Updated April 27, 2023

Self-motivated and dedicated

How can one stay motivated and dedicated to this world where one performs the same mundane daily tasks? We all come across times when we feel we are done with this life and what it offers us. Despite all this, we must go on, be happy, and stay motivated and dedicated to the larger purpose in life. This article will elaborate on 10 Ways to stay motivated and dedicated. I hope you enjoy reading it and, at the end of it, actually, feel motivated and dedicated 🙂

“I always loved drawing lectures more than the other boring subjects during my academics & I had wished to become a famous painter,” exclaimed a friend of mine while sipping her coffee.

“Why didn’t you give it a serious thought then?” I inquired instantly.

“Well, my parents didn’t encourage me; instead, they forced me to focus on my studies, so eventually, I gave up that thought!” she sighed & looked dejected.

I didn’t respond, as this got me thinking.

Really, do we never have an option? Just let our hopes & dreams fade away in front of our eyes just because we lack faith? Faith in people around us, our vision, or our courage; what becomes an obstacle?

“I finally left my mundane job to focus more on my auditions, my fitness plans & most importantly, some time for my dancing passion too,” another friend of mine, a struggling actor, shared.

“Are you sure dear? How will you manage your monthly expenses?” I expressed my concern.

“Last year’s savings, a few investments here & there, and will cut down on my unnecessary costs by making small sacrifices in my new minimalistic lifestyle,” she smiled confidently.

“Wow, you had this planned for a long time.”

“Not exactly, but yes, I had this wish for so long & was tired of feeling lost and unhappy with my routine. I felt ashamed of my cowardliness, laziness, or whatever you can call it when I witnessed an incredible example. My ex-colleague lost the ability to hear clearly in an accident last year but was encouraged at the workplace to continue the job with the support of a hearing machine. Not only that, she managed to pursue her passion for singing even though she won’t hear her voice anymore. From that moment on, I left behind the fear of obstacles!” That girl indeed had a strong belief in her voice & some unwavering spark in her eyes!

Meanwhile, I tried processing both these conversations in my head & wondered how nature unfolds its answers with time. Sometimes we blame our fate or argue with God for unfairness when things do not go our way. It becomes so apparent that our next step would be giving up totally without thinking twice. We lose hope & forget all the efforts we had put in to build that hope. “What a terrible way I had created to kill my dreams,” I thought.

I indeed admired my friends and their dreams of becoming a painter and an actor. Both of them had their challenges & difficulties in balancing their routine & passion. But undoubtedly, I felt proud of the other friend who gave up her secured job to fulfill her acting dreams. The self-motivated skills of the physically challenged colleague kept playing in my mind. Her bravery is worth praising, and their dedication and love for their passion indeed teach us the magic of optimism.

What did these girls possess that kept them inspiring along their journey? What changes? What keeps you going in challenging situations? What gives you the strength to proceed no matter how thorny your path is?

Many of us might wonder & would be curious to find answers.

Self-Motivated Skills Tips

Let’s find out & learn a few self-motivated skills tips here that can help us to stay motivated and dedicated in life –

Realization of mortality
Define goals & Visualize
Find your passion & stick to it
Law of attraction
Be deaf to negative thoughts
Failure is always a learning
Remind yourself of your achievements
Follow a healthy routine
Show gratitude
Take charge of life

Realization of Mortality to stay motivated and dedicated.

“One is blessed if one can die working, standing tall. Goodbyes should be short, really short” – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Have you read the article in which the palliative nurse counsels the dying people and sums up the most common regrets on their deathbed? Regrets like working too hard, living as per people’s expectations & not being true to yourself, lacking the courage to express feelings, being unable to give time to family & friends, and keeping yourself away from happiness.

It’s terrible to hear such stories & ridiculous to realize that we are living like the ones who were lying on their deathbed with such regrets. We think we have all the time to live on our terms once we get SETTLED. Does God know if this miraculous goal ever comes true? Is it after completing studies, getting a job, owning a house, car, land, or any material possession?

