on how likely you will be successful in improving yourself. If they, themselves, are not motivated, or if they, too, have no conviction in improving themselves, then there is a huge chance that your self-improvement plans will be derailed as well. Surround yourself with great people. Spend your time with the kind of people who are constantly seeking to improve themselves.
Something to do: Think of three to five people whose grit, whose determination you admire the most, and try to, as much as possible, spend time with them.
2. There is strength in numbers
Of course, there is. Why do you think Crossfit became such a success in a short amount of time? The difference between the people who simply use the machines at the gym and the people who do Crossfit is the availability of a support system. Whereas gym users are closed off and are just doing their own thing, Crossfit trainees are encouraged to participate in a group. And while the training is on an individual performance basis, the fact that you are all doing the same thing, and your results are posted for everyone to see, instills a sense of friendly competition and support. They cheer each other to break records. They motivate each other to do better.
Your life should be like a Crossfit gym on a full day. It should be filled with people who do not necessarily have the same goal as yours but should compel you to be a better version of yourself. Remember that there is strength in numbers and that the bigger and better your support system is, the more likely you will stay motivated.
Something to do: Who are the people you know to have the same goal as yours? Who are the people you know will help you to become better? Share your goals with them.
3. Remember that you are a juggler
Do you have a family? Do you have kids? Are you paying a mortgage? Do you have bills to pay? Even the most single, most seemingly carefree people have responsibilities. Think of yourself as a juggler, and these responsibilities as balls, each one requiring time, attention, and care from you. The more responsibilities you have, the more balls you’re juggling. You wouldn’t want to drop any of them, would you?
Something to do: Think about what you have at stake and how improving yourself could ultimately help you better handle all your responsibilities.
4. Manage your fears
We all have fears. It is ridiculous to deny this. Those fears could be as simple as a spider or as profound as a failure. Your fears are very dangerous. They could paralyze you. They could stop you from doing the things you should be doing. They could hinder all your efforts to better yourself.
But these fears can be managed.
We say managed because sometimes there really is no getting rid of your fears. So, don’t spend too much time looking for ways to get rid of them. Just manage them in a way that you can work around them. And maybe when you have managed them well enough, you will realize that it is not a huge as you thought it was.
Something to do: Write down the things you fear the most. Don’t be afraid of them seeming ridiculous – just write them all down. After you have done that, think about what you could do to handle it when you are faced with each of them.
5. Set your goal
Do you want to be healthier? Do you want to learn how to write better? Do you want to be able to better manage your time? What is it that you want to improve in yourself? Treat your self-improvement plan the way you would a business plan: have a clear goal and plan out your timelines and milestones.
Simply having clear goals will help you become more motivated because you can see exactly where you’re headed.
Something to do: Write down your goals. Once you have a goal, determine how long it will take you to achieve those goals. Include the different milestones. Then get a calendar and plot everything down. This is so that anytime you can see how far you should be along in terms of achieving your goals. The nearer you are, the more motivated you’ll get to see it through.
6. Keep score
There is a reason companies track down their employees’ performance. There is a reason athletes track their game statistics. And that is to have a measurable comparison of their performance
By tracking your accomplishments, you will be able to see how far you are from your goal. It will also give you an insight into how much you have done, what more is left to do, and whether or not you should adjust or accelerate your plans. And besides, striking off those milestones can keep you excited and give you the satisfaction that you are nearing your goal.
Something to do: Remember the goals and timelines you put in a calendar? Keep track of your accomplishments and milestones. For example, your goal is to learn Spanish within a year and one of your milestones is to be able to handle basic conversational Spanish by mid-year. If you are able to reach your mid-year milestone earlier, then give yourself a pat on the back and adjust your milestones accordingly.