The Scientific Guide on How to Get and Stay Motivated

Newton’s First Law applied to habit formation: Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. 

Once a task has begun, it is easier to continue moving it forward. In other words, it is often easier to finish a task than it was to start it in the first place.

Setting a schedule for yourself seems simple, but it puts your decision-making on autopilot by giving your goals a time and a place to live. It makes it more likely that you will follow through regardless of your motivation levels.

They remove the need to make a decision and provide a mindless way to initiate a behavior:

• To become more creative: Follow a creative ritual before you start writing or painting or singing.
• To start each day stress-free: Create a five-minute morning meditation ritual.
• To sleep better: Follow a “power down” routine before bed.

1. Make the start easy: You shouldn’t need motivation to start your pre–game routine;
2. While your routine should be as easy as possible to start, it should gradually transition into more and more physical movement;
3. You need to follow the same pattern every single time: Eventually, this routine becomes so tied to your performance that by simply doing the routine, you are pulled into a mental state that is primed to perform.

We experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of our current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.

Tasks that are significantly below our current abilities are boring. Tasks that are significantly beyond our current abilities are discouraging.

• Consider every thought you have as a suggestion, not an order. And none of these suggestions are orders. They are merely options;
• Maintain perspective: Your discomfort is temporary;
• You will never regret good work once it is done.