Successful mindsets - 5 tips to get you motivated

Do you wake up every morning feeling confident and excited about reaching your goals? Chances are, you don’t – or at least not every morning! For many of us, lapses in motivation and energy are regular occurrences but can make study difficult. The good news? There are plenty of simple but practical things you can do to boost your self-motivation and energy. Here are our top 5 ways to wave goodbye to procrastination and hello to positivity and success.

1. Break it down

When you have a big task to complete, it helps break it down into smaller, achievable pieces. Say you have a 5,000-word essay to write. You could start by setting yourself a deadline to get the background reading done, then another to decide the structure, write the introduction, and eventually complete the main body and conclusion. Things become a little more manageable, and you won’t be grappling with an overwhelmingly large assignment. You get to celebrate smaller successes while the essay still gets written, minus the stress – winning!

2. Plan to succeed

Planning is critical to your success and should form part of your daily life – whether you’re studying or not. Instead of saying ‘I can’t’, say ‘I can try, and I will’. Review your goals and progress and ensure you pat yourself on the back for your milestones. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. This will help you to think more positively and be motivated to succeed.

3. Eyes on the prize

It is much easier to stay motivated when you’re working towards something you’re genuinely excited about – not something you’re doing because you have to. Try thinking about what you’ll get out of achieving your goal and why you’re doing it. Bored by that essay you’re working on? Picture yourself on graduation day or working in your dream job once you’ve completed your studies. A vision board is a brilliant way to keep you motivated, creatively and visually.

4. Energise

Energy and motivation go hand in hand. You’d be surprised by easy things you can do to give your energy stores a boost by getting into some healthy habits. Eat nutritious food, get that exercise in and get plenty of sleep. It’s also super important to stay hydrated. Your brain needs hydration to work best so start the day with a glass of water and keep a water bottle with you so you can drink throughout the day.

5. Reward yourself

Reaching your ultimate goal is a reward in itself, but it pays to compliment yourself for smashing the smaller goals too. After all, you deserve it! Schedule your ‘me-time’ regularly and celebrate by doing something you’ll enjoy, whether it’s catching up with friends, spending some time on the sofa with a book or watching a motivational movie to get you excited about reaching your next goal.