Overcoming a Loss of Motivation

Written by John Wesley - 161 Comments
Categories: depression, happiness, health and fitness, motivation, philosophy, productivity tips, self improvement

How many times have you started a new activity (such as a personal project or exercise routine) with a burst of enthusiasm, only to see that initial momentum evaporate? This often leads to depression and causes us to give up prematurely. I’ve experienced this letdown dozens of times myself. But fortunately, with a bit of thought and reflection you can turn this negative emotion around.

The key to harnessing your emotions is understanding them. The natural pattern of human emotion is peaks and valleys. When we start a new project we’re filled with tremendous optimism. All we can think about is the expected benefits, and since we haven’t started yet, we aren’t aware of the difficulties involved. This natural high causes a surge of mental and physical activity. The peak is a great thing because the energy boost gets projects off the ground. If you’re a creative type like me, you know that this period is euphoric. You feel like nothing can stop you.

The downside of this surge of energy is that it inevitably ends. Exerting large amounts of energy wears you down, and after the initial optimism wears off we feel extremely tired. However high you started off, you fall down just as low. This causes a loss of confidence. The combination of fatigue, scant results, and an awareness of impending adversity makes us want to give up. From personal experience I’ve learned a few ways to hold strong against negativity.

Be Prepared for a Letdown

Emotions, by nature, lose their power when we understand them. Prove this to yourself. Next time you get angry, take a moment to reflect on the reason behind the emotion. When I step back and reflect, it’s easy to see that my anger is caused by insecurity/selfishness/jealousy etc. After I understand the cause my anger fades away.

The same technique applies to a loss of motivation. Instead of giving into negativity, step back and analyze. Look at the causes. Are you tired, burned out, disappointed by the results? Are these feelings justified, or are they a by product of a low point in the emotional spectrum?

To illustrate these ideas, I’ll use my most recent project as an example, the creation of this site. When I launched Pick the Brain it took an enormous amount of effort. I was completely new to blogging, web design, and traffic building so there was a steep learning curve. Writing new posts, setting up the site, and trying to build traffic took up nearly all my free time. After about three weeks I was completely burned out. I got depressed and started to question if the site was worth the effort. I wasn’t seeing any returns and I started to find enormous faults in my writing and the purpose of the site. There were moments when I was resigned to failure.

One reason I was able to overcome this loss of motivation is that I prepared myself for a letdown. Beforehand, I researched blogging and learned that it generally takes 9-12 months before a site begins to see significant traffic. Knowing that my lack of success was perfectly normal helped me get over it. The same is true for other endeavors. If you know losing 20 pounds in a month is unrealistic, you’ll be able to accept losing only 5 more easily.

I also knew my own emotions and was prepared for the initial emotional peak to pass. When I was first inspired to launch a website, my expectations were through the roof. Dreams of AdSense revenue danced in my head and I pictured throngs of loyal readers as if they already existed. But because I understand my emotional pattern, I realized this optimism would give way to depression. In the back of my mind, I foresaw the impending motivational battle, and when it came I was ready.

Reevaluate Your Strategy and Motivation

The passing of the emotional peak is a blessing in disguise because it allows us to reevaluate our plans from a fresh perspective. At first we are blinded by our own optimism. When we lose our motivation we can see gaping holes our in plan. We can either get down on ourselves and give up, or we can use this negative emotion to discover our faults and correct them. After I pulled myself out of the motivational cellar, I went back to all the negatives thoughts I’d had and applied them to improving the site. Having a pessimistic attitude opened my eyes. It made me realistic about my abilities and expectations. Emotional valleys bring us back to reality. Without them we’d be raving lunatics with unlimited self-confidence.

Use a loss of motivation as an opportunity to reconsider what your motivation really is. One reason I lost motivation is that I became too concerned with the financial aspect of blogging and lost sight of the real reason I started: sharing my passion for self improvement and the pursuit of happiness. When I realigned my motivation with my passion, the lack of results didn’t matter. My motivation returned because I realized connecting with people through my writing is an end in itself. Even if this site never makes I dime, sharing my ideas and experiences to help other people is worth the effort.

In truth, sometimes giving up is the right decision. If you started doing something for the wrong reasons you’ll likely lose your motivation. This is a good thing. It allows us to see what really motivates us. In these cases, the best choice is to move on to a new endeavor. Don’t fight self doubt, use it for your benefit.

Conclusion

Dealing with emotional highs and lows is an experience common to all people. We generally accept our emotions as beyond our control. They are powerful and mysterious and appear quite irrational. But if we contemplate our emotions, if we explore the inner workings of our minds, we find that like all things, emotions obey the law of cause and effect. Armed with this knowledge, we can continue to allow our emotions to dominate our lives, or we can use them to our benefit.

Don’t be surprised by a loss of motivation and don’t be disappointed by it. Understand it as natural effect of the human mind, and utilize this knowledge of self to make your emotions work for you.

Eliminate your stress


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  • http://menslifeplan.com/archives/13 Men’s Life Plan » Blog Archive » How to control your thoughts and actions

    [...] John Wesley has a variation on this take at Pick the Brain called Overcoming the Loss of Motivation that follows a Surge in Productivity. [...]

