“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have to admit, during my first year in college, I wasn’t really motivated. Sure, I wanted to do well and get good grades, but I wasn’t willing to take the steps in order to do so.

To be honest, I was bored of education. While I was learning about a wide range of subjects in college, close to none of them particularly interested me. The required courses (Humanities, Math, Bio) all made education lose it’s appeal. I felt that I was learning things that wouldn’t really help me in the future. I thought, “Is this what I came to college for?”

I was beginning to think that going to a university was just a process that was required in order to qualify for joining the rat race (getting a good JOB). As a result of this mindset, I got lazy. I felt as if, since I’m learning things I don’t like, I might as well have fun while I’m still here.

Today, I can safely say that I don’t feel that way anymore.  Why, you ask? It’s because of these three steps that I’m about to share with you. Whether you’re striving for a goal or just feel plain unmotivated, these tips are sure to get you out of your idle state and back on track.

Remember your purpose

Most people start getting lazy the moment they begin to forget their reasons for achieving a goal. Just think about it. When we start moving towards big goals, I can assure you the majority of us seek immediate gratification. However, some goals take a lot of work to even show a hint of progress. Over time, without any small, periodic returns to keep us going, we start to lose the passion we had in the beginning. The work we once put in now becomes a chore.  As a result, we see even less returns, and that frustrates us even more. By constantly referring back to your purpose, you’ll be more inclined to view your efforts as progressive towards your goals instead of viewing them as burdens.

Have someone you hold dear yell at you

Whenever you feel too uninspired to follow through with your goal, it’s always good to have someone you care for very much give you a stern talking to. When I told my mother about how I’d been acting in school, she let me have it. And with that, something sparked within me. It was because of what she told me that I felt I had let her down. Even more importantly, I felt I had let myself down. I slacked off instead putting in the work to earn my enjoyment. It depends on how big the goal is (they don’t have to yell if it’s about you not caring to be an artist anymore), but having someone give you constructive criticism on your efforts is key in getting motivated again.

Act based on what you’ve regained

You know your purpose and have received criticism for your poor motivation. The time is now to act accordingly. If you learned that you no longer feel passion for your goal, then it is best to drop this one and start anew. In contrast, If you’ve regained the confidence and energy to keep going, do just that. Keep moving.

All in all, it’s important to remember that you won’t always be one-hundred percent motivated on the journey to achieving your goals. Motivation is just like any other human emotion. Are you always one-hundred percent happy? If not, then it’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up for getting lazy. Beat yourself up for staying lazy.

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photo credit: [3/4 of zer0]

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