Self-Motivating Tips to Try Today

Beast mode isn’t a permanent state; it has to be turned on with self-motivation. Don’t let the success stories fool you: No matter how much you love what you do, even the best of the best struggle to get up and go sometimes.

The first thing to know is that there’s no “right” way to spring into action. Each of us is motivated differently, and to make matters even more complicated, what’s empowering in one scenario might actually be de-motivating in another!

So how do you go from waking up on the wrong side of the bed to crushing your goals? It starts with knowing whether you’re positively or negatively motivated, so you can determine which self-motivating tips will work effectively for you.

Here’s what that means.

Positive motivation is reward-centric: the impetus for action is visualizing a desirable result. Negative motivation, on the other hand, is driven by the anticipation of pain or fear.

How do you know which self-motivating tips will work best for you? This is where the ability to self-reflect is key. Think about what scenarios and conversations have given you that extra boost in the past. Have you been more excited by moving toward pleasure or by avoiding pain? Ask your mentor and closest friends for additional insight.

Let’s dive into a list of self-motivation activities to try—each with a positive or negative twist.

Phone a Friend

If you’re positively motivated: Call (or sit down with) your biggest fan. Sometimes, all you need to get pumped up is to hear encouraging words from someone who believes in you.

If you’re negatively motivated: Do you get fired up when someone says you can’t do something? If so, this approach to this self-motivating tip might be for you. Mentally prepare. Inhale deeply, buckle your seatbelt—this might not be pretty. Call that one person who gets your blood boiling, the person who doesn’t believe you can achieve your goals. Cut the conversation off once you’re charged up and ready to get going!

Reflect on Past Results

If you’re positively motivated: Even if you didn’t hit all of your goals last week, there are things you undoubtedly did well. Write them down. Take a few moments to acknowledge where you thrived; give yourself a pat on the back.

You can also try this on a larger scale and look back to a high point in your career, a time when you were on top of the world. Perhaps you had just beat your own best, received a compliment from your manager, or earned a promotion. Try to step back into this positive frame of mind. Remind yourself that you’re awesome and that you’ve got this!

If you’re negatively motivated: If you let yourself down last week, come face to face with what went wrong. Remind yourself, for example, that if you continue to have a low sense of urgency, you’ll only delay the promotion you’re after.

Want to go even bigger with this approach to self-motivation? Think about what happened the last time you stopped giving 100% in your career. Maybe you lost your job, struggled in your relationships, or regretted not getting back on the horse sooner. Visualize your fears and use them as fuel to get going.

Set Consequences

If you’re positively motivated: Choose a “carrot” for getting the job done. For example, on Monday, tell yourself, “If I accomplish x, y, and z this week, I will treat myself to a manicure on Friday.” Focus on working toward this short-term goal and visualize how great you’ll feel at the end of the week when you’ve hit your goals using this self-motivating tip.

If you’re negatively motivated: Choose your punishment. “If I don’t accomplish x, y, and z this week, I’ll have to work through the weekend and miss the camping trip with my friends.” If you catch yourself slacking at any point during the week, remind yourself how regretful you’ll feel about missing all the fun.

As you discover and try new self-motivating tips, be patient with yourself. Experiment with blending pieces of positive and negative self-motivation—this doesn’t have to be black and white. Again, there’s no “correct” way to get going. Figure out what works for you and share your experience with Cydcor in the comments below!

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We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales and marketing services located in Agoura Hills, California. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company to garnering a reputation for consistently exceeding client expectations and driving outstanding revenue growth, Cydcor has been helping Fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business goals since 1994. Cydcor takes pride in the unique combination of in-person sales, call center, and digital marketing services we offer to provide our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.