Ironically we do everything to achieve material success. We learn to be bold, join the rat race, choose what comes our way, get jobs, make money, pay loans, and fight the battle of stress every day, the overload of work, and conflicts to survive & create our worry-free future. Most of us neglect the needs related to our self-growth. We seldom overlook our actual talent. What we had once planned or hoped for becomes unreal eventually. What helps us survive becomes our source of living & not what brings us real happiness.

You must have heard this plenty of times “Once I retire, I am planning to live a stress-free life, will fulfill my dreams, and spend more quality time with my family.” Fair enough; sounds very promising, but does it always happen? Or do we have enough strength and good health to live this dream? What’s the guarantee? Especially the kind of lifestyle we have right now with so many burdens & worries; it can barely give us any assurance of a peaceful, long & healthy life.

Can we pause for a while & ask ourselves a simple question, are you happy today? Do you feel at peace with yourself? Do you feel the most alive when you are engrossed in your daily work? Does it make sense to take so much effort to pursue this career? And if the answer to any of these questions is a NO, then it’s a signal for you to rethink your actual purpose.

Do this simple exercise, and ask yourself, ‘What if today is the last day of your life?’ Try to relate to those misfortunate people who have lost their life all of a sudden before they could live completely. Then list down all the activities you would like to do, the way you would like to live your life, the people you would like to meet or talk with, and all the long awaited goals you would like to attain if you want to get indulged in any crazy adventure or anything you restrain yourself from doing under a lot of worries & fears.

Be honest & spontaneous while making that list. Once you are thorough with the list, frame guidelines & purpose of your living. Life would undoubtedly bring more happiness & satisfaction if you could show this much courage.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the present. If one can realize how precious this present is, that would be our first step in commencing the path of our destiny

Define Goals & Visualize them to stay motivated and dedicated.

“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.” – Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Before we embark on the journey of pursuing our true passion, it is essential to figure out the aim of our life. Amongst many worries, we generally stress about finance, daily survival, security & so forth. We need to ask one of the most critical questions of our existence: “What is the purpose of my life?”

This simple question discloses a lot of desires. It helps us to discover our current state and identify our strengths. While finding the answer, the mind automatically pushes itself to seek the priorities of our daily tasks. You will start thinking of all those activities of the day which you enjoy the most.

My aspirant painter friend was thrilled about her art but never believed in her ability. She lacked the courage to envision herself leading the life of a painter. Her timid attitude toward her dream stopped her from ever seeing any possibility of becoming a self-motivated professional artist.

Sometimes lacking the ability to have faith in your dream or even dream can destroy everything that naturally fascinates you. We are too worried about the consequences before initiating any new goal, and getting too involved in our environment results in such behavior. Naturally, we only believe what we see around us in the form of many conventional examples of self-motivated and dedicated people in our society. And here, at this point, many dreams are killed unknowingly.

I remember listening to the plans & the actor’s lifestyle from the actor’s friend for hours, long before she started living her dream. I have no clue how, but she had imagined herself being busy in the shoots, traveling, giving auditions, and getting dressed. She was engrossed in reading magazines, collecting information, and increasing her network.

It was so amazing to see and observe someone who knew what they wanted. I always teased, “you always knew what you were born for!”. And then, one day subconsciously, I asked myself, “High time for me to find my reason.”

So as soon as possible, take the first step & focus on your plans. Rest all your obligations can wait. Invest all your time & energy in that one mission. Ask yourself how you would feel once you achieve your goal. How would your life be? How much satisfaction would it bring in your life?

Find your Passion & Stick to it to stay motivated and dedicated.

“The 2 most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why!”- Mark Twain

After completing formal education, how many of us know which profession we want to pursue? And if few of us know this answer, is it the ultimate profession we want to end up with? Many other doubts are answered as you move further in the direction of work that allures you.

Were all the famous & successful personalities always aware of their passion since the beginning? When you read the biographies of accomplished individuals, do you always find their life journeys well-planned? Is it possible to have a clear vision in every scenario?

