How To Get Motivated: Top Motivation Hacks

Wondering how to get motivated when you just can’t seem to find the energy or drive to get started?

Doing what you need to do, even when you’re not feeling it, is hard. How do you keep doing the things, even when you don’t feel like it? Successful people have this figured out, and it comes down to a combination of 1) understanding how motivation works, and 2) learning how to effectively self-motivate.

In this comprehensive post, we’re going to get to know motivation a little bit before diving into our favourite tips and strategies you can implement today to instantly feel more motivated!

Let’s get started!

Setting the Stage for Success: Understanding Motivation

Here’s the thing, motivation ain’t everything. In an ideal world, everybody would feel motivated all the time, but that’s not always going to be the case. Motivation can be fleeting, and if you always waited around to feel motivated to do something, you’d never get anything done. 

On the other hand, if you went through life never feeling a sprinkle of motivation (or some sort of satisfaction or fulfilment), then working toward your goals would feel like a chore and it’d be quite difficult to get the ball rolling so to speak. The whole process would be a drag, and where’s the fun in that? 

Think about it, was there ever a time you set a goal that you didn’t feel motivated about at first? Probably not, because you wouldn’t have been interested enough to set that goal in the first place. The problem of feeling unmotivated only appeared when it came time to execute or commit to it long-term. Sound familiar?

So although motivation isn’t the be-all and end-all of success, it is an important part of the goal-setting (and achieving) process, and so learning how to optimise it could make all the difference to your success.

Exploring the science

The Role of Dopamine: Your Brain’s Reward System

So, what actually is motivation?

Simply put, motivation is what drives us to do something, or not do it. It’s that internal push that gets us moving towards a particular goal or outcome.

One of the key players in motivation is dopamine, a neurotransmitter that’s involved in your brain’s reward system. You might have heard it called the “feel-good” chemical, but it’s actually more about anticipating a reward and motivating you to go after it.

When you expect something good to happen as a result of your actions, your brain releases dopamine, which can give you that extra push to get started. The anticipation of reaching a goal can be a powerful motivator in itself.

Dopamine also helps reinforce behaviours that lead to rewarding experiences. When something you do results in a positive outcome, your brain essentially takes note: That felt good. Let’s do that again. This helps strengthen the connection between the behaviour and the reward, making you more likely to repeat it.

The important thing to remember is that feeling motivated is a physiological state, meaning that it naturally comes and goes. So, feeling unmotivated doesn’t mean you’re lazy, lacking discipline, or doing something wrong. It’s completely normal, especially when you’re working towards something challenging, whether that’s improving your health, building a business, or making a big change in your life.

Understanding Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. You do something because you genuinely enjoy it, find it meaningful, or get a sense of satisfaction from doing it. For example, you might play a sport simply because you love it and have fun.

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from an external reward or consequence. You might play a sport because you want to win a prize, earn recognition, or beat someone else.

Both types can motivate you, but intrinsic motivation tends to be more fulfilling and sustainable in the long run. When you actually enjoy what you’re doing or find the process rewarding, you’re more likely to stick with it.

Of course, most goals involve a bit of both. You might want to reach a certain outcome while also enjoying the journey along the way. So, when you can, focus on finding parts of the process that you genuinely enjoy, not just the end result.

Want to improve your life but don’t know where to start?

If you’re ready to make some changes but don’t know what to tackle first, the Life Reset Quiz can help you narrow it down.

Answer a few quick questions to discover which area of your life could use your attention right now, plus a few ideas for your next step.

The Power of Purpose: Finding Your Why

Identifying Your Core Values and Passions

Understanding your core values and passions is really important when it comes to setting goals and actually staying motivated to achieve them.  

Your values and passions help shape what matters to you, where you spend your time, and the decisions you make. When your goals are connected to those things, they have more meaning behind them, which makes it much easier to stay motivated when things get difficult.

Think about it: how likely are you to keep pushing towards something when you don’t really care about it in the first place? Especially when things get messy or progress feels slow?

The more your goals reflect what genuinely matters to you, the more reason you’ll have to keep going.

Setting Meaningful Goals

Meaningful goals give you a reason to keep going when things get difficult. When you’re setting a goal, think about why you actually want to achieve it and try to connect it to something that genuinely matters to you.

To find the real reason, you might have to ask yourself “Why?” a few times. Your first answer might not be the whole story and the deeper you dig, the more likely you are to uncover what’s really driving you.

For example: I want to build my own business so I can quit my 9-5. Why? Because working for myself and on my terms is better than working for someone else. But why? Because I’ll be able to generate a larger income and have more time for myself. And then? And then I’ll have more money and more freedom. Which means? Which means I’ll be able to buy anything I want, and go on holiday whenever I want, and never have to work again if that’s what I want. What else? I’ll also be able to support my parents, or help others in need, or make a difference in the world, or donate money to causes I’m really passionate about.

