When we set ourselves goals, we’re energised by the prospect of the reward once we achieve them. But the problem with goals is that they focus our minds on the end result rather than the process, and the process takes both time and patience. When we don’t see immediate results, it can be easy to lose motivation and give up.
“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”
Steve Jobs co-founder of Apple
It’s like learning anything new. I am currently learning French and it is reminding me of how frustrating it can feel when you are only making limited progress! I feel awkward and embarrassed testing out my French. I practised my first months’ worth of Duolingo French in Paris this weekend and squirmed every time that I got a bemused look and had to resort to speaking English! On the other hand, each time I got a smile and a reply I was over the moon. It’s reminded me that the only way to improve is to get over the fears and keep practising, however uncomfortable it can feel at times.
In the same way, it’s important to remember this when you’re working towards a career change. There’ll be times when you feel like you’re making no progress or that you’re failing. Your goal to change career has set your direction but it’s hard to keep working at it. This is because such a big change is the culmination of multiple steps.
“True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits
So, focus your attention on the tangible and manageable actions you can take, however small initially. James Clear puts it this way – if you want to be a writer, start a habit of writing a paragraph every day rather than setting a goal of publishing a novel next year. Soon the writing habit will be embedded in your routine and the more you practise the more you’ll improve and get closer to publishing that novel.
Small steps that you do consistently will harness your intrinsic motivation and will move you forward faster.
If you’ve lost motivation, here’s six steps to help you get back on track:
- Remember that change is messy and not necessarily a linear process. Enjoy focusing on the steps you’re taking rather than achieving perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of change and the only way to learn something new is to keep working at it.
- Own your own change! Make sure what you want to achieve is not a result of external pressures or to please others. Extrinsic motivation is far less effective than intrinsic motivation.
- Be your own measure of success. Avoid comparing your initial progress to what others have accomplished over a long period of time.
- Choose someone you can talk to regularly about what you’re doing to keep you accountable. This will help you focus and will remind you not to be too hard on yourself.
- Try new things – meet new people, pursue new interests, or plan to do one thing you’ve never done before every week. When driven by purpose, it’s easier to keep building motivation which ultimately leads to success.
- Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem, and don’t beat yourself up when you fail. Every step is important, and you’ll learn as much if not more from your mistakes as your successes.