If not, then from where do we find this vision? What are the sources of identifying our goals? All the answers lie within your willingness to search. The more restless you become till the time you start doing some sensible task, the better your chances of getting closer to a meaningful life.

It might sound impulsive, or people might call you crazy. But it’s always worth experimenting as much as you want with your career, especially in the beginning. Not many of us are blessed to realize the purpose of our living immediately. Hence, there’s no harm in exploring as long as you enjoy doing so, but it doesn’t mean undertaking any random task you might not even like, and you might force yourself to do it under some obligation. So before you start the exploration, you must be honest with yourself. Experience everything which has passed your mind. Give a try at all the possible alternatives.

And finally, when you come across your aims, respect them. Honor the time & effort taken by you. Depending on your preference, this could be only one or a series of tasks that keep you alive. But being persistent, do justice to your real passion.

Law of Attraction to stay motivated and dedicated.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”- Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Have you heard of this? Ever tried this? The well-known concept of the best-selling novel “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne! You naturally receive the kind of vibes you send out to the universe. The enormous power of positive thinking can create miracles. People can cure diseases by using this concept; they can achieve the impossible; can change any situation in their favor.

Throughout our lives, we keep wondering, ‘what’s the magical formula that transforms a person.’ One has to practice this law to believe in it. The power of believing brings incredible outcomes. Talent, Self Motivated skills, knowledge, intelligence, or opportunities are the factors that contribute the success. However, these conventional thoughts restrict you from seeing through reality.

The animated movie, “Kung Fu Panda,” gave us this motivating message. It’s all within you. You need to first believe in yourself to make anything happen. Rest everything falls in place once you are brave enough to believe in your goals. Many may laugh at you and find your ideas impractical, but what matters is your feelings about your aims and your faith in your dreams!

Go for it…. Try doing this with any of the challenges, assignments, or goals that you currently have in your hand. For me, working as a freelancer wouldn’t have been possible; once I was on time for my training in the chaotic Mumbai traffic, maintaining a healthy diet plan wouldn’t have been possible. So right from the major to minor tasks, you can apply this anywhere. It would certainly work for you if you sincerely believe with all your heart!

Be Deaf to Negative Thoughts to stay motivated and dedicated.

“Positive anything is better than negative nothing.”– Elbert Hubbard

Well, the main difference between the aspirant painter and actor friend of mine was that one had let herself give in to all the negative thinking, and the other had all the inclination towards positivity. The motivational speaker & author Robin Sharma stated in his novel, “The monk who sold his Ferrari,” that one can practice turning all negative thoughts into positive ones.

The moment you think unpleasant, your mind should be programmed to get rid of that pattern. Fight against it and let optimism win over it. It is very much doable if you surround yourself only with positive people. Do not let negative thinkers and their energies affect your cognition, so stay motivated and dedicated.

Many other routine habits, such as repeating affirmations (positive thoughts) in the form of quotes, lectures, and videos, can be really helpful. Meditation is one more essential tool to have a pleasant & peaceful mind. Once you start assessing your daily life and picking all those activities which make you smile, fill you with mental satisfaction & bring enlightenment to your life should be recognized as the most precious ones and should be given higher priority.

Failure is Always a Learning

“Don’t read success stories you will only get a message. Read failure stories, you will get some ideas to get success.”- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Once, my sister told me something extraordinary when I had got disappointed as I had got fewer grades on some tests during my academic years. She mentioned, “Always remember this; whenever you win something with one hand at the same time, you are losing something from the other, and vice versa.” I couldn’t understand what she meant; I felt she said it to make me feel good.

When I thought over it a few months later, I realized that the message had a profound meaning. Achievements always bring some responsibilities and expectations; one might become overwhelmed & forget the pressure of performance. Also, the defeats always have some or other leanings, which allow us to identify & correct our mistakes. We may not observe this often, but if we try to, it’s true.

