Motivate Yourself

MOTIVATE YOURSELF


The following motivational techniques inspired by Dave Ellis’s manual, Becoming a Master Student will be helpful in staying on task and reaching important goals in life.

Motivation can be directly related to the expected outcomes of an action. If the desirable outcome of an action is clear, it becomes easier to complete the task. Setting goals and breaking these down into small objectives is one way of improving motivation. When a person feels they are working toward a larger accomplishment, even unpleasant tasks become tolerable.

Fear is a great deterrent for completing necessary projects. It is important to look into why you do not want to do a task. The initial response may be, “I hate working on bicycles and I just do not want to do it.”

This is a secondary response emotion, though. The real emotion may be, “I worked on a bike when I was a child and it was never the same. I am afraid that if I work on this bike the same thing will happen. I do not want to be a failure.” Fear can get in the way of activities and deplete your motivation. One way of dealing with the fear is determining whether the anxiety is based on an irrational thought. You may not have been mechanically inclined at 8 years old, but now that you are 27 things have changed. Examine your feelings and determine whether this is a fear based on outdated inaccurate information, or a fear that is based in fact. Most fears that cause us to procrastinate and avoid doing things are irrational in nature. When you determine your true reason for avoiding a task, re-program yourself with positive affirmations such as:

“I am capable of doing this and succeeding.”

“I will feel really great when this task is completed.”

“Completing this scary project will help me prove how talented I am.”

“Bicycles are easy to work on, and this one will ride like the wind when I am finished.”


Sometimes the key to motivation lies in the environment you are in. You may dread changing the tire to your car, because your garage is wet, cold and ill lit. Ask a friend for the use of his well-light, heated garage, and the task may become more enjoyable. You can also make the project more enjoyable by asking other people to get involved. If you ask someone to share their expertise it can be an ego boost for them and a source of support for you.


Pressure can both increase your motivation and paralyze your actions, so it must be dealt with carefully. If you are dealing with a paper deadline for school, the motivation to get the grade and turn the assignment in on time has spurred many students into action. However, when the pressure gets too high the anxiety level rises and you can find yourself disabled by a stress reaction. You may need to diminish this tension in order to work effectively. This could entail getting a deadline moved, breaking the task down into small steps, taking time out to exercise and clear your mind, or just relaxing and sorting the whole situation out.
One way to ensure personal success and continued enthusiasm for your own path is identifying people who are successful in the things that are important to you. Get to know these people, study their attitudes and behaviors. By finding a model for success you will have someone to emulate. You might also look at people you do not wish to become and study these negative habits. Both will help you learn important lessons about your future, but be sure to focus on the positive person the most. It is interesting to make a list of your friends and families while analyzing which qualities each of these people have and the habits that make these characteristics possible. Your model for success may not lie in the actions of one person, but in the positive traits of all the people you interact with.


Find someone to be your motivational coach. This person should be someone who honestly believes in your skills and talents. Tell this person about your goals and dreams. Share stories, timelines, the objectives that will get you where you want to go. When you become discouraged, it will be this person’s job to remind you of your strengths and the benefits of persevering. If you exchange this service with a friend it is guaranteed to create greater intimacy and meaning in a relationship. You will feel motivated and will assist someone important to you in their road to success.


You do not need to consider yourself motivationally challenged. It is within your power to change your attitude about unpleasant tasks, and complete the project no matter what it is. Using these methods can help an individual become upbeat, efficient and effective in all areas of their life.