3 Ways To Stay Motivated

21 Dec 3 Ways To Stay Motivated

Out of Mesquite Springs campground

I’ve been feeling restless for the past week or so.  Things have slowed down considerably in terms of bicycle related activities compared to last 2 months. During this time I attended an awesome conference to meet respectable contacts in the bicycle touring industry.  My bike was stolen and we went to Death Valley National Park and created our first video.

In the Funk

The last 2 months have been a non-stop learning experience in which I was constantly pushing my limits and continuing to learn.  Whether it was learning about the bicycle touring industry, learning how to promote this blog or learning how to film and take beautiful photos, I was constantly being challenged.  It is not that progress stopped for any of these areas but I am feeling that my desire is waning.  I don’t think I’ve lost interest in these areas but rather I’m feeling the funk of the holidays.  This same funk is causing me to procrastinate.  I can see myself slowly growing complacent.  This is bad.

Lost

 I would be remiss to mention that my father had passed away about a year ago and I hate to use that as an excuse or even a reason for my complacent attitude but unfortunately I think the last years emotional rollercoaster has left negative feelings lingered.  It’s enough for me to basically bypass any holiday cheer to be replaced by negative jeers.  How do I stop this?  I know I can’t let this continue.

1. Positive Role Models

One thing I am doing is spending time with people I respect and regard very highly of.  People who have been courageous enough to make incredible choices in their life to follow their dream and do what they love and either succeed in what they are doing or on their way to success.  I feel recharged after each conversation.  This has served as a good reminder to me that there are people out there that are doing it.  They are making it happen and I can do the same.  It is my choice, after all, to make it happen.

2. Step-by-Step

I am feeling restless because I want to get things going. I have been thinking about the final outcome without putting work into it.  Getting ahead of myself has caused me to not even take that first step to start something.  It’s been said many times that the path of success is just taking that first step and to continue to take steps towards your goal.  I know it’s a bit cliché but I feel that this is the right approach for my situation.  I am committing to myself in taking the steps on a daily basis and not stop on my progress.  This can only get better when I see my progress.

3. Getting Out There

There’s no better way to get out of a funk than to just get out there and do something.  Whether it’s to ride my bike or go on photo shoots, I have to get myself out there and be inspired.  I am guilty of not doing either of those activities consistently.  Earning an income and other commitments has caused me to neglect those 2 activities.  Making time for both activities will improve my quality of life and I am choosing to do more of these things.  Either commit to riding my bike x-times a week or taking a picture everyday to keep things interesting.

Staying on Track

 I have to stop being so hard on myself and trust that I am still on track with what I do.  I am in a marathon and not a sprint so I should take my time.  This doesn’t mean I don’t take that first step but rather take small steps towards finishing the longer race.  The important part is to continue to move forward in order to stay on track with my current goals.

Does anybody have other suggestions to help us stay motivated?  Please comment below and let us know.  We would love to learn new techniques.