Contributed by: Joanie Batista, SCCC Financial Manager, Missionary At Heart, & Fitness Teacher Gospel Preacher

 

 

I am asked this question often and not always with good intentions. But hey, I get it! I love change and I am always on the go and on a mission. I am the ALL or NOTHING kind of person. If you are like me or know that kind of person, you know we need goals to stay focused. We need a plan…a vision! We need purpose to stay motivated. But there are times that we need more than that.

Finding motivation is not an easy-peasy nor a one-time thing. It requires consistency and constant attention. So how do I stay “constantly” motivated?

Here’s a list I compiled and practice:

  1. Build your plans around your passion.  This is extremely important. When you do something you absolutely love, it’s not hard to find the motivation you need to stay on fire toward your goals.
  2. Set short-term and long-term goals and put them on paper, and if necessary, make them public. Accountability to yourself and others is key. The same way we need support for a strong immune system, we also need support to keep our core of life strong. How you ask?! Having a routine in place. A routine not only gives us accountability to ourselves and others, but it keeps us moving toward our goals. Giving us a sense of direction and self-awareness.
  3. Stay positive. Be your own cheerleader! Believe in yourself and trust your instincts.
  4. Commit to the end goal. But beware, your mission could change. And that’s okay! Just follow your heart! Knowing that God’s calling in my life can change has freed me! It gave me freedom to move forward and permission to change my mission with no guilt, shame, or feeling like a failure. As you start experiencing growth, new goals and even a new mission could emerge. It is perfectly okay to change…to learn…and to become new. Grow is a never-ending process!
  5. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Motivation often comes from those around us. But stay away from negative and damaging influence.
  6. Practice self-care to stay fresh and well in body, mind, and spirit. I find great joy and wholeness through meditation, movement, and eating whole foods. As a Christian woman, I also practice prayer meditation, but the dancer in me enjoys dance meditation. And the “always on the go, busy and on a mission” kind of girl that I am, needs to practice breathing meditation. Sometimes it takes more than one thing to stay motivated and that’s perfectly fine. We are all different and need different methods. Find what works for you.
  7. Recognize your faults and weaknesses but place no judgement. One thing that has been a game changer for me is giving myself grace and time. When I feel trapped in my body, mind, or circumstances, I pause and give myself a day or two or as many as I need to refresh. Allowing my heart and thoughts to quiet and my feelings to set down. And trust me, I need to do this often!
  8. Do not do it alone! Do it in community. Lack of time and mind-body burn out are true motivation killers. Learn to rest! This is the hardest thing for me to do.
  9. This one is especially important, BE YOU!! Don’t allow situations or other people kill your motivation. Stay true to your vision. One of my setbacks is too much inspiration if that’s even a thing ha-ha. I love serving and can easily get sidetracked by allowing too many “good ideas” to take away from my true calling and purpose. I’ve learned to slow down and do a self-check by asking myself these two questions: 1) Am I saying yes solely to fulfill a need? and 2) Does this align with my calling/plan/goals? If the answers are yes and no, I must decline the privilege! Of course, it is totally okay to help or get involved on other things if they are not on a long-term basis or take away from the time and focus that you need to continue working on your own goals.
  10. Reward yourself whenever you reach an important milestone or achieve a specific goal. I read this one somewhere and because, who doesn’t love gifts? I had to add it to this list.  Give yourself credit for all the hard work, time, and resources you invested in your goals. But be careful and don’t derail from your goals. For example, when I am focusing on a fitness goal and I achieve a breakthrough, I don’t pick a food reward, because that completely defeats the purpose of my accomplishment. Keep this in mind as you set your rewards.

That’s it!

I know, as great as this list may sound, it’s easier said than done. Staying motivated is hard. It requires practice and consistency. Just BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and remember, you are stronger than you think, and so loved.

I pray and hope you find something here to help you stay refreshed and motivated and wish that your goals and dreams become a reality.