Self motivation, part 2
Reward
What also helps is to put a goal in place and a reward. When I finish a race, I tap myself on the shoulder, and think: Well done, you still got what it takes! I will reward myself with one more day off from training, but if I didn’t complete the race there is no reward!
Motivational language
I formed a motivational ‘language’ that I understand. It comes back to what I mentioned above about knowing what motivates you. For example, I’ve heard people say: if Deon can do it; I can do it too. I struggled to understand it, but when I see someone doing an event that motivates me I’ll rather say: I want to do that too. This means more because it hits home for me. I understand it better, so it motivates me.
Focus on what’s at hand
We all experience those mornings where we feel like creeping back under the duvet and it feels like we don’t have energy to face the day ahead of us. When that day dawns for me, I don’t think about the big tasks that lie ahead in the day. I will swift focus on what’s at hand, get up; get to the breakfast table and get ready for the day ext. I am not focusing on how I feel, but rather what needs to be done to start my day.
Prayer
When I’m discouraged and my mood drops or I feel depressed and all the things said above fail, I turn to one thing that will never fail: prayer! I stop with whatever I’m doing and sit on the closest chair I can find, bow my head and pray: “Lord, I don’t know how to go forth from this point. Please strengthen me, amen.’ Then I would take a deep breath, admire God’s creation, pick my head up and say: let’s grab the bull by its horns!
By Deon Labuschagne
Vista Happiness HELPS Ambassador
