What You Need More Than Motivation to Reach your Goals

When we set new goals for ourselves, we are usually full of motivation. In the beginning, we feel like we can achieve anything. We are not afraid to dream big and believe in our dreams. We feel like everything is possible, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve our goal.

But in time, this feeling fades away, and we find ourselves procrastinating and pushing back deadlines. When this happens, we can be quick to determine that a lack of motivation was the reason we gave up. So we try to develop little tricks to sustain and increase our motivation. I’m here to tell you that these methods will eventually fail because this rush of energy we get in the beginning is not sustainable. What we need more than motivation is Dedication.

What You Need More Than Motivation to Reach your Goals

Being dedicated to something means that you are willing to make sacrifices and create the time that is necessary to reach for it. Dedication is what will push you through the hard times and see that you go through the entire process. For example, you can be very motivated to lose weight, but until you develop the willpower to get up off the couch and go for a jog, you might never reach your goal.

By reading the story of many successful people I have discovered that to achieve anything in life, you need constant dedication and effort. No matter how motivated, you feel towards it. Now I understand this is not what most people want to hear. You would rather I said there was a magic way to accomplish your dreams by just tapping into your “motivational energy.” But the truth is that it will require some willpower from your part, and this effort is more determinant of your success than anything else.

So here are some ways to work on your goal without giving up, even if you lack the motivation.

Develop the Discipline:

One way to strengthen your willpower is to work on your goal every day, no matter how long you spend on it. For example, if your goal is to gain some muscle, you can tell yourself that you will do at least 20 pushups a day no matter what. On days where you have more energy, you can add more exercises to this routine, and you can gradually move to a greater number of exercises over time. The point here is not to break the chain. If needed, you can make a calendar that you will checkmark everyday after your routine.

Overcome Resistance:

In his book The War of Art, Steven Pressfield tells us that you must overcome Resistance to reach your full potential. "Resistance is the voice in the back of our head telling us to back off, be careful, go slow, compromise. Pressfield offers ways for defeating Resistance. You have to become a "pro."  He doesn't mean it in the sense of being the best in a certain profession. He simply means showing up every day and doing the work. He offers many unique and helpful ways to do just that. This book is a must for anyone looking to overcome resistance -- it's short (165 pages) and powerful. For those who prefer, I highly recommend the audiobook version, the narrator does a great job of bringing the author's passion to life.

Visualize the End Result:

This idea seems simple, but most people set goals and forget to focus on the end result. Keep picturing the end result in your head! It is important to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing in the first place. Give yourself some time everyday to visualize yourself when you achieve your goal. What it will bring you? How will you feel when you get there?

Now I am not preaching that motivation is not an important factor, only that it is only one of the elements necessary to achieve your goals. That is why those who can both develop the dedication and also get a boost from motivation are the ones that will eventually make their dreams come true.