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Writer's pictureKatie

Goal Setting Pt. 2: How to Get Motivated and Stay Positive To Reach Your Goals

Updated: May 23, 2021



Four Ways to Get Motivated to Reach Your Goals

Achieving your goals is seldom an easy path to follow. That's why it is imperative to know how to get motivated and stay motivated to get what we want in the long run. It can be even harder today to stay positive and focused, as we struggle with more distractions than ever before, like constant texting to 24/7 Internet access. If you need help staying motivated so you can accomplish your goals, here are five ways to help you stay focused, motivated, and positive on the road to reaching your goals.

Visualize Your Goal


If you want to stay motivated in achieving your goals, you need to visualize it down to the most minute detail. You need to see it, feel it, and hear the sounds that accompany the end result. Many of the world’s most elite athletes will visualize their performance ahead of time, which gives them the motivation they need to reach their goal of being successful in their pursuits.

Make a List of the Reasons You Want to Achieve the Goal


It is really easy to get blown off course in our busy and distracting world. This is why it is vital to ground yourself in your goal. Write down the reasons why you want to achieve a particular goal. Studies have shown that when we write by hand, manually connecting the letters, engages the brain more actively.

Break Down Your Goal into Smaller Steps


Break down your goal into the smallest practical steps that you can and then start tackling those steps one at a time. Studies have shown that with each little success that we experience, we trigger our brain's reward center, which releases chemical dopamine. This helps to focus our concentration and inspires us to move forward.

Tap into the Energy of Others


When you start to feel tired, uninspired or are ready to give up, look at the people you have chosen to surround yourself with. As human beings, we give and receive energy and inspiration. It is essential to make sure that you are getting as much, if not more than you are giving out. To help you stay motivated, you need to surround yourself with positive people.

Staying motivated in reaching your goals is in your reach. Keep your end goal in mind and remember to keep moving forward until you've reached your desired result.



Four Ways to Recapture Your Motivation

It is extremely easy for anyone to embark on the pursuit of a worthwhile goal. However, maintaining the momentum and motivation to ensure you accomplish the goal is another issue altogether. When you lose your motivation, your determination, commitment, and passion are quickly tested. The motivation you had when first embarking on the pursuit of a goal can be affected by many factors. When your motivation dwindles, you must do everything you can to rekindle the fire if you want to reach your goals. Here are three ways you can recapture your motivation and continue on the path to achieving your goals.

Readjust Your Focus


Imagine that you have a lot going on in your mind. Despite this, you decide you want to watch an excellent movie that completely absorbs you. As you are watching the movie, you notice that your anxieties and worries about your job or business dissipate. Depending on what you're watching, you find yourself laughing, crying, getting excited, or even agitated. That which you are focusing on is having an impact on your mood. While your personal circumstances haven’t changed, your new focus is changing how you’re feeling. When you readjust what you are focusing on, you can recapture your motivation.


Get Your Thoughts Organized


Nothing will zap your energy and motivation than an unorganized and cluttered mind. Talk through each of your thoughts and determine your desired outcome, figure out what you’ve done so far, and look at what your options are for moving forward.

Celebrate Your Successes


No matter how big or small they are, celebrate every single success. Create a culture that enables your motivation to grow. When you celebrate your wins, it can help to inspire you to keep moving forward. Build on the excitement when you succeed, on the positive feedback you receive and good results you experience. Don’t spend too much time focusing on and worrying about what didn’t work. Learn from the experience, make improvements to the process, and move on.

Identify Places that Unlock Creativity and Energy


When you are in an environment that awakens your enthusiasm, you feel more motivated because of what you experience and see. Maybe you feel inspired when touring a museum, attending a concert, or browsing a bookstore. Spend at least two hours a week in an environment that motivates you or engage in activities that inspire you, like dancing, mentoring or hiking. Then, use that new found energy to work on accomplishing your goals.

It is both possible and necessary for you to regain your motivation when you’ve lost it. Taking simple steps to remain enthusiastic and committed to every step of the journey will help you accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself.



Click below for a FREE SMART goal -setting worksheet and flowchart that will help you plan your SMART goal(s) well for effortless execution.


