As a business owner, wife and mother, I’m usually “motivated” by the roles that I play in my life. There are things that I HAVE to do as a mother, wife and business owner but there are days that I am not motivated to do anything, not move my business forward, not work on myself, not anything, and I have to find something in me to push past the blah feelings.

When people talk about “not feeling motivated” often it means that they are not “inspired” to do something. But do you really need to be “inspired’ to do anything?

Commitment is much more powerful than inspiration.

Recently, I was speaking to a client who wants to lose weight. There is no threat of illness forcing her to create healthier habits, there is no external goal like fitting into her wedding gown for a vow renewal, she had no “motivation”. When I asked her what would happen if she didn’t lose the weight, she said she would be disappointed in herself. But still the possibility of her disappointment is not enough motivation.

I told her JUST DO IT!

The slogan is probably the most overused phrase of all time but it does something to you when you read it because of its simplicity and obviousness.

It essentially means- Commit.

I suggested to her to commit to going to exercise ( walk, gym, run, yoga) 3 days a week, rain or shine, whether she felt like it or not. Add it to her calendar and include it in her schedule (see Article - Make your calendar your best friend). And no, the first week, second or third week will not yield the physical change she may think she needs to see to stay motivated, but staying committed develops discipline and eventually creates a habit.

“On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact”- https://jamesclear.com/new-habit

How do you stay committed? This applies to both personal and career goals.

Set (realistic) goals. Decide what you want to accomplish and by when. And by the way, setting unrealistic goals and timelines can be self-defeating when you don't accomplish them so be honest with yourself about what you really can and cannot do in a specific time span and with the resources you may have.

Rewards - While setting those goals, reward yourself when you do accomplish them. For example- you’re finally finishing the book you’ve been working on for months. Set a goal for completing 3 chapters weekly and when you do, reward yourself with your favorite decadent dessert. Rewards for effort works for kids and adults alike!

Accountability Partners- Ask for the kick in the butt you need when you need it! You can hire a coach or tell your partner or best friend what you’re committed to accomplishing with the foresight that there will be days that you could use the support from someone else to keep going.

You can schedule check-ins with your partner, share your calendar with them or contact them when you need but having someone who is invested in your success, almost as much as you are is a great asset.

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Thank you!

Jennifer