Are you tired of making goals and struggling to follow through with them? It’s time to shift your focus from motivation to momentum. Instead of relying solely on motivation to achieve your goals, cultivate momentum by taking consistent action towards them. Don’t just wait for motivation to strike, create it by taking small steps towards your goals every day. With momentum, you’ll find yourself achieving your goals faster and with less effort.
Here are 4 ways you can practice momentum over motivation:
1) Break your goal down into small manageable pieces then pick one of these pieces to commit to. It can be a super small piece, in fact sometimes the smaller, the better. Here are some examples. Struggling with motivation to cook , commit to simply turn on the oven or take food out of the refrigerator/pantry and place it on the counter. Struggling with motivation to exercise, commit to simply putting on your workout clothes or moving your walking shoes to the front door. Struggling with motivation to meditate, commit to 3 slow deep breaths while sitting with your eyes closed.
2)Have a go to mantra to repeat to yourself when you need to create momentum. Some ideas are “don’t think, just do”, or “I can do hard things”, or “direction over speed”.
3)Picture the cognitive triangle. This triangle which is often used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, explains the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. If your thoughts or feelings are not what you desire, then you may need to start with behavior first, then the desired feelings or thoughts will follow. In other words, don’t wait to feel motivated, act first and then the motivation will come.
4)Put a time on it– What is the maximum amount of time you can commit to something without it feeling like a burden? Now take that time, even if only for 60 seconds and start. Commit to that amount of time for exercise in front of the television, or to chop vegetables or fruit, or to practice mindfulness by taking note of everything around you.
At ReCenter Anywhere, I work with clients to guide them in creating a life aligned with their personal health and wellness goals. Begin your journey to your happy, healthy self. Click below to read more about my offerings or book a free consult so we can see if what you want and what I offer are a good match.
Sheila Stephens
Certified Health, Wellness, Meditation, Breathwork, and Culinary Coach