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The way our minds act plays a huge part in how things eventually pan out. You can have all of the physical attributes in the world, but if the top two inches aren’t functioning right, then you probably won’t get your desired outcome.
This applies to pretty much every single instance you’ve ever been involved in. For example, something personal like talking to somebody that you’ve had a crush on for a while: you can have all of the looks, the jokes and the conversations, but if you’re not calm, collected and confident upstairs, then you may end up missing out or feeling foolish. Your mind takes precedence over your body during sporting games, too. For instance, if you’re in a high-pressure, tense game of soccer, you’re aware that even a teeny mistake could cost the entire team. You have to have that mental capacity to power through any doubts or negative thoughts. While your engine and your fitness are important, how you’re doing in the mind can make or break you.
Those are just two examples, but there are millions of instances whereby the mind shows itself to be one of the most, if not the most, important aspect of your being. Your emotions, your confidence, your overall happiness and many other things are determined heavily by the top two inches.
Another behavioural element that we need to have boxed off properly is our motivation. Without it, we won’t amount to much. Motivation is what gets us up in the morning, and what stops us from wasting away. Some people struggle with getting themselves motivated in terms of pushing for the best life possible. Others simply struggle to get out of bed in the morning. It’s essential if we want to actually take part in any physical activity.
Some people are born with heaps of it. They have that innate and natural boost that keeps them forever wanting more. There are others, however, that aren’t so lucky and struggle to find any will. The good thing about this kind of drive is that it’s not binary and can be worked on. One day you could be down in the dumps with no reason to work. The next: raring to go. While it seems like a strange and childish way of changing your position immediately, it’s completely doable and honourable.
If you’re currently in a position where you’re not really sure if there’s any point, or you know what’s ahead of you but are lacking that extra bit of purpose, then have a little read further. We’ll go through some ideas that may give you the hunger that you truly need in life.
Don’t Idle
One of the worst things we can do as human beings is sit around and do nothing. Relaxing on your backside for hours when you’ve completed a long, gruelling day of work is a great feeling. Getting carried away and lazily slouching for extended periods, however? Not good. Obviously, as creatures of habit, we get used to things quickly, and we hate having to move from a comfort zone. That said, making a lazy and static lifestyle something habitual isn’t going to give you that fierce drive as you’re just going to want to stay exactly where you are.
Physically, you’re obviously going to become more sloth-like, and that’s not good for you going forward. We all need a bit of physically and a bounce in our step. Mentally, you can become a little damaged, too. When we idle, we tend to settle too comfortably in our own thoughts and imagination. Overthinking is a terrible thing that we all do, and when we’re idling, our overthinking can go into overdrive. It can lead to a host of worries and problems. Your mind needs to be filled with positivity right now, not angst.
If you feel as though you’re drifting into a potential pattern of sitting around without anything to do, try to break free. Do something – even if it’s something small and seemingly needless around the house. Occupying your mind and getting things done can motivate you to get more things done.
Get Into A Routine
Some people can’t stand the idea of being in a systematic routine because, as we mentioned before, you can get too comfortable. While this is similar, it’s not exactly the same, and it’s more productive. The motivation here comes from the feeling of wanting to stick to the routine you’ve created. When you have a set itinerary for the day, then deviating from it may change your mood negatively. Having a plan ahead of you also makes you feel a lot easier, and so you’re more positive – any potential challenges in your way can be tackled with the right frame of mind.
A morning routine would obviously make your mornings smoother as you’ll be systematically checking off all of the boxes. You could create a night-time one, too, so that the mornings would be even easier.
Eat And Stay Hydrated
Of course, we need to eat and drink frequently; otherwise, we’ll perish. But our mind’s need to be fed just as much as our bodies. When you’re feeling unmotivated and lethargic, a lot of the time it’s caused by a lack of energy – energy that can be restored via snacks, lunch and dinner. It’s amazing at how you change after a snack and a few glasses of water: you got from being tired, irritable and shut down to chirpier and full of zest.
Surround Yourself With Your Goal
A way to keep something in your mind and to keep wanting it is to have it around a lot of the time. When you’re constantly in amongst something, it can almost become a part of you. It can also serve as a reminder to you that you need to keep pushing if you want to reach your goal. For example, placing posters or having images on your computer’s desktop background will keep you going as you’ll always see them. Setting reminders on your phone or marking dates on a calendar would also work.
Watch Videos
There’s a reason there are so many motivational montages with millions of views online: because they work. When you see someone speaking passionately about how YOU can get exactly what you want with hard work, it sends a shiver down your spine and a rush of blood through your entire body. You can go from being low and unwilling to pumped up in a matter of minutes. Your entire mood can change off the back of a five-minute video.
It doesn’t just have to be famous motivators and celebrities screaming down the camera. You can also find ‘ordinary’ people that are in your shoes or who have been in your shoes. Following along a path similar to your own could make you more comfortable.
Find Role Models
When you have someone to look up to, you often want to be like them in a bunch of aspects. They’ve gotten to where they have because of their talent and hard work, and you want to replicate that. Using role models can have its downsides as some tend to copy them completely. What you should in fact do is take little bits and pieces from multiple influential people. That way, you can build up your own personality instead of mimicking another. If you want to head into sports, you’ll probably look at the work ethic of Cristiano Ronaldo. If you’re into the mind, mental health and medicine, you might look at Cynthia Telles. Various politicians have a lot to be admired for, so perhaps you could shave off bits of their ethic.
Set Goals
When there’s a big task ahead of you, it can be off-putting. The size of a massive goal ahead can be daunting and can stop you from even beginning. In this case, you should create tiny goals that can be achieved. As a species, we like winning. We like success. We like the feeling of achievement. When you make little, doable goals, you’re going to be constantly achieving. It gives you the motivation to carry on doing so. You’ll continue to complete these little goals until you reach the pinnacle, hopefully!
One thing people like to do regarding personal and professional goals is to make them public. When they’re out there for all to see, it’s like you’ve made a big vow. You can’t possibly break that vow or people will see how you’ve reneged.
Embrace Failure
Something that demotivates so many people across the globe is the fear of failure. Unfortunately, failure comes with a lot of judgement from people. Losers like to laugh at the misfortune of others all of the time. This, in turn, stops a lot of people from reaching their potential. Something you should do is make failure your best friend. It sounds counterintuitive, but failing is the first step towards progress. It’s how we’ve progressed individually and collectively since the dawn of time. Make it your goal to go out and fail at something – you’ll be better for it in the long run.
