There are many reasons why we can lose motivation, feel stuck or even start sabotaging our efforts. After talking with clients I have come up with some reasons and some potential solutions that may help to get you moving again – that is if that’s what you’re meant to be doing…..
- Fear – Even if it is an area that we want to go in to, fear can still try and hold us back and want to keep us safe. Listen to what these fears are. Are they actually real, potential issues that maybe you need to be aware of or pay attention to, or is it your imagination running away on you/based on previous experiences and outcomes.
Action – Start by identifying the fear so it is out in the open, what is it I am afraid of, what are the chances of this actually happening. Of the fears that may be more real, what can I do to put plans/strategies in to place around these. How can I break down this down in to more manageable steps that may not seem so overwhelming/ fearful. If its your imagination, ask yourself, what am I more committed to? Staying ‘safe’ in my comfort zone or moving forward.
- What might you lose? – When we are working on something that could cause substantial change in our lives/our direction/our relationships, it is not surprising that this may bring up some resistance . We can question why would we want to change everything, even if we know, it is not serving us? Deep down we know that the change will be worth it.
Action – This can be mistaken for an underlying sense of fear, but you will be able to feel the difference. When dealing with loss/change, is when you need to take time for you. How can you show yourself compassion right now? How can you look after you, eat well, move your body, as well as rest and surround yourself with positive people.
- Not aligned – Is what you are working towards something that is true to you? Are you doing it because you ‘should’, or because it is something really important to you. What we can find is that our true self slows us down because it knows that whatever you’re doing is not a true representation on us. What we are ‘meant’ to be doing, may not actually be what we truly need right now.
Action – How does your body feel when you think about what you want to be doing? Compare this to how it feels when it is something you feel you should be doing. If they are things that have to be done, how can you top up the tanks and give yourself some soul time first, chances are you will find you have a lot more capacity to attend to the ‘mustdos’.
- What do you actually want? – Getting clear on our future/what type of work we want to do/why we want to be healthier can really help us stay motivated and focussed. It is one thing when we don’t know what the future will bring and hold that in a positive light, like an adventure, but when we are not clear and bugged by uncertainty it is hardly surprising if we find it difficult to get moving forward.
Action – What is it that you are actually working towards? Why do you want to achieve this goal? How will it benefit you to head in this direction/take this step? Getting clearer on the big vision , the end goal, can be a game-changer when it comes to how quickly we will get there.
- What are the next steps? – With the routine everyday things, it can often be easy to know what to do, what step follows which etc, but on something new or bigger, sometimes we need to break it down so that it is much more manageable.
Action – How can you plan your week and break the steps down. Look at the days that you have more time over others where you may be able to get deeper in to a project, or on other busier days, what are some of the more simple steps you can take to keep it moving forward.
- What if you actually want two things? – This can certainly slow things down, when it is not anyone else’s opinions/thoughts/values affecting the show, but one part of us wants one thing, and another part wants another. How can we be true to both parts of us?
Action – Sit quietly and take note of the message each part has for you. Why is one advocating for one particular path? Why does the other part want to go the other way? What would be the outcome of each way, what would be required for going each way? Through this you will get to see that ultimately the path may be different, but the destination will be the same. So which route are you going to take bearing in mind any other constraints/commitments/timeframes etc. Once you have this clarity be open to other strategies that you may now become aware of or may become available to you.
- Can you take the lead? When we are working on something for someone else sometimes we may have tight constraints as to where we can go with it or how much of our self we are able to put in to it. When this happens we may not feel inspired to give this all of our attention/thoughts/energy or whatever else is required.
Action – Are you able to put any more of you in to the mix, has it got enough of your flavour to keep you inspired. If there is nothing you can change about it specifically, can you change where you work on it, who you work on it with, get a work buddy involved. This can help to add a bit of autonomy in to how we complete the project even if we do not have much say on the content.
- Where are you on the challenge scale? – Too much of a challenge can seem overwhelming, not enough of a challenge can make us lose interest quickly. Where are you at with what you are working on? Are you simply avoiding the bigger challenges so that you can just stay in your comfort zone, or if you did start breaking down some of those bigger ones would you actually start seeing some shifts and the magic happen?
Action – Review where you are at. What are you working on? Do they seem far too big/scary/unmanageable, or are you so over them that they do not inspire you, or give you satisfaction or sense of achievement? How can you tweak what you are working on to spark an interest again?
- On your own? – We are born to connect and engage with people, and it can be hard when working on something on our own.
Action – How can you get a fix of this connection and then get back to work? Is it attending a networking opportunity, catching up with a positive friend at the beginning of the day, and then getting back into it. Could it be organising to work alongside some body with agreed break times and finish times.
- Overdoing it? – When we have taken too much on it is hardly surprising that we end up feeling like we just want to shut down, and maybe that is what we need to do.
Action – We may ignore what our soul is needing from us and try and push on, when actually if we listened, maybe that nap might be the best thing, maybe that walk in the park would be the best way to start the day, maybe shutting the laptop of an evening and doing something to cherish your soul is what it should be about. How can you bring some more balance in to life?
But don’t be using that last one as a cop out if you think it is probably one of the others that is causing you to slow down or stop.
Which one truly resonates with you?
