These 7 tips will help you stay motivated and focused when you really need it:
1. Keep Track of Your Progress
Keep a record of all your stats, like your max squat, your weight, running times, etc… Then post it on your wall, the office, in a journal, where ever you will see it every day.
2. Narcissism
Look in the mirror and take a good look at your progress, where you need improvement, then decide on a new goal or another way of tackling your current one. Looking in the mirror is also the best way of seeing how things are working out for you – if you’ve spent too long with a certain tactic, try something else until you figure out what works best, then stick with it.
3. Set Reasonable Goals
Why do 97% percent of new years resolutions fail? Probably because losing 100 pounds in a year is too large of a goal, over too much time. The goals that work are the small, reasonable ones, like adding 10 pounds to your bench press in 3 weeks. That way, you can see yourself achieving your goals, one after another. Goals that are set for too long of a time period fail because it’s hard enough to stay motivated, and even harder to keep your motivation for that long.
4. Speak Up
Tell your friends/family about your goals. First of all, they could help out, or give advice. Secondly, it keeps you more committed to your goal, because if you fail everyone will think you’re a failure and a loser.
5. Have a Battle Plan
Write your goal down, research different tactics, learn tips and tricks, then make a plan. For example, if i wanted to add 10 pounds to my bench press in 3 weeks, I would read several different articles on increasing my bench. Next I could write out a few different things to try, and try them out. Whatever worked best for me is what I would continue to do until i succeed.
6. Competition
Challenge one of your friends to complete a goal in a certain amount of time. If you feel like it, put some money on it too. Competition is a great way to stay motivated, especially if there’s money on the line
7. Don’t Try Too Hard
If you’re starving yourself to lose weight by next week, stop. You’re trying to hard, and you will fail. You need to give yourself a break every now and then, and take it easy. It’s one thing to stay focused, but working non-stop is just gonna bite you in the ass.