Motivate yourself!

27 Smart and Simple Ways to
Motivate Yourself
https://uii.io/motiivateusa
By Henrik Edberg Updated
April 7, 2021
“Be miserable. Or motivate
yourself. Whatever has to be
done, it’s always your choice.”
Wayne Dyer

“People often say that
motivation doesn’t last. Well,
neither does bathing – that’s
why we recommend it daily.”
Zig Ziglar
“I was thinking one day and I
realized that if I just had
somebody behind me all the

way to motivate me I could
make a big difference. Nobody
came along like that so I just
became that person for
myself.”
Unknown
Some days you wake up
motivated and ready to go.

And some days things feel
heavy as you arise and it is
hard to get going and find that
inner drive.
At least in my experience.
So over the past 10+ years I
have found some simple and

smart strategies that work for
me to get back into the right
groove and to get things done.
Here are 27 of my favorite tips
and habits for doing just that.
Bonus: Download a free
step-by-step checklist that will

show you how to improve your
motivation and keep it stable
(it's easy to save as a PDF or
print out for whenever you
need it during your day or
week).
Email Address
We use this field to detect
spam bots. If you fill this in,

you will be marked as a
spammer.
Download

1. Just get started and let the
motivation catch up with you.
Smart and Simple Ways to
Motivate Yourself
You don’t have to wait for
motivation to get started. If
you want to work in a

consistent way every day then
sometimes you just have to get
going anyway.
And the funny thing is that
after I have worked for a while
things feel easier and easier
and more fun and the
motivation catches up with
me.

2. Start small if big leads you
to procrastinating.
If a project or task feels too big
and daunting don’t let that
lead you into procrastination.

Instead, break it down into
small steps – like just setting
up your blog or cleaning for 5
minutes – and then take just
one of them to start moving
forward.

3. Start tiny if a small step still
leads you to procrastination.
If breaking it down and taking
a small step still leads you to
procrastinating then go even
smaller. Take just a tiny 1-2
minute step forward. That’s it.

Because the most important
thing is to just get going and to
build momentum forward.
4. Reduce the daily
distractions.
When you have easily
accessible distractions all

around you then it becomes
hard to focus.
So shut the door to your office.
Put your smart phone in silent
mode at the other end of your
work space or home. And use
an extension for your browser
like StayFocusd to keep
yourself on track.

5. Get accountability from the
people in your life.
Motivate Yourself 2

Tell your friends what you will
do on social media, via phone
or in real life. Ask one or more
of them to regularly check up
on you and your progress.
By doing this you’ll be a lot less
likely to try to weasel out of
things or give up at the first
obstacle.

6. Get motivation from the
people in your life.
Spend less time with negative
people who always look at the
dark or apathetic side of
things.

And spend more of the time
you have now freed up with
enthusiastic or motivated
people and let their energy
flow over to you.
7. Get the motivation from
people you don’t know.

Don’t limit yourself to just the
motivation you can get from
the people closest you.
There is a ton of motivating
quotes, books, podcasts, blogs
and success stories out there
that you can tap into to up or
renew your motivation.

8. Play music that gives you
energy.
One of the simplest things I do
when I feel low in energy or
motivation is to play music
that is upbeat and/or inspires
me in some way.

A break with a few songs or
working while listening to
them for a while usually works
well.
9. Find the optimism.

Motivate Yourself 3
Pessimism can drain both your
motivation and energy.
But the positive and
constructive way of looking at
things can on the other hand

energize and recharge your
motivation.
So when you're in what looks
like a negative situation ask
yourself questions like:

What’s one thing that’s good
about this? And what’s one
hidden opportunity here?
10. Be kind to yourself when
you stumble.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap
of beating yourself when you
stumble or fail.
But that don’t work that well in
my experience. You just feel
worse and less motivated.

So try this the next time: be
kind to yourself, nudge
yourself back on the path you
were on and take one small
step forward.
11. Be constructive about the
failures.

To make your setbacks more
valuable and less hurtful be
constructive about them.
When you stumble ask
yourself:

What is one thing I can learn
from this setback?
Then keep that lesson in mind
and take action on it to
improve what you do.

12. Compare yourself to
yourself and see how far you
have come.
Instead of deflating yourself
and your motivation by
comparing yourself to others
who are so far ahead of you.

13. Compete in a friendly way.
When you’re in school or at
work make it a friendly
competition with a friend to
for example finish a boring or
routine task first. Just that
element of competition tends
to liven things up.

And if you want to you can also
add a small prize for extra
motivation, like the winner
getting a free ice cream or a
beer from the other person.
14. Remind yourself of why
you are working toward this.

When you’re feeling
unmotivated and low in energy
it's easy to lose sight of why
you’re doing something.
So take 2 minutes and write
down your top 3 reasons for
doing this work, getting an

education, working out, saving
that extra money or something
else.
Put that note where you can
see it every day or keep it in
your smartphone for easy
access when you need a
motivational boost.