  • http://positivesharing.com Alexander Kjerulf

    Thanks for a great post John. I could not agree more with your thinking.

    I myself experience it – I get these bouts of doubts (heh) where I question a project and feel utterly certain that it’s all going to fail.

    And interestingly I get these doubt-attacks whether the project is successful or not. If I’m not (yet) getting results I feels sure that I never will. If I’m already successful, I feel sure that I will lose that success and that people will soon expose me for the fraud I am. Or feel like, in that moment.

    These feelings come maybe once or twice a month, usually late in the evening or at night. I used to take them very seriously, but now I know that they come – and are gone by the next morning.

    I think feeling this way is the price we pay for doing anything interesting. Imagine doing only the things that are so easy, that you could never be in doubt of a positive outcome…

    Boooooooooooooring! :o )

    As you write, the key is to know yourself and to allow these feelings to exist.

  • Nat

    Great post. It definitely hits home now that many of us are a week into our New Year’s resolutions.

  • http://www.BryanCFleming.com/2007/01/10/worlds-biggest-personal-growth-carnival/ Bryan C. Fleming » Worlds Biggest Personal Growth Carnival

    [...] Patricia presents 10 Reasons NOT To Give Up TV, Erek Ostrowski presents Getting Out of Debt (Part 1) Alan presents Money (What it really is and how it is acquired) Jack Yoest presents Media Training at The Leadership Institute John Wesley presents Overcoming the Loss of Motivation  [...]

  • http://esylife.wordpress.com Theo Tonca

    Awesome post! I’m in the midst of a downward surge right now having just launched my startup a few weeks ago and you’re absolutely right that’s it’s only natural to go through the progression.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Thanks Theo. Best of luck in getting back on track and making your startup a success.

  • http://www.thedisquiet.com/discussions/resource-rpundup-for-the-week-of-january-8th/ Engaging the Disquiet » Blog Archive » Resource rpundup for the week of January 8th

    [...] “How many times have you started a new activity (such as a personal project or exercise routine) with a burst of enthusiasm, only to see that initial momentum evaporate? This often leads to depression and causes us to give up prematurely. I’ve experienced this letdown dozens of times myself. But fortunately, with a bit of thought and reflection you can turn this negative emotion around.” John Wesley helps in “Overcoming the loss of motivation that follows a surge of productivity.” [...]

  • http://www.thedisquiet.com Dave

    You are soooo right! I really appreciate your writing about the let down afterwards. I can’t tell you how many times I have mistaken that let down as a signal the idea or decision was a bad one and abandoned it. I like your suggestion to tae advantage of this period to re-evaluate and correct. This is really good – thanks!

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Dave,

    I’m glad you recognize the same pattern in your own life. Hopefully sharing this will help more people persevere when they experience a letdown.

  • http://www.ieatn00bs4breakfast.com Ryan

    Nice post. I have many ideas and thus many projects have sprung up, and this post helped me realize my natural tendency to continue working on each one pieces at a time. A burst of energy here, a letdown there, a burst there, etc.

  • http://www.balancedlifecenter.com/144-personal-development-carnival-011407/ Personal Development Carnival 01/14/07 – Spirituality Applied to Life – Balanced Life Center

    [...] John Wesley presents Overcoming the Loss of Motivation that Follows a Surge of Productivity posted at Pick the Brain. Overcome the inevitable loss of motivation by understanding your emotions. [...]

  • http://ispf.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-stops-you-and-what-will-you-do.html ispf

    Great Post! I particularly like your suggestion to expect the “down” period and be prepared for it!

    When I start a project, I usually try to find a role model to hang onto during these down periods. Using your example of blogging (I go through the exact same doubts as you), I have bookmarked a few blogs that I really like. Its not that these blogs always have something great to say. Its just that they are persistent, and every now and then they have something that speaks directly to me. And thats why they are my role models. Being great all the time, is of course the goal. But if I can’t do that, I will settle for just be around all the time, and being great every now and then :)

  • http://susanborgas.blogspot.com Susan Borgas

    A very timely post for me and I thank you for it. As an artist the highs and lows are quite common with me. I have just completed a series of commissioned work and it is now so hard to be motivated to paint for exhibitions for the up and coming year and of cause it effects those that are around me. Though blogging takes quite a bit of my time reading and writing, it also can be very motivating by reading stories such as yours. Thanks for sharing.

  • http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog Caroline

    Great post. The other thing that really helps me when I hit that lowpoint is a coach or mentor. If you can find someone who has been there before, it can be a wonderful support.

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  • evren

    Thank you very much for this post.
    I am covered up my neck in a mess of half finished, unfinished projects. I feel very down, tired and unhappy and pray god everyday to find the motivation to sort them out. The unfortunate thing is I have lost the willpower to finish them. I am doing my best to ignore them and forget them but they are there in the back of my mind always making me unhappy.

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    [...] If you don’t have a lot of time, just look on the sidebar: Best of Pick The Brain section contains the best informational and motivating articles, such as Learn to understand your own intelligence, Overcoming a loss of motivation, or Case study: How a headline made the difference between 100 and 5000 visits. Although John is a bit sceptical about his blog being remarkable, there are lots of things to learn from the big white bear, so I invite you to read John Wesley’s blog and comment here what was your favourite post and why. Good luck John, and keep on picking the brain. It sure works! You can take your badge and display it on your site. if (typeof window.Delicious == “undefined”) window.Delicious = {}; Delicious.BLOGBADGE_DEFAULT_CLASS = ‘delicious-blogbadge-line’; [...]

