Have you ever wondered what affects your motivation levels?
Maybe you’ve never really thought about this, but it is a question worth pondering.
The way we are motivated plays a huge role in how successful we are and how much we achieve. The thing is, most people don’t have much of an idea of how they motivate themselves and because of this their results can often be quite haphazard.
Although it may seem like this at times; motivation doesn’t just show up. The levels we feel inspired to take action relate to the way we are wired. It’s a reflection of what we are comfortable with or not comfortable with and how we actually view those things.
There is no right or wrong way to do motivation, because a variety of methods work for different people and for numerous reasons. And when you are using your motivators resourcefully you will see positive evidence in your results.
Problems only arise when your natural motivators begin to work against you. When this happens, it can affect your results and outcomes in a negative way.
Here I will share two hidden motivators that come into play around change; sameness and difference. You will see I have suggested some simple step-by-step changes which can increase your motivation and excel your long-term results.
When “sameness” increases motivation
If you enjoy regular daily routine and look for similarity in different situations, there is a good chance you are mainly motivated by sameness.
You probably have the same thing for breakfast every day or prefer eating at the same time. Maybe you drive the same way to work every day or take the same route on your daily run. And you do this because it feels comfortable.
Sameness works really well when everything is going to plan and you are getting great results from strategies you already use.
It’s a great motivator to use when you are creating routines that support you personally and in work. Routines like self-care and business systems are essential to maintaining good health and creating consistency in your business.
However, sameness can become a problem when it’s time to change something. This can affect your motivation levels negatively and you can quite often procrastinate or do something else because it feels more comfortable.
Examples of this might be changing a process or strategy that’s not working anymore. Maybe moving office, starting a new networking group, joining a new gym or doing your first live video. I am sure you can add more to this list.
Sometimes you can even be so stuck in sameness that you are not even aware that something needs to change or you just don’t want to see it. So you “keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result”, just like Einstein said.
If you want different results then something has to change. And I am sure you know that too.
You have probably heard that the best way to do this is to step outside of your comfort zone as quickly and massively as possible. And this is true.
Yet if you are strongly motivated by sameness then that can sometimes seem almost impossible, because it feels too uncomfortable. So it’s about making small changes gradually.
Start changing things up a little and take a different route a couple of days each week when you drive to work. Have a different breakfast once or twice a week. Use a different road when you do your daily run or do a walk once a week instead.
These are small simple changes that will begin to rewire your brain. And as you do this regularly you will notice that new networking event no longer seems so daunting.
If “difference” increases your motivation
You are more motivated by difference if you enjoy doing a variety of tasks and projects. Adventure and variety is your thing. You naturally look for what is different and where you can do something in a different way.
If you are motivated by difference you usually handle change really well. You possibly don’t have much of an issue with doing new things like live videos, networking events and working in different environments.
So the comfort zone doesn’t pose much of a problem for you, because it feels exciting. You tend to handle it really well.
Or so you think!
You see, outside of comfort zone is not just about doing things that seem a bit scary. It’s also about doing things you may find boring. And this is where the “difference” motivator can work against you.
For instance; if you are motivated by difference then because you like doing different things you may find it boring to focus on one thing at a time. The idea of routine may seem boring to you because each day is same old same old. And both routines and focus are essential to creating consistency of results and success in achievement.
Another way it can work against you is by taking on too many things at once. This can create chaos and your energy becomes too diluted. Because of this your progress can slow right down.
Change is your thing, so look at change in a way that serves you instead of works against you. When you focus on finishing one thing at a time or creating a routine, you are actually doing something differently. This is changing what’s not working; focus on the difference in that.
If you like you can start small with this too.
Begin to create routines for self-care or systems for work, one at a time. Maybe start blocking in just one or two hours each day to focus on one thing at a time and increase it little by little.
Finish what you are working on before you start something new.
As you work with this, it will result in you feeling less bored and more comfortable with sameness. This means you will utilize it for yourself when most appropriate.
The bottom line
It’s important to remember that there are no good or bad motivators, because neither one is better than the other. They both have their benefits. The main thing is to identify when you are stuck in one and to change what doesn’t work. Over time this will help you amp up motivation and excel your results.
If you want to learn how to direct your motivation then Finish Strong 2019 is a powerful workshop to attend. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE