8 keys to stay motivated and achieve your goals

Self-motivation is possible if we train our ability to stick to an action plan.

Self-motivation is one of the key elements of emotional intelligence. that make up emotional intelligence. People who have developed this ability achieve their goals more often, are more independent and have a high self-esteem, because they are able to overcome inconveniences, generate solutions and persevere.

Do we all have the ability to motivate ourselves without external incentives or obligations to do it for us? Why is it that some people feel motivated in their daily lives and others fall into apathy, abandoning their goals soon after setting them? The reason why we often find it difficult to achieve our goals is because we have to answer these questions is to give an answer to these questions, and for this it is good to understand what it means to be self-motivated.

The concept of self-motivation

Self-motivation is the ability to extract from oneself the necessary drive to perform the appropriate behaviors that bring you closer to your proposed goals. It is to be able to provide oneself with the necessary interestthe reasons and enthusiasm necessary to follow through with your projects. And yes, it is something that is within everyone's reach.

Now, why do we always fail to achieve our goals? It is simple. Because of the lack of habits that bring us closer to them.

The human brain has an energy-saving system that by inertia makes us tend to perform daily tends to perform day after day the behaviors that it has been repeating for years.. Let's say that it prefers not to think too much and to resort to what it already knows.

That is why when we try to approach a proposed objective and goal we tend to give up after a short time. Our brain's tendency to routine is stronger than our willpower. We end up getting frustrated when we see that no matter how hard we try, we do not manage to change our behaviors, and therefore we become demotivated.

A work plan to achieve our goals

So... How do we add a new habit to our lives without abandoning it after a few days? The first thing we need is a work plan.

Contrary to what we may think, it is not so important to set a time limit (in 30 days I have to lose 7 kilos) as it is to design an action plan that will allow you to get closer to your goals every day.

The action plan must be as detailed as possible. If we continue with the example of weight loss, the ideal would be to choose every night what you are going to eat the next day in detail, without leaving room for improvisation. It is not recommended that such a plan be too restrictive. (which could lead us to overexert ourselves and quickly abandon it), it is enough to provide us with a structured framework with a couple of new elements linked to our goals.

If our work plan is perfectly detailed and framed within our schedule, it will be as simple as following it to the letter, it will be as simple as following it to the letter without stopping to doubt what the next step will be, because that is where our economizing brain will pull the resources previously used.

Get yourself an agenda or calendar and start today to design your week, and then simply follow the indications that you yourself have designed just as you let a GPS bring you closer to your destination.

Practical guidelines for self-motivation

Once I have designed my action plan, how do I stay self-motivated to carry it out?

1. Take it seriously

You have decided to set that goal after conscious reflection because you know it is what is best for you and what you want in your life. And there is nothing more important than that. That is why no use distractions or changes in your schedule, try to be strict and committed to what you want.Try to be strict and committed to what you have proposed.

2. Perform visualization exercises in the short, medium and long term.

Try to imagine what your life will be like if you change your routines, keep in mind that what you do now will have repercussions in the future. This will help you not to fall into procrastination or "I'll do it tomorrow" syndrome.

3. Practice mindfulness

This will help you to stop working on autopilot and make decisions in a coherent way. Add a couple of hours a week of Mindfulness or meditation, they will help you to be in the here and now and make better decisions..

4. Tell everyone about your plan

Due to the Coherence Principle, you will feel "cognitively bound" to your words and will try harder to follow through. to your words and you will try harder to follow through.

5. Respect your sleep schedule and exercise three times a week.

You will need energy and lucidity to carry out your new habits, that's why you need to be rested and your brain oxygenated.

6. Observe each of your behaviors

Consider to what extent they move you closer or farther away from the goal you want to achieve. Make if necessary self-registers; they will allow you to visually observe where you are and what you need to modify.

7. Choose goals or design projects that you are passionate about.

This is the best way to stay motivated.

8. Reward yourself from time to time for your accomplishments.

Use positive self-reinforcement and be the one who regulates the rewards, without expecting them to come from outside.

And finally...

Remember that making good or bad decisions every day is up to you. Keep in mind that your results are the fruit of your habitsWe live in a world governed by the law of Cause and Effect. Your "future self" will thank you if your actions today are healthy and consistent with your life plan.