Staying Motivated When You've Hit A Wall

 

When demotivation hits, how do you cope? Are you the type who shifts focus to another project, or do you try powering through it? No matter the cause of dead productivity, the side effects are tangible: lowered productivity, depressed mood, and overall frustration are just a few.

I get demotivated at times. I just hit a wall. One thing that always pulls me out of that rut is never losing sight of the end goal. When your eyes are on the prize you understand that this feeling of defeat is only temporary. You will prevail.

My overarching goal: to build a company that improves people’s lives across the globe.  When I’m stuck I keep that in my mind. And I remind myself of it by actualizing it.

I let the inner artist in me shine, clipping pictures and words out of magazines to make a vision board. It hangs where I can see it every single day. It keeps my overarching goal (literally) in my sights.

One crucial part of making a vision board is placing yourself in a future world where what you wanted has come true. “When millions of people around the world have Zirtual Assistants, I will ____” is something I have written in my notebooks, on Post-its, and just about everywhere I work. The first step to achieving any goal is actualizing it.

But that’s not enough. Believe it or not, you’re not the first person who has struggled with motivation problems. And luckily for you, others have written about it. I lean on advice from others for inspiration on how to get out of my rut.

My favorite motivational book is It Works by RHJ. In it, RHJ pep talks the reader to focus on positive thinking and regaining focus. The lines are a bit cheesy, but the underlying message is a great one: no matter how hard it gets, you can still get back on your horse and reach that goal.

When all else fails and I still feel like I hit a wall, I quit for the day. I shut down my computer, unplug from my phone, and take a creative break. Sometimes your mind needs to rest and relax so you can come back feeling renewed to tackle  the task at hand. There’s nothing better than restarting a project feeling 100% rested.