Let’s face it, this past year was tough on us all! I think we can agree that it is exciting to see things looking better ahead, but there was some serious damage done inside of us. You might even feel like I feel. That is, feeling different about the things that motivate us. The reality is, everything is different now, and the things that motivated us in the past now simply have a different look or are even gone.
But guess what, it doesn’t matter motivated you in the past because you create motivation; you don’t find it from something or somewhere.
Motivation is your responsibility. Motivation is within your own power to create. No one can give it to you.
Life gets hard sometimes, but in my experience, low motivation almost always stems from a lack of vision. If you are continually looking every which way, wondering what you should do with yourself, you are not focusing on what you want to do or what needs to happen over the long haul. To get motivated, you need something to inspire you. The only way to identify what will inspire you is to perform the introspective work to get to know yourself inside out. Learn what aspects of the sport you feel passionate about and map out a plan for a cause greater than yourself. That is your vision. Commit 100 percent to the process of achieving that vision.
Motivations tend to fall in one of two categories. Intrinsic motivation comes from within ourselves, and extrinsic motivation stems from outside sources. So many of us use "carrots" to keep us motivated. But what happens when that event passes by or we receive that reward? We often find ourselves out of motivation. External motivation doesn't lead to long-term achievement. That kind of real progress appears only when intrinsic motivation is involved because your passion is in the driver’s seat. If you're counting on external factors like race wins and other people to keep you motivated, you may feel like you are on a rollercoaster. Your motivation will be more steady if you shift your motivation to values that align with your character.
Lastly, be sure to maintain and nourish your motivation over time. Build your vision into your daily life to keep that motivation fresh and prominent in your life. Review it daily, post it prominently, write about it, check in me daily, or do whatever it takes to keep you focused on your vision and in turn forever motivated.