Habits That Kill Your Motivation

9 Toxic Habits That Kill Your Motivation

Want to be successful?  You have to start by getting motivated.  Unfortunately, everyday you are bombarded by toxic habits that can kill your motivation.  Here are the most common culprits.

1.  You desire to be perfect.

Pursuing perfection is the quickest way to kill your motivation.  If this one is particularly hard for you, next time you are working on a project, tell yourself you are just doing a “rough draft,” and you will make it “perfect” later.  When later arrives, do a few revisions to your project and call it good.  Having something done is better than never finishing anything.

2. You compare yourself to others.

Constantly comparing yourself to others is one of the easiest ways to lose motivation.  Not only will you stop working, but you will also  waste a ton of time.  Instead of comparing yourself to others, find out what makes them so good at their jobs.  By telling someone you admire them, you may find out what their secret of success is–or you may find out that the person you’re comparing yourself to doesn’t have it as good as you thought.

3. You don’t believe in yourself.

If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?  Stop wasting time and energy by tearing yourself down.  Next time you’re feeling down, force yourself to think of one thing you do well.  It will feel weird at first, but eventually you will realize that you are doing better than you thought.

4. You do too much at once.

The best way to find motivation is to focus on the tasks you want to complete.  If you have 100 projects going on at once, you won’t get anything done.  So focus on what you want to accomplish and get started.

5. You don’t have any goals.

If you don’t have goals, you won’t be motivated because you don’t know where you’re going.  You need to figure out where you want to go and then your goals will take you there.  Not having goals is like trying to find a new restaurant without an address.  You might luck into it every once in a while, but you will be stuck wandering most of the time.

6. You don’t encourage yourself.

Do you ever wish someone would tell you you’re doing a great job?  Well, you can get that encouragement today–from yourself.  By finding a way to encourage yourself, with notes, emails, even a special treat, you will feel more rewarded and motivated.  Remember, treat yourself the way you expect others to treat you.

7. You forget to rest.

Don’t forget sleep!  You need to take time to recharge so can have energy at work.  Want to take this one step further?  Carve out some “quiet time” every day.  Let your mind relax while you’re awake, and you will be able to come back to a project with a renewed spirit.

8.  You have trouble finding new ideas.

You need to fuel your motivation with new ideas.  If motivation is gas, new ideas are the gas pump. By reading, thinking, and talking to others you will discover new ideas and make connections to old ideas.  This way you can solve problems and your tank will stay full.

9.  You get distracted.

We all have one activity that makes hours–or days–of our lives disappear.  From TV, to the Internet, to social media, you’ve got to learn how to shut out distractions so you can be motivated.  Need help?  A great way to focus is to schedule your time.  If you need to work on a project, set aside time every day to work on it.  This way, when you’re tempted to read about the latest celebrity gossip, you can remember your time is already spoken for.

These 9 toxic habits can kill your motivation.  Now you know what to look for, so make sure you stop them before they stop you.