  • http://n/a James S

    Just wanted to say thanks for a good overview of something so simple, so many of us miss it. I’ve felt these peaks and valleys many times first hand, but never voiced the pattern I noticed for fear of being branded bi-polar. I have in the past been able to deal with anger and other emotions with logic and reasoning in the past, but such a broad application of such a simple idea hadn’t occured to me before. Thank you, again.
    James

  • jennafer iatchkov

    heyy , all this usual information i like this site,., loll omg and ofcourse its worth it u should be very proud of yourself, ur helping many ppl like u say avoid thinking negative, trust me this website is worth it,

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Thanks Jennafer, it helps to hear that.

  • jADI

    But you see Johnny Boy… now you DO have a loyal reader.

    It’s unfair: you *feel* it, we have to read it. :)
    No matter: knowing this alone is making a difference.

  • http://www.successjolt.com/2007/01/10/carnival-of-success-12/ SuccessJolt » Blog Archive » Carnival of Success Edition #12

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  • http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/intention-manifestation/4798-what-about-when-you-just-feel-yucky.html#post48025 What about when you just feel "Yucky"?? – Personal Development for Smart People Forums

    [...] I occasionally go through periods when I lose confidence, feel flat like you said, and have trouble breaking out of it. For some people, I think it’s all just part of the emotional cycle of highs and lows. I actually wrote about it a ways back: Overcoming a Loss of Motivation. I’m not sure if there is any way to snap right out of the Yuck. The best you can do is understand that it will eventually pass and try to keep going without getting too down on yourself. __________________ Pick the Brain Getting Smarter Every Day [...]

  • http://sweettrend.com SweetTrend

    Great article. Came to it via a link on the Steve Pavlina forum.

    Because I am always working on a personal project, I’ve come to recognize and expect the down days after the initial manic energy. It’s nice to know that there’s at least something positive we can extract from these moments.

  • Sukha

    Great article.
    It reminds me of a documentary I recently saw on bipolar disorder with Steven fry, I’m not bipolar myself but have noticed all the same symptoms as those described on the program only to a lesser degree. Perhaps it’s not really a dysfunction but simply an extreme of a natural process that enables us to tackle something big, to overcome the mundane. if you keep in mind the natural cycle you can take advantage of the highs and lows.

  • http://www.greenorlando.com Eric

    Thanks for the article
    :)

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    That’s interesting Sukha, I’d like to see that documentary sometime.

  • Helen

    I just wanted to say thank you John Wesley for such an interesting and uplifting site! And a comment for James S….I too have felt like I was bi-polar!! Your comment made me laugh. Thanks to all!!

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Thanks, Helen!

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  • http://www.how-to-life.com Dr. Howtolife

    We are as humans equipped to question our actions. How could we improve elsewise improve ourselves? When I get a down, I try to get a bigger picture..and look at human history. We all had downs or losses..the key is to accept them and learn from them.

  • http://www.thedisquiet.com/mens-roles/resource-rpundup-for-the-week-of-january-8th/ Engaging the Disquiet » Blog Archive » Resource roundup for the week of January 8th

    [...] “How many times have you started a new activity (such as a personal project or exercise routine) with a burst of enthusiasm, only to see that initial momentum evaporate? This often leads to depression and causes us to give up prematurely. I’ve experienced this letdown dozens of times myself. But fortunately, with a bit of thought and reflection you can turn this negative emotion around.” John Wesley helps in “Overcoming the loss of motivation that follows a surge of productivity.” [...]

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  • Mat

    Thanks for this. You helped me out more than you can know by me just reading this. Thank you, you are doing a terrific thing.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    I’m glad Mat, and I appreciate your comment. It really means a lot me to know I’m having an effect on someone’s life. It keeps me motivated to write.

  • http://www.fotolog.com/januarianclarice Janisse

    thank you very much for this site. I’m having a huge loss of motivation rigt now.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Well, I hope the article helps a bit. Best wishes with your motivation.

  • http://www.canimakebigmoneyonline.com George

    Wow, fantastic post John! I will be sure to share it with others.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Thanks, George. I’m glad it struck a chord with you.

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  • hedonplay

    I am fighting against my loss of motivation now.
    I can’t find my initial passion with c++, which i have been with for about two months. i should be quiet and ask myself some questions such as why i learn c++. You lead me to the right way ,anyway.Thank you.

  • http://www.iheartthat.com/ Paul

    I do appreciate your article, but I was expecting an article with more suggestions for getting though a period of motivational depression. Suggestions such as setting incremental goals during these periods, examining the areas where one could improve, identifying one’s strengths and making simple changes to one’s routine. Or perhaps, I was expecting more of an analysis of your experiences with such events and personal experiments.

    Your wonderful article, while not what I expected, took the anticipatory approach. You recommend that the reader anticipate the lulls and re-evaluate their initial purpose.

