How To: Self-Motivation

Note: this is the first post in a series of "how to" posts on my blog, and I figured that this was relevant to start them off because of where I am right now, and that is at this stage, the point where I need to be self-motivated or I'm just going to get jack shit done all day (again) :'[ it's not good.



The post originally started off with me whinging about how I needed to have someone constantly asking for chapter after chapter of my work, or someone who was constantly asking for updates, but not a reader, someone who I needed to get them to, like a publisher or an agent, someone who can see my potential and wants to whip my ass into shape, because I think I've misplaced my self-motivation, and I just can't get it back.




However, I am trying my hardest to get motivated, and here is my how-to guide on... self-motivation!



Everyone has a different way to motivate themselves, and some ways don't affect others as much, that's why I'm going to list a couple of practical ways to get yourself up out of your rut and back into shape (or on the road to recovery).



I'm going to attack the three main concerns that knock our motivation. They are: focus, direction, and confidence... yet, with all three of these back on your team, you'll be up in no time!




To-Do Lists!







If you're a liker on my Facebook page, then you'll probably have heard me talking about my new to-do list app for my phone. I actually love this little app, it's so nifty... and if you have a smart phone, or an iPhone, the app is called "Any.DO", and news just in, they have an app for your computer! So get it! >> http://www.any.do/! And if you're using it on more than one place, you can synchronise them!



Okay, let's get on to why to-do lists are important. They're important because they are attacking two of the three motivation knockers; focus, and direction. With a to-do list you have something to focus on, and you know where you're going... example, the picture to your left.



The first two points on there are blog related, while the second two are writing related. You don't want to be mixing up your styles between writing creatively, and writing to inform etc.



As I cannot contain my excitement over this app, I'm going to say a little bit more about it. Well, this app is just amazing. You can see beneath the point there are 5 sections: "priority", "folder", "reminder", "notes", and "share". If you click "priority" the point goes from white to red, and as you can see, I set a reminder to write the post. I also had the option to write notes, which, would help me when it came to writing the post (increasing the focus). And the share feature links up with Facebook to show people how much progress you've done. Hehe.



Also, with to-do lists, if you set realistic goals and achieve them, you'll feel a small bubble of success inside, and that's a good feeling, and you'll want to replicate that, which is in itself very motivating. So keep to your to-do lists and get motivated.




Confidence Boost


So there isn't an app for this, however, if you're stuck thinking that you'll never be successful, and that there's no point in trying, then I have a couple of pointers here.



1. Bad luck, weaknesses, and failures... they're dominating your mind right now, you're not really in control when these demons are around telling you that you're not good enough. How about just saying something to yourself, something as simple as "I am good enough" you might not believe it at first.. BUT YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. In a recent guest post, I wrote this:

No writer is born a good writer, they might be able to tell a story like nobody else, but only through hard work and determination will they become good… and they will only become great when they’ve been through life, when they’ve grown and been through struggles; when their mind is washed away of all the purity, and to replace it, a monster, and it wants to do is feed off your misery. That’s when a writer becomes a great writer; through experience.

And I feel that this is helpful here, not only should you go through stress and emotional breakdowns as a writer, but it's also one of the hazards of being a writer. So, just think to yourself, when you feel that you're not good enough, "well, I'm going through this, it must mean that I'm becoming a better writer" because that's exactly what it means.



2. Facebook pages! If you have a Facebook page, they can be both, good for confidence, but also really bad. Good as in, people will read your statuses and your notes, and maybe they'll leave comments with ego-boosting comments. But bad because sometimes you don't get any attention on there at all, and your page is just starting out so not many people (family and friends) are looking at it.



Anything that has a number for likers or followers is BAD for the confidence, especially when you're just starting out and you don't have much of a clue about what you're doing. So stop thinking that your a bad writer just because of silly things like a Facebook page... you're a writer, you should write!



3. Recalling past successes! Take a trip down memory lane, maybe you want to make a list, or just keep a mental note, but always keep note of all the positives in your life... these are your strengths; what are you good at? You might also add what you're not so good at, and make a to-do list based around things which need to be built upon. Also, make a note of all your achievements, these can be as little as participating in something, to graduating, all of those things are positives, and you need to remember that when it comes to the dark parts of your life... you need to remember just how good your life actually is.



On a final note, I think I'll mention a motivator that we've all come into contact with... CAFFEINE! That little bugger just won't get off my shoulder... I mean, I won't let him off my shoulder. I am a caffeine addict, and I absolutely love my coffees, energy drinks, and whatever gives people a burst of energy. (Except chocolate, although it does make you feel better.)




Do you have any tips on how to self-motivate?



For more helpful tips, tricks, & tidbits that's the page!




Joseph Eastwood




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