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How to Get Motivated: 17 Tips

Published: April 12, 2022 Updated: November 24, 2022
Published: 04/12/2022 Updated: 11/24/2022
Headshot of Michelle Risser, LISW-S
Written by:

Michelle Risser

LISW-S
Headshot of Rajy Abulhosn, MD
Reviewed by:

Rajy Abulhosn

MD
  • Why Am I Not Feeling Motivated?Reasons Why
  • How to Find Motivation: 17 Tips17 Tips
  • When to Seek Professional HelpGet Help
  • Final Thoughts On How to Get MotivatedConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesResources
  • How to Get Motivated InfographicsInfographics
Headshot of Michelle Risser, LISW-S
Written by:

Michelle Risser

LISW-S
Headshot of Rajy Abulhosn, MD
Reviewed by:

Rajy Abulhosn

MD

Motivation is an important part of goal-setting, learning new things, making meaningful connections, and enjoying life. It helps people be more productive and successful, maintain healthy relationships, and build self-confidence. When low motivation is severe, it can cause problems in every area of your life. Fortunately though, you can take action to increase your motivation.

What is blocking you from accomplishing your goals? A therapist can help you remove the emotional obstacles hindering your progress. BetterHelp has over 20,000 licensed therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $60 per week. Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp

Visit BetterHelp

Why Am I Not Feeling Motivated?

A lot of different factors contribute to lack of motivation including stress, life changes, or underlying mental illness like depression or anxiety. In general, there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In other words, it can come from internal or external factors. Chronic procrastination can also play a part in lack of motivation, but this can be overcome.

How to Find Motivation: 17 Tips

When you have no motivation, or decreased motivation, there are several things you can try to find it. Consider setting goals and tracking progress, starting with small steps to build momentum, and/or seeking out support and accountability. Remember, action creates more action, so sometimes the best thing to do is to just pick a place to start and go!

Here are 17 tips for how to get motivated:

1. Set Small, Achievable Goals

When tasks seem too big or complicated, or if the to-do list is too long, it can be overwhelming. It’s easier to achieve your goals if you pick something small and easy to start with (e.g., a 10-minute project). Knocking a small goal off of the list can provide a sense of accomplishment and the necessary momentum to keep going.

2. Get Support From Friends & Family

Sometimes, a pep-talk or supportive conversation with a friend or family member can provide an emotional and mental boost. Tell your friends and family about your goal and ask them to check in with you. Talking things through with a trusted confidant can help shift your perspective and remove any barriers.

3. Have an Accountability Partner

For people who are extrinsically motivated, nothing does the trick quite like accountability! When people have accountability partners, they are less likely to skip out on their commitments. After all, they don’t want to let others down.

4. Reward Yourself Soon After Completing the Task

Researchers have found that motivation increases when a reward comes quickly vs. after a period of time. Rewards don’t have to be expensive or indulgent either! They could be as simple as getting some fresh flowers for the newly cleaned kitchen or having a hot cup of tea after a chilly walk outside.1,2

5. Keep Track of Progress

It can be hard to see progress in the middle of the struggle. Tracking your steps or wins can show you how far you’ve come, which can give you a boost of positivity and the motivation you need to keep going.

6. Practice Positive Self-talk

Negative self-talk is defeating and can destroy motivation. When a negative thought like “I can’t” pops up, notice it, but remember that it’s only a thought and not a fact. Then, immediately replace it with something positive like “I am doing this.” It’s actually possible for you to rewire your brain to think more positive thoughts.2

7.  Set a Timer

If you’re motivating yourself to study, I recommend a cube timer or another small desk timer to help break studying into smaller increments. Instead of staring down a marathon study session, set the timer for 30 minutes. Each time the alarm goes off, get up and take a break. If test anxiety is an issue, breath exercises, meditation, movement, and therapy can all help.

8. Just Do it!

This tip is particularly relevant if you’re trying to motivate yourself to workout. People have so many different motivations for working out, getting stronger, and getting healthier; however, realistically, there will be times when motivation just isn’t there. Get changed and go anyway! Exercise has a lot of mental health benefits. Plus, it increases dopamine and endorphins, both of which can increase motivation.3

9. Take on a Small Project First

Take on a small project that won’t take much time. For example, if you’re trying to clear out your entire house, start with a kitchen drawer. It feels great and provides momentum. Just get started! Set guidelines for donating things, too.

10. Change Things Up

Switching things up can be a good way to get out of a funk. Boredom and the daily grind can sap motivation and happiness. Trying something new can break the pattern of lethargy and boredom, and make things fun again.