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    Daily Report for July 30, 2007…

    Team Collaboration Shared Calendar Scenarios … The Notes/Domino team is looking for real-world scenarios of where business users want to share calendar information with others. IBM developerWorks Mozilla Drops Thunderbird … Mozilla announced plans …

  • Matt

    I liked the “raving lunatics” part. So true.

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  • http://www.wisdomgettingloaded.com/interview.htm tracy Ho

    Greats for sharing your articles,
    its help me to go further,

    To your success,

    Tracy Ho
    wisdomgettingloaded

  • Eyes half closed

    Alright, I think I’m burned out … now what? I’m not sure where it’s coming from, I just feel tired all the time and I can think of how to do projects and self improvement, I just don’t seem able to find the energy to get up and get it done. It’s a hell of a funk. I’m afraid it will become habit.

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  • Clarence

    Once upon a time there was about a King who would struggle like this with times of great heights and deep valleys. He called his wise men and asked them to come up with something that would help him in this area. They all failed which reveals how difficult it is for many to offer any help. However one came up with something that he felt would help the king. The man’s name was ” Experience”. Experience made a special ring for the king and he told the king to wear it always and to read the four words on it every time he felt extremely high or whenever he was in a valley. The King looked at the ring and was very pleased.
    The words engraved were ” This too shall pass”

  • http://www.metrohousemanagement.com Cambri

    I love this, you’re great!
    I ambitiously started my own company when I was 18, in a very tough industry. I am now 22, and still with the same concept. I am currently in my longest “motivational slump” and this reminds me of the positive thinking and emotional control that got me this far. This helps tremendously, and whether you read all your comments or not, I felt compelled to give you my appreciation.
    Thanks!!

    Sincerely,

    Cambri Michaels

  • Adam

    Evren,

    I been in the same boat for awhile now.and the reason you feel like that is procrastination.the longer you wait the worse it gets.I totally know what your dealing with and hope that you understand that all those negative feelings will go away once you attack the projects and get organized.Think about the end result.the hardest part is the first step.the rest will follow.Let me know if i was any help.I got myself out of the slump this way.

    Yours Truly,

    Adam Lolovic

  • Ali

    Excellent article! I got the kick I wanted on a morning that was not good earlier. this has given good positive energy for my work. thanks again for the great post. I have subscribed to RSS feed and keep looking for more kicks :)

  • http://schatzren.piczo.com Renalie

    Perfect to those People who wanted to be more educated in this matter:)

  • Miguel

    thanks man, this is very good, i jst turned 17 and i have many doubts n low motivation, i feel like im worthless, after reading this made me feel better about most things, you made me realize it takes time,patience and hard work to get what you want, thanks bro

  • Mutada al sader the king

    Nice.. Tks : )

  • Sonya

    This is the first really HELPFUL website that i have found. Taking an issue, breaking it down, using examples, and then giving insightful ways to solve issue. Great writting style! You’ve won a repeat customer.

  • Ali

    How do I find my motivation again, after the death of my fiance? He was my best friend, my partner, my mentor. He was everything to me. He made me a better person and now he is gone. He pushed me everyday to be the best. I know that motivation comes within, but I just can’t find it right now. I feel like I’m disappointing him.
    I can’t seem to give 100% at anything I do. I start something and I don’t finish it.
    What do I do?

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  • Kali

    Thanks for articulating the view that emotions are normal and reminding they follow the laws of cause and effect! To some extent, I also believe that whiplashing from high’s to low’s and back again can be a manifestation of our self-concept being incongruent with reality.

  • http://dotheknowledge.com/transcend Bryan Ogilvie

    No doubt John,

    This was a real healing read, because I’m going through the same issue myself presently.

    Knowing that you had emotional imbalance getting this blog up is reassuring, because I’m actually amazed at what you got going on here.

    Thanks again bro,

    Peace,

    +B

  • Nicola Soma

    I really enjoy my daily Pickthebrain read. Posts like this make me realise everybody feels the same as I do, sometimes.

    People who leave comments on this website also contribute to my understanding and feeling that there are people out there I connect with.

    Thanks all.

  • steph

    I’m just getting over a long depression after buying my first property. Like you said, I wasn’t able to see the potential downfalls because I was euphoric, I could only see the positive. Then after a while I noticed the area wasn’t so good, and constant diy actually isn’t fun.I spent a year castigating myself for things I couldn’t have known til I tried them. Even worse, it made me scared to try anything else in case it happened again. Now I know it definately will happen again the fear is diminished. Thank you very much, I wish I had seen this a year ago! So many wonderful people out there sharing their wisdom gives us all a fighting chance, cos the human brain is a bloody fabulous minefield!

  • http://na calico cain

    thankz!

  • http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/clubparexcellance.com Linda Adams

    Great post. Thanx for sharing.I really enjoy it! looking forward to more.

  • Steve

    Thanks for the article – really helped!

  • Guruswamy

    Thanks for the article and thanks for the great inspiration….

  • Rob

    yup, works for me

  • joe
  • Rodney Sims

    That helped me alot. Being gifted with several talents can often lead one to crazy demotivation especially when it comes to which one will build financial support.

  • http://timelesslessons.com Valeria | TimelessLessons

    The other thing that really helps me when I hit that low point is a coach or mentor. If you can find someone who has been there before, it can be a wonderful support.

