Self-motivation is that force within yourself that pushes you to keep moving forward towards achieving your goals.
For some people, self-motivation comes easily. For others, it is more of a challenge. This is partially due to two internal traits: self-assurance and self-efficacy. Self-assured people are not afraid to set challenging goals for themselves and do not become easily deterred when they face setbacks.
People with high self-efficacy believe in their own ability to succeed. This can impact the types of goals (if any) they set for themselves. Read the self-motivation tips below and ask yourself how these might be able to help you achieve personal and professional goals.
SELF-MOTIVATION TIPS
THINK POSITIVELY
The past is the result of your past decisions and attitudes. A brighter future depends on your decisions and attitudes today. Make sure those decisions and attitudes are grounded in a positive perspective.
SET SMALL, ATTAINABLE GOALS
Do not try to eat an elephant in one bite. Set smaller, attainable goals as stepping stones to achieving your big goal. These small wins will boost your confidence and motivate you to keep pushing forward.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE INFLUENCES
It is hard enough to stay self-motivated on your own. Do not let the negative opinions of others derail your efforts. Instead, surround yourself with family, friends, and co-workers who will provide words of encouragement to help you achieve your goals.
GET RID OF BAD HABITS
Depending on your goals, look at the bad habits that are getting in the way of your progress and hurting your motivation. For example, if daily exercise is your goal, are you procrastinating by lying on the couch and watching too much TV? Or, if your goal is healthy eating, are you still buying junk food at the store?
AVOID SELF-LIMITING EXCUSES
Do not limit yourself as an excuse not to pursue a goal. For example, reframe thoughts like, “If only I were richer, I could go on that cruise.” Perhaps the funds may not be available right now, but you can still set a savings goal until you save up enough money to make that dream a reality.
PICTURE YOUR BEST SELF
Examine yourself and define what your worst and best selves looks like. Which one do you currently resemble most? Identify the traits of your best self and work on improving in those areas. Again, boosting your self-assurance and self-efficacy can help improve your self-motivation.
CHANGE YOUR INNER DIALOGUE
Self-truths can derail self-motivation. If you keep telling yourself that you are not good enough or unworthy, you will believe it. Change your inner voice and start promoting positive self-truths. For example, if you feel you are unlucky, find evidence to the contrary and start telling yourself how lucky you are.
Note: These lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy of Great West Casualty Company and is part of the Value-Driven® Company program. Value-Driven Company was created to help educate and inform insureds so they can make better decisions, build a culture that values safety, and manage risk more effectively. To see what additional resources Great West Casualty Company can provide for its insureds, please contact your safety representative, or click below to find an agent.
© Great West Casualty Company 2021. The material in this publication is the property of Great West Casualty Company unless otherwise noted and may not be reproduced without its written consent by any person other than a current insured of Great West Casualty Company for business purposes. Insured should attribute use as follows: “© Great West Casualty Company 2021. Used with permission by Great West Casualty Company.”
This material is intended to be a broad overview of the subject matter and is provided for informational purposes only. Great West Casualty Company does not provide legal advice to its insureds, nor does it advise insureds on employment-related issues. Therefore, the subject matter is not intended to serve as legal or employment advice for any issue(s) that may arise in the operations of its insureds. Legal advice should always be sought from the insured’s legal counsel. Great West Casualty Company shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, action, or inaction alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the information contained herein.
