Motivation is a big part of success. The more motivated we are, the more we are encouraged to do well. But, developing motivation can sometimes be tricky, especially if you are trying to self-motivate rather than relying on others to motivate you. Finding ways to increase your motivation can have a huge positive impact on your performance.
This is all linked to having a growth mindset. If you believe you can do something, motivating yourself to work towards it will help you achieve your goal. Becoming more motivated can help change your behaviour and attitude towards your goals, helping you view what you want as more achievable. It can also help to boost your engagement with things you've found less interesting or less achievable previously.
I am a very self-motivated person, however, there was a time in my life when I was struggling to find motivation. When I was building my business 'Actually, I Can!' I was also working full-time as an assistant headteacher while juggling life a single mum and trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
© Natalie Stevenson PhotographyI had an overwhelming fear of failure and stress. I felt as if I was working every hour under the sun to continue performing in my career as well as building my business, but I felt guilty that I was being a bad mother to my daughter Sofia because I was always working and not spending time with her.
I couldn't see a way around it and there were many days when I asked myself if I should give up on my business because I just couldn't find enough time to do everything. I thought that maybe life would just be easier if I stayed where I was in my career in education.
But I had to remind myself WHY I wanted to make a change. I KNEW that I had more to give and share with the world, after thirty plus years of people pleasing, I realised I had a chance to support, coach, teach and inspire thousands of women around the world who have a dream that they want to achieve. This was my dream, to show females that ANYTHING is possible!
My Motivation
My daughter was my biggest motivation throughout this whole journey because her future and happiness is so important to me and giving her the strength and self-belief to become whoever she wants to be is my number one priority.
I continued each day, focusing on the end goal and managing my time more effectively so that I could spend more time with Sofia and continue to work with many fabulous ladies around the world to support them in achieving their goals.
Within 18 months I had built a successful six figure business, was able to hand my notice in at school and go full time with the business. This gave me the flexibility and freedom that I had always desired to be able to spend more time with my daughter and to support many more women around the world with their goals, business and dreams.
If I hadn't continued self-motivating myself, it would have been so easy to just give up, but it was my mission to continue working hard and getting to that goal that I had set myself.
How to self-motivate
1. Simplifying your goals and vision Think about your goals and how you intend to achieve them. If you are struggling to motivate yourself to work towards those goals, look at what can you do to simplify them. Focusing on one or two things can really increase self-motivation.
2. Surrounding yourself with positive, motivated people If you surround yourself with negative people, you will find that your motivation can deteriorate due to their influence. It's amazing how much other people can influence us, both negatively and positively.
3. Grow through the hurdles you face. Never be defeated by hurdles or setbacks. Ensure that you continue learning, which will help to motivate you.
4. Make healthy habits This encourages you to continue to work towards the goal. For example, take going to the gym every Tuesday and Friday morning; you are encouraging your mind to become familiar with this habit and this will motivate you to attend the gym.
5. Don't compare yourself to others Our natural instinct when working towards a goal is to compare our progress with that made by our friends, family, celebrities and co-workers. The problem with this is that everyone is different, with different skills, energy and mindsets. There is no one else like you! Focus on your own progress. Look at where you were three months ago and where you are now. You will soon see how much progress you have made and how far you have come.
6. Make each day count On your journey towards achieving your goals, think about the journey you are on, think about the steps you have already climbed and the hurdles/barriers you have overcome. Each day you work on your goal means you're a step closer to success. Use this to motivate you by reflecting on where you are now and where you started from.
To find out more about how you can develop your self-motivation and growth mindset to support with your goals and success in business and life, please visit actuallyican.co.uk or contact Kayleigh on Instagram and Facebook @actually1can or @kayleigh_greenacre
