How do you motivate yourself consistently?
That’s the question I’ve been asked “consistently”. I don’t have a magic formula. I’m not always motivated at all times, every single day, either. I try to minimise the noise and focus on the signal most of the time. Here are the 8 life lessons I’ve noted that I keep reminding myself constantly. They all are credited to better thinkers than myself. Maybe that’s the formula.
So if you’re looking for motivation for your day, here are the 8 life lessons that carry me through each day:
- You can’t control many things about life; it’s meaningless to overestimate yourself when you can’t control that much. Be aware of the sweet spot.
- You will always encounter difficulties, bad people, failures, and experience unexpected sad events.
- Know what you can and cannot do, but don’t feel inadequate; at each level, there is a reference level that will make you feel bad.
- If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.
- Ask these questions when evaluating a bad approach coming from a person: “What is this person’s place in my life, what could be in the future, should I prove something?” If you don’t have any concrete answers, don’t waste time with the bad approach. Ignore it.
- Always ask, “What have I learned from this, and what can I do to avoid next time” after every unpleasant moment in life.
- Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.
- Life is generous to the braves. There is no reason to have fear or not to start.
Emre Guney 