Hence it’s essential never to lose hope, no matter what! Because if not today, you will surely understand your lesson some other day. Meanwhile, maintain patience and try focusing more on the primary purpose of that loss.

Remind Yourself of Your Achievements to stay motivated and dedicated.

“You have done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination”. – Ralph Martson.

The paradoxical experience I had after watching the Bollywood movie ‘Karthik Called Karthik’ surprised me. Apart from the main character’s psychological deficiencies mainly highlighted in the film didn’t grab my attention much, unlike the other audience. Instead, his excellent habit of constantly talking to himself and reminding his worth was quite a remarkable part of the movie.

It brought attention to a greater perspective. How can one lift the spirit in hard times by remembering all their accomplishments? When nothing feels positive, try collecting the incidents that made you proud. For instance, when you perform poorly in your stage show, remind yourself of some past victory you had in another competition. When there’s no victory, remember how your efforts encouraged you. If you give a poor presentation, then remind yourself of a great speech you once informally gave in your group.

If you think and link such scenarios, you will find successful ones. An award or certification may not have recognized that achievement, but the appreciation, praise by others & your satisfaction serves as proof of conquest.

Follow a Healthy Routine to stay motivated and dedicated.

“He who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything”- Arabian Proverb

Physical fitness is as essential as keeping a healthy mind. After all, health is wealth. You must have experienced irritation, and restlessness when you do not eat on time, don’t intake enough nutrition and are deprived of sleep. All such phases become very tiring and stressful & take a significant toll on both your physical & mental health.

Regular exercise, yoga, meditation, brisk walks, cardio, etc., are a range of activities from which one can choose. Pick one or two that suits you and religiously make them a part of your routine. Hence pay equal attention to ensure fitness.

Eating right at the right time is essential too. Junk or fatty food can be savored occasionally, but you have to watch that you are not overeating such stuff. We all are bombarded with a lot of advice through our social circles on maintaining our health. If we pay attention to a few possible things, that can bring a lot of energy. You will automatically feel rejuvenated. Ensure you sleep at least for 7-8 hours. Watch your habit of eating out. Switch to salads, fruits & healthy diets.

A healthy body reflects on the mind. So be serious about your physical health and stay motivated and dedicated.

Show Gratitude

“When you are thankful for what you have, you are always rewarded with more.”- Oprah Winfrey

I am always pleased to meet people who appreciate their life the way it is. Looking at people with no despairs or regrets, you get a feeling as if they are at peace with themselves and the entire universe.

Mom always said this when she caught me upset, “Always compare yourself with those who are less privileged than you are.” The thought naturally makes you thank the almighty for ‘what is’ rather than complaining about ‘what could be. It certainly makes you notice how it would feel not to have the things you possess right now..’

God always has a better plan for us. So just have faith and be content with your present status and be self-motivated and dedicated.

Take Charge of Your Life to stay motivated and dedicated.

“If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs”- Dhirubhai Ambani

Stop giving mundane replies like, “Same old, same old” whenever your friends ask about your life. No doubt, the routine can get monotonous after a while. But try to add some spice, upgrade yourself with the necessary knowledge, take risks at the job, communicate your creative ideas, participate in community work, try alternatives for solving a problem, take breaks when you feel stressed, manage your time, organize your daily work, perform tasks with one hundred percent passion, so on & so forth.

You can create ways of making life more interesting for yourself & others who peep inside your world. Read, explore, travel, communicate, indulge in parties, fun, adventure trips, etc. Take out that extra time for your entertainment. You deserve leisure time to pamper yourself and also to maintain your hobbies. Try to be connected with your inner voice, which constantly directs you to your ultimate desires. Do not suppress the things which bring you divine happiness.

Only let days, months & years pass by while accomplishing personal goals apart from material & financial success. Constantly ask yourself whether living this way would bring me closer to my dream. Don’t leave any desire unattained, and always stay motivated and dedicated. Ensure that you have almost no regrets & only peace on your deathbed!

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