Even the most motivated individuals can feel unmotivated from time to time. That, however, is normal. You are not the only one who goes through ups and downs. This article, where we will discuss how to recover from a slump, was inspired by a Zen habits article I read online titled, “Get Off Your Butt.”
The article talked about ways to get motivated when you are going through a slump. All you need are some small steps you can start taking to get you on the road to positive change and towards where you want to be.
An easy example for most people is the struggle to find motivation to exercise. It is easy to fall out of your exercise. Sometimes it’s because of an illness or injury or changes on what is going on in our lives and it is just hard to get started again.
But there is always a way to break out of that rut and we will discuss three ways here with more to come in the next article.
Focus on one goal. Have you noticed that whenever we have too much going on in our lives or we take too much on, that is when we are more likely to fall in those slumps? It is the most common mistake we make, trying to do too much or accomplish too many goals.
It is tough to maintain energy and focus when you have too much on your plate and have too many goals at once. It is simply impossible. The key is to choose one goal for now and focus on it completely. That is tough, I know, but it is easier to accomplish your other goals once you have accomplished your initial goal.
Find inspiration. Inspiration, for me and I am sure many of you, comes from others who have achieved what I want to achieve or who are currently doing what I want to do. I read inspirational books and for me, that is the best. You can also read blogs, even Google your goal, and read stories of people who have done what you want to do.
I remember when I first started working with Marko before I became a coach, I used to watch testimonials from his students and that gave me a lot of inspiration in real estate. I wanted to follow his program because it was already being used by others. I did not need to reinvent the wheel.
So, find the things that inspire you to stay focused on that one goal. Engage with others who serve as role models and offer inspiration. Helping others can give you a sense of fulfillment, knowing that you have made a difference in someone else’s life.
Get excited. I know this sounds obvious, but when you want to break out of that slump, you have to get excited about your goal and be introspective. Look within and think about all the great things that will happen and what it really means to you to meet that goal. How rewarding will it feel? What will be the short-term and long-term impacts of meeting that goal? Think, reflect and give yourself the time to look within.
Well, building your excitement starts with inspiration. For me, it helps when I meditate in the morning. It helps clear my head so I can focus and set my intention for that day with my goal in mind. I feel excited to start my day because once I had that quiet time for myself, I feel relaxed, focused and my tasks for that day don’t seem challenging or overwhelming.
I feel like we all need that personal time, even it’s just for 5-10 minutes a day so we can give ourselves a break from all the noise. For some, it may be in the form of prayer, others a short walk, a workout or even silence in the car while driving to work. Whatever that may be for you, take some time in your day to clear your head. This will help you focus.
I also visualize my goal in my head. I want to feel what it would be like to accomplish it. I also talk about it to others. I write it and hang it somewhere where I can see it often. I also think reading as much as you can about your goal can get you excited about seeing it to fruition.
In real estate, when I talk to other investors who are very active gets me really excited about the opportunities out there. I have a student, Carlos, who is a very successful architect in Connecticut for a large international firm that develops commercial high-rise buildings. When we have our coaching calls, Carlos asks me details about the deals I am currently working on because that gets him excited and refocused on his goal in building wealth for his family.
Take some time to evaluate your lifestyle and consider the tips mentioned above. We will discuss more ways on how to get out of a slump coming up in future articles.
To your success,