  • Javan Davis

    Mr Wesley,

    I enjoyed your article. I started my own accounting practice out of my house this year and continue to struggle with getting motivated to get to work and stay working. I never seem to have enough time to get things done but find myself sitting in front of the TV or surfing the internet (how I found your article, ha!) when I should be at my desk working on client files. When deadlines approach I find I have to lock myself in my office and ignore my family to meet them. Then I find I have to waste time moving meetings or pushing back deadlines. I find I have no problem on the sales end of my practice but struggle with the actual work. Any suggestions?

  • Angie

    I stumble onto this site and I’m so grateful to have found it. I have experienced that creative drive, that “high” at the onset of so many projects- songwriting and recording, painting the house, plans for my kids- only to be faced with harsh realities and obstacles which cause me to get discouraged and depressed. This article brought me some positive insight. Thank you, Mr. Wesley

  • Cindy

    Thanks for this article! I’m in a huge motivation vacuum right now while job-searching. My initial gung-ho attitude has worn off and the self-doubt is creeping in. I am home procrastinating in front of the computer instead of out at interviews and don’t really understand where all my motivation went to. Your post makes so much sense and is much better than all the usual “get motivated” stuff -set goals, discover your purpose, blah blah… Just thinking that this motivational valley can actually help me get more realistic (hey there’s actually a positive here somewhere) gives me huge relief. Thanks John!!

  • Sara

    really loved your post..

    real nice..

    keep up with the great work bro,
    ur doing great…;)

    love ur writing…:)

  • Veda

    A much needed ‘rationale-boost’ for the creative motivational ‘see-saws’!

    Thanks for your Thoughtful HelpingPen John !!

  • heslie

    this is my first time here in your site and i’m very happy knowing that the motivation that i’m looking for is here. And for sure I’ll be visiting this site everyday. thank you . hope to read more from you. GOD BLESS..

  • http://jmtheinnovator.multiply.com Jose Ma Perez

    By merely reading this article, I began to realize how much time I have wasted for feeling down and not doing anything to solve it. I was moved when you have mentioned that it is natural for men to experience failure. I promise to bring my old self back again. I hope that you’ll have more people to inspire! Your site is such an epitome of motivation! :)

  • http://www.ambitiontosucceed.com/2009/03/01/related-articles/overcoming-a-loss-of-motivation/ Overcoming a Loss of Motivation | ambitiontosucceed.com – Inspiration – Ambition – Success – Achievement

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  • http://www.webtrafficpartners.com Jim

    Javon,
    I am dealing with this same type of thing. I was laid off last December and have started working with my brother in law on a startup company. I have been working out of my house and have found it nearly impossible to get anything done in a day. I bet I spend 3.5 hours a day actually doing work and the rest of the time finding things to distract me (no joke). My partner and I just invested in a shared office space which will only cost us $250/month. These types of spaces are becoming more popular. Even if you can rent a room or office in an existing business that someone you know may own. It’s a way to get out of the house and be able to focus and remain productive throughout the day. Give it a shot, it could make all the difference in the world. Good Luck

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/overcoming-the-loss-of-motivation-that-follows-a-surge-of-productivThisarticlewasbroughttoyoubywww.pickthebrain.com Ghada

    This is a great job.
    With love and coarrage -Ghada

  • vikas puri

    great comments are always welcomed.

  • http://benjaminteo.com.au Benjamin Teo

    Wonderfully written from experience. I was feeling down when I found this article. It has helped me understand my thoughts better. A recommended read for anyone who’s lost sight and motivation.

  • Siddharth Jain

    I have same problem. In starting great enthusiasm & after sometime everything lost.Only depression, diappointment & laziness. Thanks for the great article.

  • Mike

    Thanks alot for sharing all of this useful info John, you’re helping me understand more about the spectrum and how I can use it against loss of motivation. Keep on writing, you’re doing a great favor to readers!

  • http://eventphotographylive.com Amber

    Wow, for the last 4 days I have been feeling super un-motivated and even picked up a couple of Motivation books. I’m glad I came across this article – b/c of the fact to “be prepared for the letdown” I just started 2 new companies on my own for the first time, and of course was in the “nothing will stop me” mentality. I felt like super woman. Well, the only thing that stopped me was ME. Glad to know it’s all normal and this site is actually very helpful. I’ll be back for a pick me up soon :)

  • jai jai

    I just found your site and I love it now. It’s informative and gives good advice without being dull and knows how real people react to situtations and offers alternatives. Thanks!

  • Melissa

    What an inspirational post! Thank you for the insight. I really needed it!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/Learn-to-Think-for-Yourself Annaly

    This has happened to me and what I do is tell myself to ignore my emotions and do what I know is right. It’s not as easy as it sounds but it works.

  • Mary

    Thanks for this refreshing point of view. You have helped me see my loss of motivation as a positive instead of condemning me as a failure.

  • http://www.marisabirns.com Marisa Birns

    Wow! It’s as if you were a fly on the wall in my house!

    I was at the acme a few days ago, and now I’m walking through the dale.

    Your explanation of this does give me inspiration and hope.

    I guess the thing is to enjoy all the travel through the peaks and the valleys and learn from all experiences.

    Thank you!