What first seemed like a goal about wanting a different work structure and making more money soon became a goal about being in a position to contribute something meaningful or help somebody else.

When things get tough building that business, which “why” do you think will have the most impact, “having the freedom to work on your terms” or “having the ability to take care of the people you love?”

The stronger the connection to your “why,” the easier it is to stay motivated when things don’t go according to plan.

How to get motivated: Motivation hacks for success

The Growth Mindset

A growth mindset helps you see challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than as reasons to give up. And since there’s always going to be another challenge around the corner, you might as well get comfortable facing them.

Embracing Challenges as Opportunities for Growth

It’s easy to see challenges as obstacles standing in your way. But what if you looked at them differently?

Challenges can actually be opportunities to grow, learn, and understand yourself better. Learning to see them this way is one of the most useful mindset shifts you can make.

The next time something doesn’t go according to plan, try asking yourself:

• What can I gain from this?
• What can I learn from this?
• How could this help me grow?
• Is there a way this could actually be a good thing?
• What do I need to do or think differently to work through this?

You might be surprised by what these questions reveal.

The more you practise pushing through difficult moments and looking for what you can learn from them, the more naturally this way of thinking will become. Instead of seeing every setback as a reason to stop, you start seeing it as something you can learn from and use to move forward.

Learning from Setbacks and Failures

Imagine you were, let’s say, 50 failures away from success. How eager would you be to fail?

Setbacks and failures are part of the process. Instead of seeing failure as a defeat, try seeing it as information. It can show you what isn’t working, what you could do differently, or what you still need to learn. 

A “failure” doesn’t mean you should quit. It simply gives you something to work with the next time around.

As William Churchill famously said: “Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

If you’re working towards something challenging, there will be “failures” along the way. See that as confirmation that you’re striving towards something great!

PS: you can only fail if you give up!

Building Positive Habits for Lasting Motivation

Creating a Morning Routine to Kickstart Your Day

A good morning routine can set the tone for the rest of your day. Having a few things you do each morning can give your day some structure, help you feel more focused, and put you in a better headspace to tackle what’s ahead.

This might include things like exercising, meditating, journaling, or taking a few minutes to think about your goals. The key is finding what helps you feel energised, focused, and ready for the day.

Get my guide to building the perfect morning routine for success here.

Implementing systems to reduce overwhelm

Ever felt motivated whilst feeling overwhelmed? Probably not.. Let’s fix that by looking at one simple way you can reduce (or eliminate) the overwhelm. Enter systems..

A system is an optimized way of doing something, that’s done in the same way each time. If you have a goal that you intend to work at every day and stay consistent with, a smart move would be to figure out how to make being consistent as easy as possible. If the process (or some aspects of it) are easy/simple/don’t require any brainpower and can be done on autopilot, you’ll eliminate unnecessary friction and as a result, you’ll probably be far more likely to feel motivated to stick to it. 

Eliminate the need for decisions by implementing systems that are designed to get whatever task you need to get done, in the simplest, fastest, and most efficient way possible. That way you don’t even have to think about it, the whole process will become much smoother and easier to stick to, and achieving your goals will happen as a natural by-product. 

Implement a system. Streamline your life. Achieve success. In that order 😉

Overcoming Obstacles to Motivation

Managing Procrastination: Tips for Getting Unstuck 

Procrastination is one of the easiest ways to lose momentum. When a task feels too big or overwhelming, it’s tempting to put it off and tell yourself you’ll deal with it tomorrow. And then tomorrow becomes next week…

Breaking Tasks into Smaller, Manageable Steps

Big goals can feel intimidating when you look at everything you need to do at once. Instead of focusing on the entire project, break it down into smaller, manageable steps.

You don’t need to figure everything out today. Just focus on the next step.

Making a big goal feel more manageable can make it much easier to get started, and once you’re moving, building momentum becomes a whole lot easier.

For example, say you have to write a report for work. Break this project down into as many small steps as possible, order them, and give them a deadline. You might end up with something like this:

1. Research topic (deadline: Monday)
2. Create report outline (deadline: Tuesday)
3. Write body of report (deadline: Thursday)
4. Write introduction/conclusion and proofread document (Friday)

What was once a mountainous task now looks like a pretty straightforward to-do list. You know where to start, how long to spend on each part, and you have a plan to execute. All you have to do is follow the plan, and you’ve succeeded. Overwhelm who?

Approaching challenging projects this way will automatically (and drastically) reduce your level of overwhelm by giving you one small task to focus on at a time. It’s also pretty satisfying getting to tick something off a list when it’s complete, so instead of waiting until the whole thing is done to feel any sense of accomplishment, make sure to acknowledge your wins along the way.

If you need more help with procrastination you’ll want to read my ultimate guide for overcoming procrastination here.

