1. How to Motivate Yourself
Setting a goal—anything from getting a degree or landing a new job to
achieving a new level of physical fitness—is a big step toward improving your
life. But following through to achieve what we’ve set out to accomplish can
be challenging, especially on those days when motivation wanes. So how do
you follow through on your commitments during those times when you just
don’t feel like putting in the work?
We all lose motivation from time to time. When you’re feeling unmotivated,
try one of these science-backed strategies to get yourself back on track
toward your goal.
• Put your goal on the calendar.
• Make working toward your goal a habit.
• Plan for imperfection.
• Set small goals to build momentum.
• Track your progress.
• Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.
• Remember your “why.”

2. Self-motivation tips
Let's take a closer look at each of the above tips. Here, we'll break down
these self-motivation techniques, detailing what they are and the science
behind them.
1. Put your goal on the calendar.
One way to give a boost to your internal motivation is to create some
external motivation: a target date. Whatever it is you’re aiming to
accomplish, put it on the calendar. You may be working toward a goal with a
set finish date built in. Examples include preparing for a test or taking a
course with a fixed end date.
If your goal lacks this structure, you can add it by deciding on a date by which
you could realistically achieve your goal.
Want to run a 5k or marathon? Sign up for a race on or near your target date.
Considering a degree? Research the application deadline and write it down.
Aiming to learn a new career skill? Register for a course and set a target date
to finish.
Having a target date not only helps you stay motivated, it also helps you track
your progress—you always know how much further you have to go. This can
have a big impact on your performance
2. Make working toward your goal a habit.
When you make working toward your goal a habit—an automatic
conditioned response—you no longer have to rely so much on feeling
motivated. How do you turn a behavior into a habit?
Identify a trigger.

3. Choose something that you already do everyday, like brushing your teeth or
eating lunch, to be a trigger for the action you want to make a habit. Write
out an “if-then” plan (also known as an implementation intention).
For example, if you want to create a habit of studying for a class everyday,
your if-then plan might look like this:
If I pour my first cup of coffee, then I will spend five minutes on my math
homework.
To build consistency in exercise, it might look like this:
If I get up and brush my teeth, then I will immediately put on my workout
clothes.
Making this plan and committing it to writing could increase the likelihood of
following through [3].
Start small.
Notice that the above examples do not say that you’ll read six chapters of
your textbook, watch two hours of lecture videos, or spend an hour sweating
on the treadmill.
Getting started is often the hardest part on low-motivation days, and starting
is much easier when the task is small: Five minutes of study or putting on
your workout clothes [4].
These seemingly small actions can prime your mind for the task at hand, so
the followthrough—a longer study session or a full workout—can happen
more naturally with less mental resistance, according to The Science of Self
Help.

4. 3. Plan for imperfection.
It’s great to feel excited and confident about achieving your goal, but it’s also
possible to be too optimistic [6]. Not every day will go exactly as planned,
and that’s okay. Life happens.
One way to boost motivation on difficult days is simply to plan for them. As
you think about your goal, jot down a list of the things that could get in your
way. If you’re taking an online course, this could include:
Losing internet access
Getting a phone call in the middle of a study session
Having a child home sick
Feeling stuck on a difficult concept or assignment
If your goal is to go running everyday, some obstacles might include:
Rainy weather
Injury
Illness
Getting asked to stay late at work during the time you usually run

5. We can’t predict everything that could happen, but we can predict those
obstacles that are likely to happen from time to time based on our unique
circumstances.
Once you have your list, make a plan for how to handle the obstacle. How
can you plan ahead for when your internet goes out? Maybe you could keep
a few lecture videos downloaded to your phone or computer for offline
access, or you could identify a nearby coffee shop that offers free wifi.
Now when that obstacle pops up, instead of losing motivation and feeling
deflated, you have a plan in place to keep the momentum going.
Keep in mind that for some obstacles, missing your task is a perfectly
acceptable plan.
4. Set small goals to build momentum.
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make
your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.
It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another
task, and another, and another.”
Naval Admiral William H. McRaven gave this advice during his
commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. The
former Navy SEAL was onto something.
Research shows that frequent small successes can build a sense of
momentum that can in turn drive long-term success, especially early in the
process [7, 8]. Whatever your big goal may be, start by breaking it down into
smaller chunks. Getting a new job might be a big goal. Smaller goals could be
updating your resume, making a portfolio website, earning a certification, or
attending a networking event.

6. 5. Track your progress.
Seeing progress can be highly motivating [10]. You’ll find many tools out
there to help you track your goals. This could be as simple as a to-do list or
calendar where you can cross off tasks or days as you complete them. Or you
might opt for a free tool like Trello, which allows you to create a personalized
digital task board to categorize your big goal into daily, weekly, monthly, or
even yearly sub goals.
Another option is to draw a progress bar on a sheet of poster board or paper.
Hang it somewhere where you’ll see it regularly, and fill it in as you get closer
to your goal.
6. Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones.
It feels good to be rewarded for our work. But rewards can also improve
motivation and performance. Rewarding yourself for reaching small
milestones and completing big goals could boost your interest and
enjoyment in the work you’re doing [11].
These rewards don’t have to be big or cost a lot of money. Here’s a quick list
of ideas you could use to reward yourself:
Take a short break
Go for a walk outside
Enjoy your favorite snack
Read a chapter of your favorite book

7. Spend a few minutes meditating
Listen to an episode of your favorite podcast
Plan a night out with friends
Play an online game
Visit a free museum or attraction
Have a long bath or shower
Call a friend or family member
Spend a few minutes making your own reward list so that you’re ready to
celebrate your wins, big and small.
7. Remember your “why.”
Why is this goal important to you? Why is that reason important to you? Why
is that important to you? Keep digging until you get to your ultimate
“why”—the core value that’s driving your goal.
To further reinforce your “why,” set an alarm every morning to remind
yourself to spend one or two minutes visualizing what success would look
like. What would it feel like to achieve your goal?
Watch this motivational video: https://uii.io/Dont-see-this-video