  • Shawn Pruitt

    Thank you for you post. I agree with you completely as I myself can suffer from the same letdowns when I get into a new routine or lifestyle. Understanding how you feel is imperative to lower stress and keep focused, and it is also imperative to be patient with your endeavours because the end results can be wonderful. As an addition to the post, I think that taking each day one at a time is crucial. By doing this, but staying knowlegeable of the future, success is gauranteed. Keep posting. :)

  • Alex

    Thanks a lot for this GREAT post, It really helped me out on finding where I failed now my motivation is back to his high peak and I’m ready to fight the downfall!!

    Thanks again!!! :)

  • Paddy

    Hi! This post really lifted my spirits. I’ve always been told that this was my nature: all fizz, and then nothing. Its a pleasant suprise – actually relieving – to know that this is natural….and more importantly, that this doesnt mean I am gonna be a failure…that other people who have been successful are also like this!! Now I can really try turning around the off-times to my advantage…Thank you so much!!

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  • lacus

    thanks for sharing it.i personally thinks that it helps alot.i have clearer view on the lost of motivation,but are there any other factors that might have affect our motivation?i lost my motivation to study and it is really hard to get it back.is there any remedy for it or any suggestion that might help?

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  • http://www.webtrafficpartners.com Chris Thomas

    Motivation is an every day struggle. Nice post. It’s Monday so it was a nice read to start the week!

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  • Amber

    Don’t underestimate the value of physical things such as nutrition and exercise to help you regain your motivation in other areas. I’m including a link that has some good information in that regard: http://energyandmotivation.com/

  • http://topbodyresults.com/develop-exercise-motivation nina

    Great information especially regarding the expectations – sometimes we are unrealistic and when we think we have “failed” we just give up completely instead of seeing it as just a bump in the road or even a normal course of events

  • daevidcarter

    Great information. Thank you. I’m in a trough but it won’t last. Could you guess?

  • http://www.mypromdresses.co.uk/ prom gowns

    I just cant stop reading this.

  • Jonathan

    This is one of the most useful article I have read. I myself do have many other useful reading source about motivation in different approaches. However, this one is really easy to apply to different cases, and it is practical.

    I myself is facing this kind of problem too. I want to open a web business firm and now is catching up back programming. (I spent much time on business side.) But as I try to start to do it, I find that I lose focus and not easy to keep working on it. After I read this article, I find that the deep problem of lossing motivation for me is: “Even I get this part done well, there are other factors involved to determine it is success or not.”
    So I check the other sides of business again and keeps tell myself to take some necessary risks. Now I feel much better and can do what I have to do.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-focus-when-you-work-from-home/ How to Focus When You Work from Home – PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement

    [...] Overcoming A Loss Of Motivation If you enjoyed this article, subscribe via RSS feed or email updates because fresh content is posted daily. Filed under: self improvement Tagged with: career, pickthebrain, self employed, self employment, self improvement, success, time management, work from home You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [...]

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  • http://insomnia8.com insomnia

    your blog’s design is simple and clean….

    Mind if I use some of the information from this post if I provide a link back to your site?…

  • Henry

    Great! I am going through these highs and lows. Your post really lightened the vision how our emotion works. Thanks a lot!

  • Jennifer

    Thank you for blogging about this topic. I needed to read this and want you to know that you were totally right about helping people, if you hadn’t gone through with your research and would have given up on your blogging venture, I and the many others who have commented would not have been helped. Thanks for helping me understand my unmotivated tendencies and that I am normal. I felt like on my unmotivated days I was suffering from depression. I couldn’t explain why I felt so unmotivated all of a sudden and why I could all of a sudden just bring it back and work hard at my goal again. I feel the high at the start of the project and found it hard after a few weeks to keep the high going. Now I know that others suffer from this and know that it is a work in progress. Thanks again!

  • Moe

    your right, it is only a natural progression. From now on im going to control my UPS not my downs. Im feeling very tierd, sick, unmotivated and burnt out right now. I made too many expectations of myself and got too excited. Need to learn to focus my energies more. starting from now. cya thanks alot.

  • http://www.ido-doi.com Stella Aghenie

    You will have times in your life when you will feel like you’re the most unattractive person to walk the Earth. You will need somebody to pull you aside and say – you will not reach higher with your hands in your pockets. You can set many records, if you do guarantee yourself that you will do what you promise yourself, and listen to your dreams, to self improve faster

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    So interesting! I just cant stop reading this.

  • http://www.romanticintimategifts.com Timothy

    Understanding our peaks and valleys is fundamental in not losing hope. Realizing that the negative emotions we are feeling when unmotivated are cyclical can really help in helping one see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

  • samer

    thank you, this article has helped me.

  • http://www.romanticintimategifts.com Romantic Gifts

    Preparing oneself is an excellent insight. The next step is recognizing when your emotional low has hit. This can allow you to rationalize what you are feeling and allow you to get through more easily.

  • willy

    So what I’m hearing in this article is that my mild case of depression I’ve had since highschool was and is nothing more than my low self esteem holding me back after each emotional high when a new idea pops into my head. That is probably the answer I’ve been searching for for all these years. Excellent! It all makes perfectly good sence to me. Thanx

  • this guy

    Thanks for the article, I needed it.