Using Time Management Techniques to Stay on Track

One way to kill motivation is to spend endless amounts of time on tasks that don’t move the needle at all. Not only will you eventually start to question whether the goal you’ve set is worth the time (when you’ve realized you’ve made no progress), but you’ll waste precious energy on less important things. And we only have so much energy in day…

Effective time management is essential for maximizing productivity and minimizing distractions. By prioritizing tasks, setting deadlines, and minimizing interruptions, you can optimize your time and maintain focus on your most important priorities. 

Knowing that you’re making progress on the big things (and not feeling hung up on the small things) will help you to stay motivated and on track.

Dealing with Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome

Self-doubt and imposter syndrome can make it really difficult to stay motivated and believe in yourself. So, let’s look at a few ways to quiet that inner critic and move forward with more confidence.

Challenging Negative Self-Talk and Limiting Beliefs 

Did you know that your thoughts can influence your motivation? Try it. Think about how hard it will be to achieve your goal and all the reasons why you won’t be able to achieve it. How do thinking those thoughts make you feel? Do they make you feel inspired, motivated, and ready to go after what you want? 

Now do the opposite. Think about how rewarding the process of going after something meaningful will be to you, and why you have everything it takes to get there, and how good it will feel when you achieve it. Do you see the difference? Nothing changed about the goal, the only thing that changed was your perspective of it.

The same goes for how you speak to yourself. If you’re beating yourself up all the time and continuously telling yourself you can’t do something, you will find evidence to prove yourself right. 

If somebody were to speak to you the way you speak to yourself, would you want to follow their advice or do what they ask? Would you feel excited to please them, or scared to even try? Speaking kindly to yourself and being your own biggest fan will do more for your motivation than tearing yourself down ever will.

Seeking Support from Mentors and Peers

You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Surrounding yourself with supportive people can give you encouragement, useful advice, and a little extra accountability when you need it.

This could mean finding a mentor, talking to people who are working towards similar goals, or simply connecting with people who understand what you’re trying to achieve.

It can also help to learn from people who have already done what you’re trying to do. Their experiences can give you new ideas, remind you that your goal is possible, and help you keep going when things get tough.

Staying Motivated for the Long Haul

Creating a Motivation Toolkit 

Finding Inspo in Books, Podcasts, TedTalks and Vlogs

Books, podcasts, TED Talks, and vlogs can be great sources of inspiration, ideas, and new perspectives. Hearing how other people think, work, and approach challenges can give you fresh ideas while keeping you motivated.

Just be intentional about what you consume. Choose content that teaches you something, inspires you, or helps you move forward, rather than simply filling your time. You might just pick up something that changes the way you approach your own goals.

Surrounding Yourself with Positive Influences

Your environment can have a big impact on your mindset and behaviour. Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, rather than those who constantly bring you down.

You can’t always avoid negativity, but you can choose who you spend your time with and whose opinions you give weight to.

Create a life board (Not a vision board)

This has become one of my favourte practices and I’ve been doing it for years. Create a secret Pinterest board and divide it into sections that represent different areas of your life. Think “health & fitness” “dream job” “dream home” “travel,” – whatever you want! Fill each of those boards with motivating images that you can keep coming back to. I like to look at mine once a day, and whenever I scroll past something that inspires me, I can conveniently just pin it to the relevant section.

I think this is a MUCH better method than traditional vision boarding, because instead of creating it once and forgetting about it, you consistently add and engage with it as time goes on. You can delete things as they no longer align, and you can keep reminding yourself what you’re working so hard toward.

It makes me feel good, so hopefully it does the same for you!

Celebrating Your Wins and Milestones

Recognizing Your Achievements, No Matter How Small

Don’t forget to celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Giving yourself credit for your progress can boost your motivation and remind you how far you’ve come.

Rewarding Yourself Along the Way

You don’t have to wait until you reach your final goal to celebrate. Set small milestones and give yourself something to look forward to when you reach them, whether that’s a little treat, a night out, or simply taking some time to enjoy the achievement.

Recognising your progress makes the journey more enjoyable and gives you another reason to keep going.

All of this being said, you can do everything under the sun to try and feel more motivated but unfortunately there will always be days when motivation decides to exit the chat. And that’s okay (and normal!) Motivation itself is an emotion, and just like other emotions, they come and they go. Trying to control that is like trying to control the weather, futile!

Your energy is better spent elsewhere.

The lie that most people tell themselves is that they have to feel motivated in order to do something. But going about anything this way is just going to reinforce that idea in your mind. By showing up even when you don’t feel like it (especially when you don’t feel like it), you teach yourself (and your brain) that motivation isn’t something you have to rely on, it’s simply a “nice to have.”

So what it all comes down to is this.. If you want to achieve something, you need to be consistent. And to be consistent, you have to show up consistently, regardless of whether motivation is part of the equation.

Try it this week: pick something that needs to get done but you reaaaallly don’t feel like doing (make it a small thing first), and just get after it. See how you feel afterwards, and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

As always, I’d love to hear from you 🫶