8 Ways to Renew Motivation and Energy if You’re Slacking on Your Goals

Maybe you are used to the pattern of abandoning your New Year’s resolutions by February, or maybe this is the first time you’re truly grappling with keeping your goals in focus.

Regardless of your situation, you’re certainly not alone. Studies show that a mere 10% of Americans see their New Year’s resolutions through to fruition, with 23% quitting in the first week of January and almost half surrendering by February.

Whether it’s a professional development goal that’s slipping through your fingers during a demanding time at work or a fitness objective you’re finding hard to honor, we’re here to help you stay focused on your goal.

Staying driven and motivated can be challenging, but with these eight strategic tips, you can steer yourself back onto the course of success.

1. Implement an Accountability Strategy

If you’re starting to lose focus on your goal, it might come down to not having the right accountability strategy in place. If that’s the case for you, find an accountability buddy or hire a coach. Opting for a coach can be exceptionally beneficial, as they foster a commitment to your goals through consistent progress updates and routine check-ins. Moreover, they offer expert advice and strategies to circumvent potential setbacks in the future.

2. Use Rewards and Consequences

Your dwindling motivation may stem from a lack of appropriate rewards and consequences to inspire you to pursue your goals.

Reflect on a reward that will genuinely ignite your drive to succeed, something desirable that you can give yourself. Concurrently, think of a consequence that you would want to steer clear of. Use these twin motivators of pain and pleasure to motivate you.

For instance, you could promise yourself a lavish dinner or a relaxing spa day as a reward for making strides toward your goals and commit to donating to a cause you despise as a penalty for any lack of progress.

3. Make a Public Declaration

One of the easiest forms of accountability? Peer pressure. Make a public commitment to your goals. Share your goals on social media or simply tell your family, friends, and colleagues. You may just find that the thought of having to admit failure is enough motivation for you to avoid it.

4. Compete with Others

Engaging in friendly competition might provide the perfect catalyst for achieving your goals. If you’re a competitive person by nature, consider challenging someone else to meet similar goals and then check in with one another on a regular basis. This approach can add enjoyment and drive you to reach your goals. Consider also introducing a prize for whoever achieves their goal first to raise the stakes.

5. Create Emotional Leverage

What’s the “why” behind your goal? What are you ultimately trying to avoid and what are you trying to achieve, beyond just the goal itself?

For example, maybe your goal is to lose weight. Beyond just seeing a smaller number on the scale, what will losing weight do for you? Will it help you avoid chronic illness and early death? Will it give you more time with your family and greater mobility to enjoy that time with them?

Reflect on the emotional reasons for your goal and write them down. Put those words somewhere you can easily see them, such as on your desk or as your phone background.

6. Connect with Role Models

Witnessing someone who has attained the very success you aspire to can reignite your passion for your own goals. Whether you’re focused on professional development goals or improving your health, seek out an individual who has achieved what you’re striving for and establish a connection. Absorb their insights on triumph and observe the strategies they employed to turn their goals into achievements.

7. Create a Vision Board

By visualizing success, you strengthen the neural pathways in your mind, making it more likely to achieve success faster, since the brain is already familiar with the vision. Create a vision board and put it somewhere you can see it, whether physically, such as at your desk, or digitally, on a platform like Pinterest.

8. Track Your Progress

As you work towards your goal, it’s crucial to monitor your progress—or any stagnation—to maintain motivation. The Habit Coach app by Arootah simplifies this process, enabling you to swiftly log your progress in just a few seconds.

The Bottom Line

Slipping away from your goals doesn’t mean you have to concede defeat and wait for another year to start over. You have the power to realign with your goals and chase them with even more determination. By putting these eight tips into action to renew your motivation and energy, you may find yourself making headway sooner than anticipated.

Looking for some assistance? Arootah coaches are ready to guide you toward reaching your goals. Schedule an introductory call to explore how we can support your journey to success.