A phrase I’ve typed into google many times. Motivation is a funny concept, and I believe that’s not what you’re looking for. Here’s why.
How would you define motivation? An idea or a general desire to do something? A reason to carry out an action? The term motivation does not provide any real verbs or action. It is just a thought. And without discipline, motivation is nothing more than a word.
What do you want?
The first step is to figure out what you want. Easier said than done, you have to forget the opinion of everyone else, look yourself in the mirror, and stop letting fear get in the way of your desires. What if you met a magical genie that gave you three wishes? Be delusional for a moment, really imagine a magical genie that could make anything happen in your life. What would you wish for? Say you wish for a million dollars. Why do you want a million dollars? What would you buy with all that money? What would you do in your free time? Imagine your dream life granted by those three wishes. Now, make it a reality. How would you start working toward earning that amount of money? What steps would you need to take to make your dreams actually come true? And truly, no one cares what you want, no one cares if you get what you want. It is solely up to you, and what you do with your motivation.
Show up.
The second step is to show up for yourself. Find what it is that you want, and figure out what needs to be done to achieve that. Fitness is a huge part of my life. What is my motivation to go to the gym? Well, I want to feel good about my body, I want my body to be capable of carrying out my hobbies, I want to feel healthier and generally more fit. These are my motivations for going to the gym. However, saying “I want” isn’t going to build bigger glutes. Saying “I want” isn’t going to make me run faster. You have to pair motivation with discipline in order for the word to have meaning. No one likes getting up early and going to the gym. At least I don’t. But you know how I do it? I wake up, and force myself out the door. The things that you want are sometimes only achievable if you go through some sh** to get there. After applying discipline, I walk out of the gym feeling good, fresh, and proud of myself for showing up.
Find your confidence.
The third step is to become confident in yourself. I know, that seems like an impossible task to most. But I have learned a way to break confidence down into elemental parts. Routine, comfort, and carelessness.
Make a routine.
Having a routine allows you to feel a sense of structure in your life, which correlates with confidence. Think about it like this. Have you ever started a new job or sport, and you have no idea whats going on? When you start something new, you are learning unfamiliar skills and processes that seem foreign to you. It is common to feel overwhelmed and shy. However, once you spend some more time at the job or sport and you’ve learned everything new for that position, the routine and practice elevates your confidence. You’re not as nervous as you were on your first day. This strategy is true in every aspect of life. The human brain likes order. If your life is organized, your mind is organized. Personally I have a strict morning and night routine that makes me feel good, and starts and ends the day on a good note. Make a list, use a calendar, whatever works for YOU as long as YOU feel good and productive. If you create a routine, and consistently practice your interests, you will become more confident in yourself naturally.
Get out of your comfort zone.
Comfort is the next part of confidence. As humans, we naturally want to be comfortable. Professionally, most people strive for a stable, high paying job so they can be comfortable, less stressed, etc. In their personal lives, most adults hesitate to try new things because they are so comfortable in what they already know. This hesitation coincides with fear. Some will stay at a job they hate because it provides them stability, and they are afraid of the unknown. The truth is, there will always be another job. There is always more money to be made. You see it every day. There are over 56 million millionares in the world. What makes you think you can’t join them? The key is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Trying new things and allowing yourself to fail is the beauty of life! I would rather try something and fail over and over again than not try at all. Sure, its awkward and scary at first to step out of your comfort zone. But think of all of the amazing things you’ll accomplish if you try. You are bound to win the more you try. And if you fail, oh well! It is seriously, not that serious.
Stop caring so much!
The third part of confidence is carelessness. This concept may seem like a negative connotation, but it is the best thing I have ever implemented in my life. The “who cares?” mentality. The “okay, and?” mentality. I can guarantee you everyone is so worried about themselves, they have no time to care about you. So why should you care what other people say/think? Your crush doesn’t like you back? Who cares! They obviously weren’t meant to be in your life. You’re unhappy and want to start a new career path but you’re scared to take the leap. Okay, and? Do it anyway. Who cares? We only get one life and I’ll be damned if I let someone else’s opinion, or fear, dictate what I do. I promise you will be so confident if you realize that life isn’t that serious and you are the main character in your story.
Discard social media
Most people don’t realize the damage social media does to our mental health. Social media is essentially a highlight reel of everyones lives, showing their best angles and their best moments. Scrolling through everyones seemingly “perfect” lives just makes you compare yourself, and damages your self confidence. Try deleting your social media, stop watching reality TV, appreciate how amazing YOU are and what YOU have, because you’re the main character! Start focusing inward and see the benefits for yourself.
All of these things are only possible if you apply your motivation and add discipline to your daily life. No one is going to do that for you. Dig deep, find your reasons and just go for it! As an avid hiker, motivation directly correlates to discipline and focusing inward. But this advice is for any venture you desire in life.
I know, this is all easy to say, but it is much more difficult to actually put these practices to work. It is impossible for this to just happen overnight. You have to change the way you think, you have to change the way you act. You have to create a higher version of yourself and slowly turn into that. It won’t be easy. You will be uncomfortable. But I promise you, once you feel that confidence and start achieving your goals, you’ll never turn back.
