We\u2019ve all suffered from lack of motivation in our careers at some point, there\u2019s no way around it.\u00a0 External stress factors beyond our control, negative emotions, feeling overwhelmed with the task at hand, feeling ill equipped; these are just a sampling of reasons that may impact our motivation levels.\u00a0 Whether for an hour, a day or a season, dealing with lack of motivation is a common issue for which many of my clients seek resolution.\u00a0 People ask for a secret formula or silver bullet with which to combat lack of motivation.\u00a0 Oh, how I wish I had the cure!\u00a0 People are often surprised when I share that the best recipe for lack of motivation is creating a vision of passion and purpose.<\/p>\n
That prescription doesn\u2019t always settle well.\u00a0 Some clients actually ask me if I<\/em> can inspire and motivate them, either through a pep talk, words of wisdom, or actually checking in and keeping tabs on their progress with a certain project.\u00a0 The last of which I would never<\/em> agree to.\u00a0 News flash folks \u2013 relying on others to motivate you doesn\u2019t work!\u00a0 Sure you can gain inspiration from a book, a class, a Ted Talk, or even enlist the help of an accountability partner, but sustained motivation must come from within.<\/p>\n Motivation isn\u2019t conjured through emotion or the environment.\u00a0 You can\u2019t wait until the mood is right, or strikes you just so.\u00a0 Neither can you wait for the circumstances in your life to align in the perfect fashion.\u00a0 Waiting for the precise mood and perfect setting is like counting on the lotto to serve your financial future; it ain\u2019t gonna happen.<\/p>\n Creating and sustaining motivation begins with identifying your vision.\u00a0 What do you really want out of life, or in the short-term?\u00a0 If you\u2019re not sure what your short or long-term goals are, you have a little work to do before you can get motivated.\u00a0 Create a list of things you want in the short-term and in the future; maybe even as it relates to retirement.\u00a0 Make sure they are achievable and realistic.\u00a0 With my individual coaching clients, I provide them with a set of vision questions that always jump starts the process.\u00a0 Above all make sure it is your <\/em>vision, and that it is aligned with your<\/em> spirit and your passion.\u00a0 This is a very important distinction and part of the process.\u00a0 You must be true to yourself when determining what you want, anything short of that will hinder the process of motivation.\u00a0 My point here, is that if your goal is actually someone else\u2019s dream for you, or their dream that they want you to be a part of, it won\u2019t fill your heart with hope.\u00a0 Others\u2019 expectations of us often hinder us from living out our own vision or dreams, which is no way to live, and is certainly not motivational.<\/p>\n Which brings me back to the prescription for motivation.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve identified your own future goals, bring them to life with a \u2018vision board\u2019.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s a dream home, new car, vacation, new wardrobe, promotion, or certain retirement lifestyle, imagine what that looks like.\u00a0 Using either a small poster board or document on the computer, fill it with pictures and words of your short and long-term goals that comprise your dreams.\u00a0 Put the board in a place where you will see it every day; on your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, in your office or workspace.\u00a0 Over time, you can add to it, or change aspects of it if necessary.<\/p>\n Now, with the end goal in mind (and your vision board), remember why you started in the first place to help you with motivation.\u00a0 You may not currently be in your dream job, or particularly excited about the project or task in front of you, but remember this: it is a means to an end.\u00a0 Knowing that the work at hand is part of the path to your future dreams will motivate you if you make that connection in your mind.\u00a0 Piecing work tasks and projects together over time are the building blocks to your vision.\u00a0 Holding that knowledge top of mind will serve as an excellent source of motivation.<\/p>\n Is a vision board a fail-safe, sure-fire method to motivation?\u00a0 Of course not.\u00a0 However, it is an excellent way to deal with the negative emotions that can be de-motivators and hold us in our patterns of inactivity.\u00a0 And, although no one can intrinsically motivate you, and be responsible for your actions, you can surround yourself with positive people and enlist their help.\u00a0 Share your hopes and visions with a friend, spouse, significant other, or trusted colleague.\u00a0 Sometimes a more neutral party, or a coach, can be most effective in aiding you in your vision. \u00a0If you feel comfortable, show them your vision board.\u00a0 If they are willing, ask your accountability partner or coach if you they can check in with you once or twice a month.\u00a0 Not that they will play the role of keeping you on task, but to serve as someone who might offer up a sobering dose of reality, or knock you out of an immobilized state if you\u2019re feeling stuck.<\/p>\n Just a word of warning as I close.\u00a0 As I mentioned, we all suffer from lack of motivation from time to time.\u00a0 It\u2019s just part of life.\u00a0 However, if you are feeling chronically unmotivated, and at the same time not finding joy in the things you used to enjoy, you may be suffering from depression.\u00a0 If you feel this describes your situation, please seek the help of a physician or mental health professional.\u00a0 Identifying the root of the problem is essential.\u00a0 If you suffer from typical lack of motivation, and would like help identifying your goals and dreams, and making the connection work for you, I would love to help.\u00a0 Please reach out either via email at kay@highheeledsuccess.com<\/a> or call me directly at 513-561-4288.<\/p>\n \u00a9Copyright 2016.\u00a0 Kay Fittes.\u00a0 All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ve all suffered from lack of motivation in our careers at some point, there\u2019s no way around it.\u00a0 External stress factors beyond our control, negative emotions, feeling overwhelmed with the task at hand, feeling ill equipped; these are just a sampling of reasons that may impact our motivation levels.\u00a0 Whether for an hour, a day<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3,4,17],"tags":[9,18,20,34],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Qkhe-4G","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=290"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":466,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290\/revisions\/466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.highheeledsuccess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}