When Motivation Runs Out

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Tuesday Deep Dive: When Motivation Runs Out

The last couple weeks I have felt myself entering a little bit of a rut. You know, the feeling when you really just can’t be bothered to do anything. You’re not motivated to workout (in whichever way you usually do), you’re not motivated to work and, in my case, not motivated to write any articles 🤣.

Let me preface with, yes, I am totally okay, nothing is crazy wrong, it has just been one of those weeks! The reason I wanted to write about this was to remind myself (and you) that times like these are totally normal, and there are a bunch of things you can do to keep the ball rolling!

Why do we run out of motivation?

There are plenty of reasons that we all can become unmotivated at times. To name a few:

• You could lose interest in what you are doing.

• You could be going through something in your personal life.

• You could just be completely burnt out.

• You could just be sore from yesterday’s workout!

There are literally so many normal things/experiences that can kill your motivation.

Don’t rely on motivation. Rely on habits.

You may have heard that you should ‘never rely on motivation’, particularly if you have read James Clear’s Atomic Habits. But what’s the problem with motivation? Isn’t it a good thing?

Well, it is. It’s a great thing. However, it is an emotion and emotions change. One day you’re motivated, the next you’re sleeping in. Literally, you could wake up super motivated, flesh out ambitions to start something new, only to have a late night, a sleep in, and do nothing the next day. Again, this is super normal - everyone experiences this!

But why do some people actually start the thing?

→ Because they use their fleeting motivation to make a plan of action. A plan of action that they can follow no matter how they feel. Let’s flesh this out:

While this is a basic example, I think it captures the essence of what I am trying to say: if it ain’t planned, it (generally), it ain’t happening. So, whenever you feel motivated, use it! Don’t just let the emotion pass. Flesh out your ideas and make a plan of attack.

Motivation is a tool, but it is not a tool you have access to all the time. So, if you want the best results:

1. Use it while you have it.

   • Make a plan.

   • Start the plan

2. Learn to use it as effectively as possible:

   • Construct great habits (e.g. scheduling exactly when and where you will ‘do the thing’).

   • Read Atomic Habits for more on this!

What can you do when you’re unmotivated?

This has been my guiding question all week 🤣. I definitely do not hold all the answers, but here are some of the things I have found helpful:

1. Do something small to get the ball rolling.

   • The easiest example is making your bed.

2. Get outside!

   • Don’t fall into the trap of sitting indoors all day - this won’t help your motivation in the slightest.

   • This could literally just be moving from an inside couch to an outside couch - get some fresh air!

   • If you can get in nature, this can help you reset and feel inspired (this felt cringe to write but I couldn’t agree more)

3. Do something active.

   • Get the body moving and those endorphins pumping. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that you can carry throughout the day.

4. Make a simple plan/to-do list for the day (include timings)!

   • This is the easiest way to get everything that you want/need done regardless of how you are feeling.

5. Remember: if nothing changes, nothing changes.

What not to do (these will only make things worse - guilty 🤥):

1. Short form content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts, etc.).

   • This is probably the worst thing you can do. Your dopamine is likely already low, and you are just dragging it through the dirt!

   • This will be a huge time waster and make you feel even worse about yourself after.

2. Bingeing (anything from TV to eating).

   • We all know how bad bingeing is. It is a time waster and awful for your health and balance.

   • You can read more here (TV) or here (food).

3. Having a pity party.

   1. Blaming external factors for how you feel is giving up responsibility and control - this will just make things worse.

   2. Not very Stoic 🤨.

Further reading:

Most of what I wrote today was backed from personal experience, but there were also some great articles that I used to gather ideas:

1. Why You Should Never Rely On Motivation | by Maddie Rose | Ascent Publication | Medium

2. Why Relying on Motivation Lets You Down – Jamie Stedman

3. Don’t Rely Solely on Motivation. Aka: How to stay motivated to finish… | by Michał Stawicki | Life skills | Medium

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