  • behrooz

    thank you so much. I am really happy that I found this web site today :)
    Good Luck!

  • Lauren

    I found this infomation interesting and useful and it has helped me understand the cause of the problem, which was I lost the real reason behind my efforts and in doing so loss my focus. Also the infomation is formated and uses context which is easy for everyone to understand and therefore benefits all of whom can understand it and interpret it.

    Thank you

  • Daynah

    Hi there. While I appreciate the intent of this article, I must say that I disagree with many things you have said.

    “Next time you get angry, take a moment to reflect on the reason behind the emotion. When I step back and reflect, it’s easy to see that my anger is caused by insecurity/selfishness/jealousy etc. After I understand the cause my anger fades away.”

    This would be a great tool if your anger actually came from you own insecurity or selfishness, etc. But what if you anger is justified? What if there is someone or something making it impossible for you to stay motivated?

    Also, I fail to see how understanding my emotions can make them easier to handle and work through? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s very important to reflect on your emotions (i.e., keeping a journal, talking to a therapist, etc.); however, reflection does not necessarily help one improve their motivation. In fact, sometimes thoroughly understanding one’s emotions can make it even harder to become motivated because so much energy has been consumed on trying to understand why you feel the way you do.

    Also, the notion that preparing for a letdown, not only does that sound like an extremely negative way to live life, but it just does not realistically work. For instance, when a friend of mine became terminally ill, her family, friends and I did everything we could to prepare for the loss of her. When it did actually happen, it was not any easier to take than any other loss I’ve experienced, including those I was unprepared for.

    If you are feeling unmotivated toward something, there are always reasons behind it. But it doesn’t always mean that it’s because you are experiencing selfish emotions that you need to work through. Sometimes it can just plainly mean that you are not cut out to do something, or that possibly you are going down the wrong path in life. If it’s truly something you love or are meant to do, you will eventually just naturally come out of your “funk” and become motivated again.

    Anyways, this is just my opinion. Please let me stress that! I still believe that there are a lot of great points in this article; if the methods mentioned here have helped even one person become motivated again about something, then that in itself makes this article a very good one indeed.

    :-)

  • http://bestslrdigitalcamerasale.com Best SLR Digital Camera

    Yes! Great article and so helpful. The only thing I might not like is that by expecting let down you will most definitely find it, sometimes sooner rather than later. Do wait for bad things to come but don’t be surprised by the event and understand where it is coming from. Thanks!

  • rewa

    thanks!

  • Meshal

    Thank you for the post, I really liked your theory of explaining emotions as peaks and valleys and the way how we should we deal with it. I’ve not tried yet but I think it will help me a lot. :-)

  • http://www.ngozimusic.blogspot.com Ngozi

    This article has helped me a lot today.. needed to hear your own personal experience. The way you expressed it in simple, easy to understand language is also fantastic. Thnaks

  • kcaraneta

    Great post, great site, great heart!

    Enjoying all these greatness- your creation from here in Manila philippines…

    Keep it up!

  • http://none arun jain

    hi dear fren, whosoever you are i likes your writings thankyou

  • http://none arun jain

    hi dear fren, whosoever you are i liked your writings thankyou

  • http://light-n-shadow.blogspot.com Subhabrata Seal

    Really, our expectations, our dreams, our temptations carry us away so often… Often it’s hard to decide if it’s an inspiration, or just any allurement. Or can the allurement be the creative inspiration itself? With so many twisted questions, we get puzzled and end up losing the mind!! Getting caught in the tangle of the mind!!

    So, ‘giving up,’ should be the ‘turnkey’ to get rid of this tangle. And start a brand new start again, with full control. And this full control may come by choosing to do ‘easy forms’ of our destined works. Ease will bring comfort; Comfort will bring joy; and Joy will inspire us to do little better than we expected to do.

    So, never let other’s work overwhelm you, or to intimidate you. Do not sanction on yourself to do something earth-shattering overnight. Just be amused with these ‘irrational emotions, if they keep coming’ and just keep measuring, how much can you do about it, just the little, for the time being, and breathe satisfaction!

    The two golden turnkeys:

    If you are overloaded with depression and the head feels like a boulder, ‘give up.’ Declare that the operation is cancelled!

    If you are blown away with fantastic ideas of doing the greatest things in this world and thus ending up living a rich man (or woman) in one of the most expensive cities of this world, smile a little, and start to plan a easy miniature form of your idea. ‘Be at ease,’ and just start with it. Just your own thing. None to show.

    Just a few words of my humble thoughts.

    Regards.

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    Meditation is one of the easiest techniques you can learn to refuel your body, mind and spirit. While many of us have heard of the benefits of meditation, few of us actually want to spend the time it takes to learn how to meditate. We often cling to stress, fear and anxiety because we think we need these things in order to function in this fast-paced world.

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  • http://www.probodybuildingdiets.com Bodybuilding Diets

    Thank you for sharing this! I know that everyone suffers through a letdown every once in a while. After reading this post, I was able to learn to understand what was causing me to experience this letdown in my life. In order to achieve my goals, I really do need to take a break and meditate.

  • Stefan

    Thankyou for writing this :)

    I’ve seen “The Secret”, which I still find inspirational – being positive is the heart of living energy. Not so strange, then, when faced with the natural valleys of human emotion, to reach some conflict.

