Hey loves! It’s Britt. 

And today, I want to address a nasty rumor out there. You know, the one about motivation. It tends to go a little something like this:

“Find something you love to do, turn it into your career, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

While I do believe that this phrase has some great intentions, it can be terribly misleading. Our motivation and thirst for work ebbs and flows all the time, regardless if we love the work at hand or not. Even when we’re doing something we enjoy or of great importance, we can find our motivation to be short-lived.

But fret not, this is why I’m here. Read below to brush up on some of my best tips for getting motivated without burning out. 

 

Begin by asking yourself, “Is this something that I really want?”

 

In life, it’s far too easy to find ourselves doing things for the wrong reasons. Too often we feel the need to live up to the expectations of others, or maybe we’ve developed a case of the “supposed’tas”. 

I’m supposed’ta love my job.
I’m supposed’ta live in this neighborhood.
I’m supposed’ta have this much money saved.
I’m supposed’ta have this life.

Whatever the case may be, I want to encourage you to do some good old-fashioned soul searching. And just know that it’s never too late to discover that your motives behind your decision(s) no longer suit the person you’re trying to be, or the direction you’re attempting to go in. And trust me, once you can deduce what’s driving these supposed’tas, the less inclined you’ll feel to chase after something that doesn’t serve you. 

Surround yourself with like-minded people.

 

The coined phrase “birds of a feather…” isn’t new, but how about this one from Jim Rohn:

You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. 

Pretty powerful, eh?

So yes, we are who we surround ourselves with. And two: Energy is contagious. So find yourself a group of individuals (or even one person) who is serious about getting things done, and join forces as you work towards accomplishing your goals. You’ll feel inspired, worthy, and most of all: motivated.

 

Change up your routine

 

Boredom is the kryptonite of motivation. There have been many periods in my life where I just couldn’t seem to muster up the energy or interest to do something, even if it was something I enjoyed. It wasn’t until I spiced things up that I became motivated again.

So, switch up your exercise routine.
Try cooking something else for dinner.
Change your hair.
Leave your office for the outdoors.

Do SOMETHING to switch up your energy so that what was once old looks new again. Doing the same ole’ thing over and over again will inevitably become mundane. So be open to and proactive about finding new ways to regenerate. Something as small as a change of scenery can do wonders. 

 

Move beyond your feelings.

 

Lack of motivation is strongly correlated to our emotions. We don’t FEEL like doing something or going somewhere – and in turn, we flake, cancel, or procrastinate.

These outcomes don’t solve problems –  in fact – they usually create them. So, after implementing suggestions 1-3, it’ll be worth it to explore if something deeper is going on, and then address it accordingly. Is it fear that’s hindering your motivation? Shame? Isolation? Overwhelm? Or, are you distracted due to your environment? Or perhaps something else is on your mind that you need to address first before getting down to business. Whatever it is, don’t ignore it. Lean into it.

If after doing so, you conclude that it’s pretty much just a case of the lazies – shake it off, girl! Visualize yourself doing whatever needs to get done, imagine how you’ll feel once it gets accomplished, then get to it! 

Remember, thoughts turn into feelings, and feelings turn into actions.