Whatever Your Circumstance

 Have you ever said you would do something but then never really followed through? Perhaps you were talking about losing a few pounds, quit smoking or find a better job.

Sometimes you don’t finish or even get started because you don’t know exactly what you want, where to begin or believe in yourself. Then there are times when your mood or feelings about other things prevent you from proceeding¹, it kills your motivation.

Motivation is vital if you want to excel. This element comes from within, you have to get yourself going. No one else is going to be able to influence you if you are resistant², so you have to know how to motivate yourself. Learn how to establish and keep momentum³ during tough times. You are the driving force to get yourself out of a rut, others can help but ultimately you hold the power. If you don’t learn how to trek⁴ on during hard times, you will have lost before you’ve even begun.

At times, motivation is temporary or completely nonexistent. You may have been excited to start something, may be even did a few things then stopped after a while. Only a small few see most things, from start to finish, through regardless of the circumstance.

Here are some tips to getting motivated:

Prioritize and Focus – Sometimes my lack of motivation comes from feeling overwhelmed. It just seems like too many things are going on at once and I feel discouraged when I try to figure out how to juggle⁵ them all. In an effort not to disappoint, we often bite off more than we can chew. End the end, your stress levels are through the roof and the quality of the outcome just isn’t there. When you try to throw all the balls in the air a once, you’re bound to drop a few. Instead you need to figure out what is most important and focus on that goal. Once that is completed move on to the next.

This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if you want to break out of a slump⁶, get yourself excited about a goal. But how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that excitement and build on it. For me, I’ve learned that by talking to my wife about it, and to others, and reading as much about it as possible, and visualizing⁷ what it would be like to be successful (seeing the benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. Once I’ve done that, it’s just a matter of carrying that energy forward and keeping it going. Visualize⁸, and think about how you would feel after achieving your goal.

Feel it – When most people feel depressed⁹ they just ride the feeling out. They don’t try to snap out of it. Yes, it is good to let your emotions out instead of bottling them up, but don’t let them take over your life. Have your feelings then realign your focus, place it on other feelings. Like your feelings about your goal. To become motivated you need to ignite it. Use visualization¹⁰ and other forms of inspiration to release your feelings about your goals. Think of what it would be like or how it would feel to have it completed. Take that excited, happy feeling and run with it.

Always keep it in your mind – The more you positively¹¹ think about something, the better the chance it will become a reality. Keep your goal at the forefront of your mind. When I want something and I’m mobile, I save a picture of it in my phone and refer to it as needed. Post pictures where you’ll see them daily, if you’re always on your computer put up inspirational wallpaper, use affirmations. Make a plan to take a small step every day to bring you closer to accomplishment¹². These little reminders¹³ and actions speak to your motivation. Don’t get frustrated¹⁴ with the fact that it isn’t a reality yet, continue to focus on how to will feel when it is.

Find Support – If your goal involves change, as many do, it can be hard to go alone. Changing habit or other parts of ourselves for the better can seem impossible. Especially if you’re surrounded by people who do or encourage the very thing that you are working against. Find someone or a community of like-minded individuals, you don’t have to have the exact same goal but maybe the same struggle. You may even connect with someone who has already been down that path and can lend their insight.

Focus on the good, not the bad – Cultural conditioning teaches us to be critical and judgmental, focusing on the negative. Don’t think about the difficulties, acknowledge them so that you can plan accordingly but don’t focus on it. That would be the simplest way to destroy your motivation. Focus on the outcome and how it would benefit you. If you’re looking for a job, instead of focusing on the repetitive application and interview process think about what the job will bring you when you get it, financial stability and career growth perhaps. Directing your energy on why you want it and how it will help you will motivate you to obtain it.

1 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

2 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

3 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

4 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

5 juggle   

v.变戏法，纂改，欺骗，同时做；n.玩杂耍，纂改，花招

参考例句：

• If you juggle with your accounts,you'll get into trouble.你要是在帐目上做手脚，你可要遇到麻烦了。
• She had to juggle her job and her children.她得同时兼顾工作和孩子。

6 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

7 visualizing   

肉眼观察

参考例句：

• Nevertheless, the Bohr model is still useful for visualizing the structure of an atom. 然而，玻尔模型仍有利于使原子结构形象化。
• Try to strengthen this energy field by visualizing the ball growing stronger. 通过想象能量球变得更强壮设法加强这能量场。

8 visualize   

vt.使看得见，使具体化，想象，设想

参考例句：

• I remember meeting the man before but I can't visualize him.我记得以前见过那个人，但他的样子我想不起来了。
• She couldn't visualize flying through space.她无法想像在太空中飞行的景象。

9 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

10 visualization   

n.想像，设想

参考例句：

• In 2D visualization and drawing applications, vertical and horizontal scrolling are common. 在二维的可视化及绘图应用中，垂直和水平滚动非常普遍。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Ophthalmoscopy affords the only opportunity for direct visualization of blood vessels. 检眼镜检查法提供直接观察血管的唯一机会。

11 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

12 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

13 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

14 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》