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Why Aren’t You Motivated? Uncover the Reasons and Swipe Right on Success

Why Aren’t You Motivated? Uncover the Reasons and Swipe Right on Success

Plus, practical steps to crafting a compelling 'why' and a fail-proof plan to achieve your goals.

Sol TV
November 23, 2023

This Newsletter at a Glance:

🚀 Motivation is Tricky

🌌 TL/DR: Motivation Can’t Be Controlled

🌟 Sol Bites: How to Crush Your Goals

🎬 Video Bite: Eddie Pinero on Motivation

🦋 Words of Wisdom

Have you ever wondered . . .

Why do I get pumped up about certain goals but feel totally uninterested and stressed about others?
Why am I super motivated to start some projects, only to run out of steam halfway through?
Why are some people passionate and driven while I feel spacey and unsure?

Motivation can be pretty tricky!

TL/DR: Motivation Can’t Be Controlled

If you relate to any of the situations above, odds are there’s something in your life you want to do but lack the motivation to make it happen.

We usually think of motivation as something people need to feel to act. While it's definitely easier to do something when you're motivated, actually doing something will make you feel more motivated.

Part of what makes the idea of motivation so complicated is that spending a lot of time thinking about feeling motivated can distract you from doing the one thing that will make you feel more motivated: taking action. As a result, it’s important to see motivation as something that happens after you take action. It gives you more energy, confidence, and motivation to keep going.

Sol Bites: How to Crush Your Goals

Getting started on a goal can feel overwhelming, so if you want to jump into action mode, here’s how to get started:

Craft your “why.”

No matter your goal, you’ve got to know exactly why it matters to you. Your reason should be super specific and totally exciting—having a vague explanation isn't enough. Make your “why” juicy and clear so it hits home and excites you. Write it down, and stick it on your wall, and see if it revs you up. If it does, then you're on to something!

Make a detailed plan.

Plans can feel limiting, but they actually help us take action and move us forward. Without a clear plan, you may feel stuck and unsure of what to do.

For example, say you're unhappy with your job and decide to change careers. The problem is you don’t know where to start. Why? Because your plan—“find a new career”—isn't detailed enough.

Start with this process:

🔍 Break down your goal into smaller parts. So, instead of just searching for new careers online, spend 30 minutes every evening exploring potential careers for four weeks.

📝 Make a list of five possible careers after each session.

📊 Keep track of everything in a document called "New Career Research."

🤔 After four weeks, review your lists and choose the top three most interesting jobs.

🕵️‍♂️ Spend the next three evenings exploring each of those jobs in detail. Reach out to someone with that job and ask them five specific questions.

The best plans that get you hyped have artificial limitations and rules: certain times and places, a specific number of things, specific questions to ask, and more. Even though the constraints are totally unofficial and you set them yourself, they help you do specific things and get you focused on crushing your goals. That's what you need! With a specific plan and a compelling “why,” you're more likely to take action.

Video Bite

Sol TV Creator Eddie Pinero drops some tips on developing motivation: "It’s more difficult to stay where you are, and not move forward..."

Let that sink in. Standing still is harder than chasing dreams. Why? Stagnation eats away at purpose. Meanwhile, pursuing passion unlocks life.

Difficulties will come no matter what. Life is about choosing your own difficulties.

When the world knocks you down, you get to rise again - wiser, stronger, tougher. But when you keep yourself down, there is nothing to be gained. Those two opponents are not the same.