How Does Setting Goals Improve Motivation?

A lot of people seek motivation. Wouldn’t it be amazing to be completely motivated every single day? Unfortunately, motivation every day isn’t very realistic. However, setting goals could help in some ways.

In this article, we will dive into how setting goals can improve motivation.

Why Discipline Is The Most Important Thing

Before we explore how setting goals can enhance motivation, it’s important to remember one key factor: discipline. As many motivational speakers have said before, ‘Motivation follows discipline.’

It is the key factor that propels you forward even when motivation is lacking.

No matter who you are, and what your goal is, there are some days you could wake up and feel like you just don’t want to do anything. Discipline is what will drive you forward in those moments. Here are some ways to increase discipline:

1. Set Clear Goals: Knowing exactly what you want can make it easier to resist distractions and stay focused on your objectives.
2. Create a Schedule: Routine and structure can reinforce discipline. Set aside dedicated time each day to work on your tasks and goals. When I don’t have my schedule down pat, I realize I get distracted very easily.
3. Break Down Goals: Large goals can be overwhelming. Break them down into smaller, manageable tasks to make them more achievable.
4. Practice Patience: Discipline is not developed overnight. Be patient with yourself and remember that progress may be slow, but it’s still progress.
5. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and enough sleep can give you the energy and focus needed to stay disciplined.
6. Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices can improve self-control and help you stay focused on the present moment.
7. Remove Temptations: Make it easier to stay disciplined by removing distractions and temptations from your environment.
8. Use Positive Affirmations: These can help to reinforce your determination and maintain a positive mindset.
9. Practice Self-Reflection: Regularly assess your progress and adjust your strategy if needed.
10. Reward Yourself: Small rewards for progress can serve as motivation and reinforce discipline.
11. Use Tools and Apps: Using tools and apps can help you stay on track. For instance I use a time blocking app that allows me to focus on one task at a time.

With that being said, let’s go over how you could get motivation through goal setting.

You Know What Your Chasing

When you set goals, you know exactly what it is you’re chasing. Let’s use an example. Lebron James stays motivated to play at his older age because he wants the opportunity to play with his son Bronny. He also has other motivations to undoubtedly surpass Michael Jordan as the best basketball player of all time.

So long story short, even when you’re faced with moments of doubt, or setbacks, knowing what you’re chasing through setting goals will give you the ability to find that motivation.

Measurable Progress – Achieving Smaller Goals Boosts Motivation

Setting goals allows you to track your progress effectively. For instance, if you’re new to running and aspire to complete a 10k race, having this goal lets you measure your advancement.

With each milestone reached, a sense of accomplishment arises, leading to increased motivation. Each achievement fuels your drive to keep going.

Without measurable goals, it becomes challenging to know what to track, often leading to a focus solely on the end goal. However, solely concentrating on the big goal might have the opposite effect on motivation, as it can make you feel that progress is inadequate.

Setting Goal Increases Your Self Confidence Which Can Improve Motivation

When you set goals and keep promises to yourself, your self confidence will increase. The more self confidence you have, the higher your motivation is to go after your goals. Now only will you want to go hard at the goals you currently have, but you’ll be constantly setting new goals in all different areas of life.

Setting Goals Increases Visualization Which Can Promote Motivation

When you write down your goals, it often leads to you visualising your final outcome. This creates something called “Structural Tension“. When you visualize your goals, you create a gap between where you currently are and where you want to be. This tension motivates your brain to find ways to fill that that gap and make your goals become a reality.

Goal Setting Often Involves Personal Ties Which Can Lead To More Motivation

When we set goals, they are often tied into different personal goals.

Someone may start a blog or YouTube channel because they want to talk about what they love. They also may do so because they have a dream to be able to work on their own time/schedule.

When you carry out goals like this, motivation is always there because of the fact that you are personally involved. You’re not just working for a paycheck, but because of your passion and desire to reach the goal.

This is similar to Lebron’s wants to play with his son.

Conclusion

As we have explored throughout this article, while motivation may not be a constant or reliable entity, the process of setting goals provides a reliable framework that can enable us to tap into our reservoirs of motivation more effectively. But, it is important to remember that achieving our goals is not solely reliant on fleeting moments of inspiration or motivation.

Instead, it is the unwavering discipline, the willingness to work hard, and the ability to remain committed to our objectives, even in the face of adversity or lack of immediate gratification, that truly drives us towards our goals. Just as a marathon runner doesn’t simply rely on the adrenaline of the race day, but on the countless hours of disciplined training, we too must depend on our discipline to carry us through our journeys towards our goals.