It is easy to join gym or pursue a hobby. The difficult part is staying motivated till you achieve a goal. Here is a secret to staying motivated till the end. Researchers from the University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba suggest that you can have better luck sustaining motivation in the late stages if you focus on what to avoid. This will help you reach your goals.
For instance, if you are trying to save money for a house or a trip, for example, initially it may work to pursue positive saving strategies like getting a higher paying job or investing money. Later in the process, focus on avoidance strategies like going out to dinner less often or forgoing expensive purchases.
Various psychologists hold an opinion that it is difficult to motivate yourself when you are feeling lazy. All you want to do is fall into a Netflix mode on your couch. Laziness is the desire to be idle, to do nothing and resist effort. You can however overcome laziness by replacing it with hopes, aspirations and positive aspects of reaching your desired outcome. For example, if you want to lose 10 kgs you will imagine your appearance at a desired weight, buy new clothes and feel more energy. This will motivate you to hit the gym.
However, with time motivation frizzles and stops you from making progress. New clothes or friends will not motivate you anymore. That is when you should put 'avoidance strategy' to use. Instead of trying to work on being positive, avoid things that can have a negative impact.
As you draw closer to reaching your goals, the researchers say, you should switch to a "prevention motivation" mindset to stay motivated. Responsibilities, duties and the desire to avoid something negative will help you stay motivated. For instance, if you are trying to lose weight, you should try to think of the disappointment of possibly falling short of the weight loss goal or not fitting into a coveted piece of clothing. You should start focusing on things to avoid doing wrong, such as steering clear of dessert and a sedentary lifestyle.
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