15. Remind yourself of what
you're moving away from.

You can also motivate yourself
to get going again by looking at
the negative impact of staying
on your current path.
Ask yourself:
What will the consequences be
if I continue on this path for 1

more year? And if I do if for 5
more years?
I have found that this exercise
has given me the kick-start I
needed many times in the past
years.

16. Be grateful for what you
got.
When motivation is running
low then it’s easy to start
seeing your life and the aspects
of it through a negative lens.

To put your focus on what you
still have and who you are –
and to recharge with positivity
and motivation
– ask yourself
a question like:
What are 3 things I sometimes
take for granted but can be
grateful for in my life?

My answers would, for
example, be a roof over my
head, clean water and not
having to go hungry.
17. Mix things up.

A rut will kill motivation. So
mix things up. Make a
competition out of a task with
yourself or with someone else.

When you work out vary what
you do instead of going
through the motions. Listen to
music and podcasts that you
usually don’t listen to.
New input and variation tends
to be a good way to keep the
motivation up (or to recharge
it).

18. Declutter your workspace.
Take a couple of minutes to
clean it up.
I find that having an
uncluttered and minimalistic
workspace helps me to think

more clearly and I feel more
focused and ready to tackle the
next task (or small step).
19. Reduce your to-do list to
just one item.
Motivate Yourself 3

An over-stuffed to-do list can
be a real motivation killer.
So try reducing your current
to-do list to just one item. The
one that’s most important to
you right now or perhaps the
one you've been
procrastinating on for way too
long.

Then get started by taking a
big, small or tiny step.
And have another list tucked
away somewhere where you
can’t see it with other tasks to
do later on.

20. Don’t forget about the
breaks.
Few things can in my
experience drain the daily
motivation like just working
non-stop.

Instead, work for 45 minutes
each hour and use the rest for
a break where you eat a snack,
get out for some fresh air or do
a bit of stretching.

You’ll – perhaps somewhat
counter-intuitively – get more
done in a day and week and do
work of higher quality because
your energy, focus and
motivation will simply last
longer.
21. Adjust your goal size.

If a big goal in your life feels
overwhelming set a smaller
goal to find your motivation
again.
And if a smaller goal doesn’t
seem inspiring try to aim
higher and make it bigger goal

and see how that affects your
motivation.
22. Exercise.
Working out doesn’t just affect
your body. I find that just
20-30 minutes of lifting free
weights releases inner tensions

and stress and makes me feel
more focused once again.
23. Take 2 minutes to look
back at your successes.
Close your eyes and let the
memories of your biggest
successes – no matter in what

part of your life – wash over
you. Let those most positive
memories boost your
motivation.
24. Reward yourself and
celebrate your successes.

If you’re looking forward to a
nice reward that you’re getting
yourself after you’re done with
a task or a project then your
motivation tends to go up.

If you celebrate a success in
some other way by for example
by taking 1 minute to
appreciate what you did or by
telling someone about your
success then that also usually
recharg27 Smart and Simple
Ways to Motivate Yourself
By Henrik Edberg Updated April 7, 2021
“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done,
it’s always your choice.”
Wayne Dyer

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither
does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Zig Ziglar
“I was thinking one day and I realized that if I just had
somebody behind me all the way to motivate me I could make
a big difference. Nobody came along like that so I just became
that person for myself.”
Unknown
Some days you wake up motivated and ready to go. And some
days things feel heavy as you arise and it is hard to get going
and find that inner drive.
At least in my experience.
So over the past 10+ years I have found some simple and smart
strategies that work for me to get back into the right groove and
to get things done.
Here are 27 of my favorite tips and habits for doing just that.
Bonus: Download a free step-by-step checklist that will show
you how to improve your motivation and keep it stable (it's easy

to save as a PDF or print out for whenever you need it during
your day or week).
Download
1. Just get started and let the motivation catch up with
you.
You don’t have to wait for motivation to get started. If you want
to work in a consistent way every day then sometimes you just
have to get going anyway.

And the funny thing is that after I have worked for a while
things feel easier and easier and more fun and the motivation
catches up with me.
2. Start small if big leads you to procrastinating.
If a project or task feels too big and daunting don’t let that lead
you into procrastination.
Instead, break it down into small steps – like just setting up
your blog or cleaning for 5 minutes – and then take just one of
them to start moving forward.
3. Start tiny if a small step still leads you to
procrastination.
If breaking it down and taking a small step still leads you to
procrastinating then go even smaller. Take just a tiny 1-2
minute step forward. That’s it.
Because the most important thing is to just get going and to
build momentum forward.
4. Reduce the daily distractions.

When you have easily accessible distractions all around you
then it becomes hard to focus.
So shut the door to your office. Put your smart phone in silent
mode at the other end of your work space or home. And use an
extension for your browser like StayFocusd to keep yourself on
track.
5. Get accountability from the people in your life.
Tell your friends what you will do on social media, via phone or
in real life. Ask one or more of them to regularly check up on
you and your progress.

