TGIM: Manipulating Motivation

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday! Today we are taking a new spin on a classic: motivation. Whenever one of these cliche topics arises in my brain for TGIM, it’s interesting to see old TGIMs in the archives and see what I’ve written about it in the past. So today we’ll branch out from the old tune and see how you can use the power of motivation to help you reach your current goals.
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tl;dr Motivation is fleeting. But you can increase the frequency at which you encounter these fleeting moments, thus, increasing the opportunities for motivation.

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I don’t know about you, but this precipice of summer always serves as a tremendous motivator for me. It feels like a refreshing wave of fresh air lifting the stale, suppressive weight of winter off the shoulders. Food tastes better, workouts are more enjoyable, and life goals are refreshed with rose-colored classes. It might seem dramatic but that’s the truth.

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This summery wave of motivation is so warmly welcomed and appreciated. But as I’ve talked about, motivation is just that, a wave. The wave of motivation comes in fiercely and crashes, eventually rolling back out to the indiscernible sea. Think New Year’s resolutions, big birthdays, and every Monday morning. You’re motivated and ready to do anything it takes to make the change this time! That is until the wave crashes, it’s Tuesday, and you’ve already had the extra piece of cake you promised yourself you wouldn’t.

In this way, motivation is just like any other emotion we have. It comes and goes, sometimes with great force, sometimes in small bouts. But they are always fleeting. So I used to harp on the fact that we cannot rely on motivation for our goals. We need systems, habits, and routines to carry us between waves of motivation. While I still believe this is true, what if there was a way to actually increase the motivation in our lives?
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Unfortunately, I cannot control the weather which would be a great source of motivation personally. So let’s go through some other more practical ways that may help increase the motivation in your life.
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First is to engage in things you enjoy doing. While most people are not springing out of bed in the morning to run to work, incorporating more aspects you enjoy in life will help increase the motivation to do them. For example, if the thought of a gym absolutely makes you sick to your stomach, find a different form of movement that you enjoy. Maybe dance is more your speed, hiking, surfing, paragliding, rucking, the possibilities are endless. But if you find something that you don’t absolutely dread, it will help get you off your butt and get moving. Instead of telling yourself you need more motivation to get to the gym, find a movement that’s more motivating for you.

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Another way to increase the motivation in your life is by finding more meaningful work. While your job may just be a stepping stone in the meantime, find an outlet that brings greater meaning for you. That may mean switching your job, finding a side hustle that may eventually become your job, or simply having an extracurricular that is meaningful to you. Meaningful work is so integral for a life well lived. And the beauty of work that brings you purpose is that even when it’s difficult you’re still motivated to do it.
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Increasing your motivation in your life also requires you to surround yourself with people who motivate you. If you’re surrounded by people who usually hang out at the bar or pass the time by complaining about work, then surely you won’t leave that gathering ready to conquer the world. Surrounding yourself more frequently with people who leave you feeling like you can accomplish your goals and help you expand your realm of possibilities are the people who will increase that feeling of motivation. Find more people who make you feel charged up rather than those who make you feel drained.
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While motivation is fleeting, you can shape your life to increase the likelihood that you will encounter these waves of motivation. Find movement that brings you joy. Discover work that brings you fulfillment. Spend time with people who make you feel enriched. Make the changes to increase the number of waves of motivation you encounter in your life.

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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM. Or visit https://walshwellness.weebly.com/ for older editions and if you’d like to subscribe.

This week my podcast recommendation this week is from Brendon Burchard’s Motivation, “Motivation Manifesto.” The podcast series is in honor of the tenth anniversary of the book being published and unfortunately, the episodes were only published for a short period of time. However, the book is definitely getting added to my must-read list after hearing the ten declarations of motivation. Let me know if you’ve read it or plan on reading it!
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With that, have a wonderful week everyone! Let me know how you plan on increasing your motivation this week.

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Until next time,

Shannon