How to Get Motivated Again When You’ve Lost Your Enthusiasm

Written by Ali Luke - 19 Comments
Categories: motivation, self improvement

Have you ever felt totally filled with enthusiasm, fired up for achieving something new?

Chances are, you felt that way at the start of a big project. Perhaps you were determined that you’d finally lose weight, or that this year, you’d actually start that small business you’d been dreaming about.

Motivation can give you a ton of energy when you’re embarking on something new. The problem is, motivation doesn’t always last. After a few weeks of sticking to your diet, or slogging away every evening at your business, it’s easy to start feeling discouraged.

Don’t Give Up

You’ve already achieved a lot – even if you can’t see that yet. Try asking yourself these three questions. If possible, write down your answers – it’s much more powerful than just thinking about them.

#1: How Far Have You Come?

Look back to the start of your project. What have you already achieved? Maybe:

  • Losing weight: You’ve lost 10lbs and established some healthy new habits
  • Starting a side-business: You’ve created a business plan and read three books
  • Getting out of debt: You’ve paid off your smallest debt

Whatever you’ve achieved, it’s worth something. Perhaps it’s taken a bit longer than you’d hoped – but in the context of your whole life, an extra few weeks isn’t a big deal.

#2:  Have You Learnt On the Journey?

Sometimes, we get too fixated on an end goal and forget that the journey itself is important.

Even if you’ve not yet achieved the results you want, you might still have found a ton of benefits:

  • Losing weight: You’ve learnt a lot about healthy eating – helping you to make good food choices
  • Starting a side-business: You’ve realized that your original idea for the business was a bit short-sighted, and you’ve been able to come up with a new plan
  • Getting out of debt: You’ve found that you’re spending a lot more money than you thought on little things like coffee and lunches

#3: What Will You Achieve Even If You Don’t Reach Your Goal?

Maybe you’re worried that you won’t reach your final goal. There are still plenty of reasons to keep going. For instance:

  • Losing weight: You might not get down to your target weight of 150lbs, but even if you weight 170lbs, you’ll be a lot healthier than you are at 200lbs
  • Starting a side-business: Your business might never provide a full-time income, but it’s still going to bring in extra money for you every month
  • Getting out of debt: You might not manage to pay off all your debts, but you’ll still have massively improved your financial situation

Get Re-Started

Hopefully you’re feeling a bit more positive about your project, and you’ve decided that it is worth continue. So let’s get you through going again:

#1: Where Are You Stuck?

Often, we get bogged down because we’re stuck.

It can be helpful to acknowledge where you got stuck before trying to move on. Perhaps:

  • Losing weight: You lost 10lbs in the first three months of your diet, but now you’re finding it hard to stick with healthy eating
  • Starting a side-business:  You’re ready to start getting clients, but you’re not sure how to begin doing that
  • Getting out of debt: You went on a shopping trip and ended up spending money that was supposed to be used for paying off your debt

#2: What Are Your Next Steps?

When you’re stuck, it’s often because you haven’t figured out what you need to do next. Try to work out a few next steps:

  • Losing weight: Keep a food diary, figure out what times of day you’re most likely to snack on unhealthy foods
  • Starting a side-business:  Brainstorm possible ways to get clients – e.g. advertise in trade magazines, create a website
  • Getting out of debt: Cut back your spending for the next couple of weeks, avoid “splurges” in the future (perhaps by only taking cash when you go shopping)

#3: Who Can Help You?

You might feel that you need to achieve your goal on your own – but that simply isn’t true.  Often, it’s a mark of strength, not weakness, to be willing to allow others to help.

  • Losing weight: Get a personal trainer to help you stay motivated to exercise, or ask a friend to come jogging with you
  • Starting a side-business:  Hire a website designer to create a professional-looking website for you
  • Getting out of debt: Talk to friends who’re good at managing their money, and ask them for advice

So – over to you! What are your big goals right now, and how could you regain your motivation?

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Related Articles:

The 21 Habits of Healthy People

The Benefits of Meditation

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  • http://www.Mazzastick.com Justin | Mazzastick

    For people who are not self-disciplined enough I would recommend getting an accountability coach. We can tell people what to do, the question is will they do it.

    For many a coach would be of great benefit to achieving their goals.

  • http://www.colon-liver-cleanse.com/ Sean

    Great post Ali, one of my favorites written by you.

    Staying motivated, especially when we’re not getting the results we want time and time again can be very challenging.

    Especially when we’re always seeing and hearing others success stories. It feels like our efforts are pointless and aren’t paying off.

    Reminds me of a powerful quote I read somewhere that fits perfectly, it was something like “It’s at the point when you are closest to reaching your goal that the feeling of wanting to give up will be the strongest.”

  • http://thebooksthatchangedmylife.com marc van der Linden

    I believe you are right, Justin. I’m using a coach only to assure that I stay on track It is the best way to do a monthly self assessment to not give up and review plans and adapt them at the new situation.

  • http://www.fredtracy.com Fred Tracy

    these are some great tips for rekindling enthusiasm. I especially like the one that says to recognize how far you’ve come. We so often forget where we used to be in our constant search for the future.

  • http://howto-relievestress.com Diane Shepard

    It is true motivation does not last, it is just the case of being reminded what motivates us and what will drives us to be enthusiastic and succeed. A friendly supporting face always helps for me!

    Diane

  • Champ

    Great Post Ali ! Currently my biggest goal is to pass PMP Certification – Initially I was not so serious about it in terms of preparation but now I am serious. Although Lots of study is required but as u mention
    # How far have you come – I came far away , it is not only about study but lots of thing like 1)Become Paid Member 2) Show required experience to give exam and get approved from them 3) pay examination fees and wait for their final approval – if they take any application for Audit then it takes time to verify the details – my application cleared immediately 4) book examination dates 5) give exam. I am on the way to step 5 and thanks god to help to reach to this stage.
    #2: Have You Learnt On the Journey – I learned that where there is will there is way , I could see everything is happening right for me – I wanted to give exam on 30th Aug but seats were booked and only late date was available was 24th Aug , I have booked the same and found that if I give exam in another city then dates are available on 30th. Yesterday all of sudden I check the site to available seat and I found that seat is available on 30th in my city and I re-schedule to 30th ( which I wanted ).
    Champ

  • http://www.motivationmagazin.eu Marko Hanzelic

    It isn’t necessary to hire a professional. A good friend, who tells you right in the face, that what you made wrong, can also be a great solution.

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  • http://www.musclemakernow.com/freereport Marvin the Muscle

    This was a very helpful post. We have all reached that point were we feel our motiation giving out. We just want to quit and move onto the next new project but it is important to stick wit it. No huge success was ever made overnight!

    I like the tips given for restarting our motors.They defintely help us refocus on what is important.

  • http://ahechoes.wordpress.com/ AH

    Another tip is to read a lot of motivational material when you feel low.

    AH

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  • http://www.shelleyshouse.blogspot.com Shelley

    Useful information, thanks.  BTW your link to “21 Habits of Healthy People” is not about healthy people, but about ‘happy people’. 

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  • Stephen

    Hey, I’d like to thank you.  My situation is a little unusual.  I’m a filmmaker and I’ve struggled with the long weeks and months that follow the initial excitement of making a movie.  Your post has helped me start to figure out how to keep my enthusiasm for the process.