11 Tiny Habits Of The Most Motivated People On Earth
Motivation starts and ends with a decision, not a feeling.
Cottonbro studio | Pexels Ah, feeling motivated. It seems to come and go. It ebbs and flows.
I’m a firm believer in the idea that motivation is not something that burns in the lucky few of us. Motivation is better viewed as an attitude.
Those people who seem more motivated, and more consistent, are not special. They have simply chosen better habits to allow real motivation to rise, even when they aren’t initially feeling it.
Motivation starts and ends with a decision, not a feeling.
Here are 11 tiny habits of the most motivated people on Earth:
1. They have fun
Decide to have fun right now, with whatever you are doing. Make a game out of it, even if you aren’t in the mood to start with.
What could be enjoyable about what you need to do next? What’s funny about the place you’re in? What makes you smile about what you hate to do?
The only reason things are serious is because you choose to make them so. Choose to be a rebel, and have fun.
2. They act the life they want
How you act today, is who you become.
If you want to be a world-class [insert dream job here], what do people like this do every day? How do they act? You can live the life you want right now, by acting like the person who has that vision.
There is no later. Today is the future. Don’t try, just be the person you want to be at this very moment.
Photo: By Alex Mathers
3. They sit with themselves
Do nothing, sit, breathe, and watch yourself as an observer for a while. Let yourself do nothing for at least five minutes. It’s ok because I told you so. Let your shoulders drop. Watch your thoughts go by and let them dissolve into thin air.
Watch the feelings you feel. See how in doing this, you aren’t your emotions or your thoughts. You are an observer who can see the gap between your true self, and your emotional, ‘wrapped in thought’ self. See how emotions are just hints to guide your true, deeper self.
An observer is calm, clear, aware, and in control.
4. They de-clutter their surroundings
Go full minimal! Avoid and delete the things that distract you the most. Turn off your phone.
Your environment has a huge influence on your state of mind and your motivation. The less distracting and dirty it is, the better you will feel.
RELATED: 9 Simple Tricks For How To Motivate Yourself When You're Feeling Uninspired
5. They use their imagination
What we see in our mind’s eye is real. Our bodies cannot tell the difference.
Make the most of your power to visualize a motivated life, and your motivation will follow.
Photo: By Alex Mathers
6. They lose face
Permit yourself right now to not care about what others think of you. That’s all it needs. Your permission to be immune to the judgments of others.
Instead of putting energy into trying not to care, shift your attention to making others feel good about themselves. How can you improve someone else’s life today in a small way?
Your life can — and will change by turning your focus to helping others.
7. They ask themselves one simple question
Asking ourselves simple questions awakens the mind.
Ask yourself the simple question: ‘What’s good in my life today?’ No answers are beneath you.
Build a list and savor that list for a while. Being conscious of the good things makes us feel good right now. Sometimes all it takes are reminders to snap us out of our worries.
This awareness also provides a launchpad for bringing more good things into our lives.
RELATED: 4 Tiny Habits That Will Make You More Motivated Than 98% Of People
8. They reframe their biggest problems
Write a list of your biggest concerns nagging at you right now. For each perceived ‘problem’ work out how that problem is an opportunity.
All problems are simply opportunities in disguise for making your projects and your life infinitely better. We just rarely spend the time to reframe them as such, and you can do that today.
9. They take baby steps
Break down your tasks into little steps. Make the first step tiny, like laughably small.
Walking is easier once you’ve started.
Photo: By Alex Mathers
10. They brainstorm
Get out a pen, and write down a goal, or a change you want in your life. Write this at the top of the page, and create a numbered list of 1–20. Write out 20 ideas for attaining that goal or different ways to solve that problem.
Doing this will show you that you know most of the answers to everything you want. Instant motivation. The only thing for you to do now is take this renewed energy and take the first step.
11. They do something badly
Don’t wait until you are perfect to take on a challenge big or tiny. Laugh at how bad you are at something, enjoy it, and see how your attitude changes.
All that matters is that you did the thing.
RELATED: How To Find Motivation When It Feels Impossible
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.