Free SMART Goal Setting Toolkit


How to Master Self Discipline to Help You Achieve Your Goals

Recent studies have shown that people with self-discipline tend to be happier. This is because people who have self-control spend less time debating whether they should indulge in behaviors that are detrimental and are better able to make confident decisions more efficiently. Rather than letting their feelings or impulses dictate their choices, they can make reasonable decisions, resulting in feeling more satisfied with their lives. If you want to take control of your habits and master self-discipline, here are five things you can start to do today.

Know Your Weaknesses


Everyone has weaknesses. To improve your self-discipline, you have to acknowledge your shortcomings, whatever they might be. Too often people will either pretend that they don't have any vulnerabilities, or they will try to cover up their weaknesses. You can overcome your flaws until you can own up to them.

Set Clear Goals and Have a Plan of Execution


You have to have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish if you're going to improve your self-discipline. If you don’t know where you are going, it is easy to become sidetracked and lose your way. A clear plan will outline each of the steps that you must take to reach your goals.

Create New Habits


Instilling a new habit and acquiring self-discipline in the process can feel daunting, especially if you focus entirely on the task at hand. Break your goal into small, doable steps to keep from feeling intimidated. Rather than trying to change everything at once, focus on doing one thing consistently.

Build Your Self-Discipline


Self-discipline is a learned behavior. Just like any other skill, if you want to master self-discipline, you have to practice it daily. The effort and focus it takes to become self-disciplined can be incredibly draining. So, you need to work on your self-control through daily diligence.

Change Your Perception about Willpower


According to a recent study conducted by Stanford University, the amount of willpower someone has is predetermined by their beliefs. If you believe that you have a limited amount of willpower, chances are you will never surpass those limits. If you can remove this mental obstacle and think that you can do it, you will gain an extra boost of motivation for reaching your goals.

These five great habits will help you gain more self-discipline, which will allow you to lead a happier life. Self-discipline isn't something we are born with, so with practice and repetition, anyone can master self-discipline to achieve their goals.


5 Powerful Ways to Cultivate a Positive Mindset

Our lives are a reflection of our attitude. It can be easy to become negative and cynical toward the world without even noticing. With the continuous exposure to tragedy and injustice that we are exposed to daily, we can quickly start to experience our own heartache and distress. Not only is this negative attitude preventing you from enjoying your life fully, but it can also have a significant impact on your health and environment. Here are five powerful ways that you can begin to cultivate a positive mindset and change your life.

Keep a Gratitude Journal


There are times when a single event can ruin your entire day, and an unpleasant interaction can overshadow the enjoyable parts of your day. With this awareness in mind, you can intentionally focus on the good parts of the day by keeping a gratitude journal. Every night, before you go to bed, write down five things that you’re grateful for and see how your attitude changes.

Reframe Your Challenges


You have to get into the mindset that there are no dead ends, only re-directions. Don’t let uncontrollable events render you helpless. Learn to control the effort you put in and have fun with challenges that you encounter. Embrace challenges as a new adventure rather than attempting to resist an experience for growth.

Use Positive Words to Describe Your Life


The words you use have a lot more power than you think. How you talk about your life is how your life will be. Your mind hears what you say about yourself and your life. If you describe your life as boring, hectic, chaotic, that’s is exactly how it will be. However, if you use the words familiar, involved, or lively, you will see your life in an entirely different light.

Don’t Get Dragged into Other People’s Complaints


A study conducted by the Warsaw School of Social Psychology determined that complaining leads to lower moods, negative emotions, and a decrease in life satisfaction and optimism. Don't let other's pessimism bring you down. If you don't join in with the complaining, others will start to complain less as a result.

Create a Morning Mindset Routine


The outcome of your day can be directly affected by your thoughts and actions when you wake up. Mornings set the mood for the day, which makes it imperative to create a mindset that is positive. Start your day with excitement and enthusiasm and see how it affects the rest of your day.



A shift in your mindset from negative to positive can have a dramatic impact on your life. Not only does a positive mindset trigger optimism, but it can help you achieve your goals. Start cultivating a positive mindset and watch how your life changes for the better.


Click below for a FREE SMART goal -setting worksheet and flowchart that will help you plan your SMART goal(s) well for effortless execution.


Free SMART Goal Setting Toolkit


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