11. Listen to Upbeat Music

Listening to music can increase motivation, improve endurance, and elevate mood! For a pick-me-up or an energy boost, try putting on some upbeat music before taking on that next task.4,5

12. Find a Mentor

Motivation can suffer when people don’t feel competent or confident. Mentors and coaches can help people gain the skills they need to move forward more confidently. They can teach the necessary skills to confidently take on the task at hand.

13. Gamify it!

Gamification is a hot topic in personal improvement and motivation. The idea of applying game elements – like badges, levels, coins, or rewards – to the completion of tasks has been found to effectively increase motivation. It can make boring tasks more fun, too!5

14. Break Your Goal Into Actionable Steps; Set a Deadline For Each

For example, if you’re struggling to find the motivation to do something that has multiple steps, start by breaking it down into smaller, very clear steps. Give each of these steps a reasonable deadline to help to maintain forward progress and avoid overwhelm.

15. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness can help people feel like they are more present in the moment. By practicing mindfulness, you return to the task at hand with renewed focus. Place your attention on the here and now to decrease overwhelm and distraction.

16. Listen to Guided Meditation

There are many high-quality guided meditations available online, including specific ones to increase your motivation. These can be found on free apps like Insight Timer.

17. Remember Your “Why”

When all else fails, it can help to remember why this goal was important to you in the first place. Keep that reason in the front of your mind as you take the first step and every step that follows.

When to Seek Professional Help

Lack of motivation can be a symptom of a more serious underlying mental illness, like depression or anxiety. Lack of energy, depressed mood, constant worry, or chronic lack of motivation are all red flags. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek out professional help.6

If lack of motivation is an ongoing issue, or it is creating problems at home, work, or in relationships, therapy can help. It’s particularly helpful to find a therapist who has experience with building motivation. Therapists of many different backgrounds, geographic areas, and clinical specialties are available to browse in a therapist directory.

Final Thoughts On How to Get Motivated

Lack of motivation can be a vicious cycle, and often the best way to break that cycle is to get started and face the task head-on. If you’re still struggling and wondering how to find motivation, consider talking to a therapist. The feeling of accomplishment will be worth it!

Additional Resources

Education is just the first step on our path to improved mental health and emotional wellness. To help our readers take the next step in their journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy may be compensated for marketing by the companies mentioned below.

Online Therapy 

BetterHelp Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. BetterHelp has over 20,000 therapists, who provide convenient and affordable online therapy.  Complete a brief questionnaire and get matched with the right therapist for you. Get Started

Virtual Psychiatry

Talkiatry Get help from a real doctor that takes your insurance. Talkiatry offers medication management and online visits with top-rated psychiatrists. Take the online assessment and have your first appointment within a week. Free Assessment

Relationship Help

Online-Therapy With a couples counselor, you can work on developing better communication, building trust, and improving intimacy. Online-Therapy.com provides a weekly live video session and unlimited text messaging. Get Started

Choosing Therapy  Directory 

You can search for therapists by specialty,  experience, insurance or price, and location. Find a therapist today.

Choosing Therapy partners with leading mental health companies and is compensated for marketing by BetterHelp, Online-Therapy.com, and Talkiatry.

For Further Reading

  • Mental Health America
  • National Alliance on Mental Health
  • MentalHealth.gov

How to Get Motivated Infographics

Tips on How To Get Motivated Tips on How To Get Motivated

6 sources

Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.

  • Woolley, K., & Fishbach, A. (2018). It’s about time: Earlier rewards increase intrinsic motivation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 114(6), 877. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-22169-002

  • Hamilton, R. A., Scott, D., & MacDougall, M. P. (2007). Assessing the effectiveness of self-talk interventions on endurance performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19(2), 226-239. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-11272-007

  • Ruby, M. B., Dunn, E. W., Perrino, A., Gillis, R., & Viel, S. (2011). The invisible benefits of exercise. Health Psychology, 30(1), 67–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021859

  • Boldt, S. (1996). The effects of music therapy on motivation, psychological well-being, physical comfort, and exercise endurance of bone marrow transplant patients. Journal of Music Therapy, 33(3), 164-188. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Effects-of-Music-Therapy-on-Motivation

  • Kamasheva, A. V., Valeev, E. R., Yagudin, R. K., & Maksimova, K. R. (2015). Usage of gamification theory for increase motivation of employees. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(1 S3), 77. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276405070

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

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Headshot of Michelle Risser, LISW-S
Written by:

Michelle Risser

LISW-S
Headshot of Rajy Abulhosn, MD
Reviewed by:

Rajy Abulhosn

MD
  • Why Am I Not Feeling Motivated?Reasons Why
  • How to Find Motivation: 17 Tips17 Tips
  • When to Seek Professional HelpGet Help
  • Final Thoughts On How to Get MotivatedConclusion
  • Additional ResourcesResources
  • How to Get Motivated InfographicsInfographics
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