By doing this you’ll be a lot less likely to try to weasel out of
things or give up at the first obstacle.
6. Get motivation from the people in your life.
Spend less time with negative people who always look at the
dark or apathetic side of things.
And spend more of the time you have now freed up with
enthusiastic or motivated people and let their energy flow over
to you.
7. Get the motivation from people you don’t know.
Don’t limit yourself to just the motivation you can get from the
people closest you.
There is a ton of motivating quotes, books, podcasts, blogs and
success stories out there that you can tap into to up or renew
your motivation.
8. Play music that gives you energy.

One of the simplest things I do when I feel low in energy or
motivation is to play music that is upbeat and/or inspires me in
some way.
A break with a few songs or working while listening to them for
a while usually works well.
9. Find the optimism.
Pessimism can drain both your motivation and energy.
But the positive and constructive way of looking at things can on
the other hand energize and recharge your motivation.

So when you're in what looks like a negative situation ask
yourself questions like:
What’s one thing that’s good about this? And what’s one hidden
opportunity here?
10. Be kind to yourself when you stumble.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of beating yourself when you
stumble or fail.
But that don’t work that well in my experience. You just feel
worse and less motivated.
So try this the next time: be kind to yourself, nudge yourself
back on the path you were on and take one small step forward.
11. Be constructive about the failures.
To make your setbacks more valuable and less hurtful be
constructive about them. When you stumble ask yourself:
What is one thing I can learn from this setback?
Then keep that lesson in mind and take action on it to improve
what you do.

12. Compare yourself to yourself and see how far you
have come.
Instead of deflating yourself and your motivation by comparing
yourself to others who are so far ahead of you.
13. Compete in a friendly way.
When you’re in school or at work make it a friendly competition
with a friend to for example finish a boring or routine task first.
Just that element of competition tends to liven things up.
And if you want to you can also add a small prize for extra
motivation, like the winner getting a free ice cream or a beer
from the other person.
14. Remind yourself of why you are working toward
this.
When you’re feeling unmotivated and low in energy it's easy to
lose sight of why you’re doing something.
So take 2 minutes and write down your top 3 reasons for doing
this work, getting an education, working out, saving that extra
money or something else.

Put that note where you can see it every day or keep it in your
smartphone for easy access when you need a motivational
boost.
15. Remind yourself of what you're moving away from.
You can also motivate yourself to get going again by looking at
the negative impact of staying on your current path.
Ask yourself:
What will the consequences be if I continue on this path for 1
more year? And if I do if for 5 more years?
I have found that this exercise has given me the kick-start I
needed many times in the past years.
16. Be grateful for what you got.
When motivation is running low then it’s easy to start seeing
your life and the aspects of it through a negative lens.
To put your focus on what you still have and who you are – and
to recharge with positivity and motivation
– ask yourself a
question like:

What are 3 things I sometimes take for granted but can be
grateful for in my life?
My answers would, for example, be a roof over my head, clean
water and not having to go hungry.
17. Mix things up.
A rut will kill motivation. So mix things up. Make a competition
out of a task with yourself or with someone else.
When you work out vary what you do instead of going through
the motions. Listen to music and podcasts that you usually don’t
listen to.
New input and variation tends to be a good way to keep the
motivation up (or to recharge it).
18. Declutter your workspace.
Take a couple of minutes to clean it up.
I find that having an uncluttered and minimalistic workspace
helps me to think more clearly and I feel more focused and
ready to tackle the next task (or small step).

19. Reduce your to-do list to just one item.
An over-stuffed to-do list can be a real motivation killer.
So try reducing your current to-do list to just one item. The one
that’s most important to you right now or perhaps the one
you've been procrastinating on for way too long.
Then get started by taking a big, small or tiny step.
And have another list tucked away somewhere where you can’t
see it with other tasks to do later on.
20. Don’t forget about the breaks.

Few things can in my experience drain the daily motivation like
just working non-stop.
Instead, work for 45 minutes each hour and use the rest for a
break where you eat a snack, get out for some fresh air or do a
bit of stretching.
You’ll – perhaps somewhat counter-intuitively – get more done
in a day and week and do work of higher quality because your
energy, focus and motivation will simply last longer.
21. Adjust your goal size.
If a big goal in your life feels overwhelming set a smaller goal to
find your motivation again.
And if a smaller goal doesn’t seem inspiring try to aim higher
and make it bigger goal and see how that affects your
motivation.
22. Exercise.
Working out doesn’t just affect your body. I find that just 20-30
minutes of lifting free weights releases inner tensions and stress
and makes me feel more focused once again.

23. Take 2 minutes to look back at your successes.
Close your eyes and let the memories of your biggest successes
– no matter in what part of your life – wash over you. Let those
most positive memories boost your motivation.
24. Reward yourself and celebrate your successes.
If you’re looking forward to a nice reward that you’re getting
yourself after you’re done with a task or a project then your
motivation tends to go up.
If you celebrate a success in some other way by for example by
taking 1 minute to appreciate what you did or by telling
someone about your success then that also usually recharg

Motivate yourself!

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