It happened Friday. I ran the dishwasher, came back to the kitchen a half hour later to find my kitchen sink full of water. The drain was plugged. My husband came home and tried all the usual tricks to get it moving including snaking the drain. Nothing worked. We didn’t want to pay the extra money to have a plumber come out on the weekend, so we worked around the plugged drain. It wasn’t what we wanted, yet we chose to remain stuck. We had no motivation to fix the problem immediately. Working around it got old quickly, and yet it was Wednesday before it was fixed.
I often get stuck in my everyday goals and plans with no motivation to fix it immediately. I’ll get spurts of inspiration and think to myself, “I’m going to do this, now!” Then I get distracted or tired and I don’t. What holds me back? Is it fear, laziness, seeing the long daunting road ahead of me? I don’t always know. I think it is often a combination of all of it. I have found 3 keys to get me off my bum and moving again.
- Pray: It sounds simple, but not always so. For me this usually means a long walk, snowshoe or burn on the elliptical. We all need to find the process that gets in place for a heart to heart with God. This is praying for God’s will, is it the right goal, along with guidance and provision. Then it’s time to listen. That is undoubtedly the hardest part for me. I’m a good talker, but listening for God’s nudges and whispers is hard. Here are some scriptures that I focus on when I’m lacking motivation.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7.
“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.” Psalms 37:4-5.
Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” Matthew 19:26 (MSG).
2. Set goals: The big goal is easy to set. I want to lose 10 pounds. I want to finish my education, etc. Often I find that I bite off more than I can chew. The goal I have set is a few large leaps ahead of where I am, currently. Within that big goal, I outline bite sized goals that get me closer and closer to the big goal. I write down bite sized goals, and I put time commitments on them. Today, I will… By the end of the week, I will …
3. Take the first step: Accomplishing the first bite sized goal is very motivating for me. It spurs me on to the next one. I celebrate each little goal with self talk that keeps me moving forward.
Motivation is often fleeting for me. It comes and then quickly goes away again. Repeating these steps helps me stay on track with the goals God and I have set together. The 3 Keys are simple. They can be repeated as necessary.
How are you doing? Are you stuck and in need of motivation? Are you focused on God’s plan for you? Share your story here and we can encourage each other.