    If I had to choose between these two;
    - The ability to be happy for the rest of my life.
    or
    The ability to live and learn from life as a whole (good AND bad).
    I would choose the latter.

    I hope to read more of your bloggs and find more inspiration ^^

  • Ted

    Hi,

    After reading that you went into a state of burnout after “three weeks” from creating your site i feel sooo much better and rejuvenated..! (sp?)

    I’m going through burnout after “three years” of a terrible economy and ever diminishing results while trying to build a new company where employee’s and their families rely on “my” results to help put food on their table –

    “three weeks” – wow, i’ll never complain again ~

    By the way, how old are you – 20 something..??

  • simone

    I found this article inspiring, thanks.

  • ishan

    Work without wondering about the results is the sole wau!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000450704320 Симеон Симеонов

    Very helpful thanks for the great job!!!Thats inspiring!!

  • http://screw9-5.blogspot.com/ Screw9to5man

    I’ve experienced what you talk about in this blog post many times. I’m kind of going through the low period now actually, but I have to keep going. One day it will pay off. That day is coming soon. 

  • http://twitter.com/DanielsMind Daniel Cavazos

    Great post. For me vision is key.  When I feel the and see the end result or at least imagine what the end will feel like, I can use it as a gas station when I find my self low on optimistic fuel.

  • Anonymous

    John,

    I’m new to your site, but man I so totally relate to this and other articles of yours. I thought I had finally fell into a pit off never ending lack of motivation from a rescent project failure. I just saw only that this pattern you described, had kept me from completing so many other goals. You so totally nailed the cause and I’m thrilled to know its not that I’m a loser, just letting the emotional rollercoster get the best of me.

  • nobody

    This is rather helpful, since I’m experiencing a letdown or loss of motivation right now. I’m a student, quarter midterms have passed, and I bombled one of my tests, and due to tiny mistakes here and there, missed out completely on acing both my exams by a percent.  I’ve been crying myself to sleep every night, because I can’t seem to get over this slump. The letdown seeps into my thoughts, my life, nulling my daily activities and making it harder for me to focus on the task at hand.
     
    I’m not sure if I’ll ever understand why I get like this…It happens every year, during school. I have to go through 6 years as an undergrad, and the depression, mixed with desperation, stress, and anxiety,  is really killing me.

  • Lingfederhen

    thanks for this article…I am still lost..in the valley. 

  • Taimoortalpur

    Awesome Post….Fealing like I found My Mistake of lacking motivation by having Enormous goals, forgetting the real limitations…

  • Gagankathuria1

    Every single word of it is really true…….thanx 4 d post

  • Cellis1977

    Though this was posted quite a while ago.  It find me when I was confused about what exactly was happening to me and my motivation and my business.  I have to a certain degree just threw in the towel and have kept in contact with all of my old associates but have isolated myself and become distant with them.  But this makes good sense and in a way has influenced me even further to get back in the game.  I really did love my work but it just wasnt paying off and was exausting me in every way I could think.  But mainly it was the wear and tear of the financial strain.

  • Mangomaddy

    Thank you for this post.  I am starting a new business after losing my job of 13 years because they could not meet payroll week after week.  I started with so much energy and enthusiasm!  Then suddenly, everything became such a chore and I wondered why I was soooo tired and unmotivated.  It is always helpful to know that I am no alone in experiencing this and that it will pass – and hopefully I will look more closely at my “plan” and hopefully benefit from this time in the long run. 

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  • Amanda

    Loved your article! Very timely for me. What you said just clicked about changing your perspective and looking at a loss of motivation as an opportunity to reevaluate your reasons for why you are doing something.  I also very much agree with understanding your emotions often defuses their negative power over your thinking.

    I also just wanted to add how much value I get from this site.  You have phenominal writers and  I love and look forward to my daily emails. Glad you didn’t give up!

    Take care and know that you are appreciated!

  • http://screw9-5.blogspot.com/ Screw9to5man

    You know what the biggest motivation is for me? The doubters, the people who have ridiculed my dreams and told me I’m wasting my time. The people who see me as a joke.  Nobody likes to feel like that, and it’s a very powerful motivation to try and prove people wrong. 

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  • Soheila

    its true, when you feel depressed  or lack of motive, and kind of mental fight with yourself, is good to sit back and ask why? 

  • Twin20

    Thank you very much! 

  • Haitham-abdallah

    Hey everyone. I have been depressed for many years and sometimes can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. If anyone out there has the same problem please give me some tips as to how you deal with it… For myself, it has reached a level to where I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning and am just living to stay alive. I have been on antidepressents but nothing seems to help.. Luckly, I have hope and patience. I know that one day I will truly be happy and content. I don’t mean for this to be a let down to any one, just needed to get that out there and if there is any one who feels the same way or has reached that point.. Please speakout.. You just might save a life

  • Diane

    I really enjoyed this.  I can see now that I tend to stop everything the moment I start doubting myself and the air whizzes out of my balloon and my motivation is depleted completely.  Thank you for letting me see a new perspective.  Very helpful. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/cyn.sadler Cyn Sadler

    Thank you so much for this.  I’m very impressed with how you have helped in 2 areas that I am having trouble with right now.