Motivation: Make It Happen.

So we all have those days where there is nothing more you want to do than to lay in bed and watch TV (Lie To Me is my go-to series right now!). But I bet there is a list of things that you could be doing but you keep putting it off because of... (insert applicable excuse). I've felt like that, heck I feel like that a lot since I am an university student and so I wanted to share what gets my butt in gear whenever I feel like lazing around.

In all my lifestyle posts I talk about goals a lot and there is a reason for that, it helps us to focus on what we want to achieve. For me the key to motivation is to think about what I want to achieve, I want to get a good grade when I finish uni, so whenever I feel like not doing work when I am supposed to I think about getting a  bad grade and suddenly there is nothing more I want to do. This can apply to any situation, if you want to get fit for summer or want to eat healthy but have no motivation, then think of yourself in the worst shape possible and compare it to how you want to look. Negatively framing things, for me at least, really does the trick because just thinking about the body I would like to achieve is just a nice thought, it doesn't feel applicable to me or make me feel any burning desire to become like that, if it does then it's very short and goes away the next time I feel like stuffing my face. So my next tip is to think about what you don't want, I know for a fact I do not want to get a 2:2 in my degree so I will do whatever it takes not to get that grade, the key with this tip is to make it realistic, keeping up with the grade example most people get a 2:1 in their degree, so for me to say I don't want a 2:1 is too unrealistic but for me to strive towards a first is a nice goal. See the distinction there?

My next tip is to think about why you want that goal and to keep on asking yourself why, why is it so important to you? What would it mean if you didn't get that. It sounds so bad but for me, I like to make myself feel guilty because I take my goals more seriously in my day to day life. So think about what you want, what you absolutely don't want and why you want it and remind yourself constantly. I mean it, save your goals on your lock screen, desktop image, in your diary and remind yourself of why you are living the way you are. 

Motivational quotes is a big thing, I know many people google constantly for them because they feel like that will make them have motivation but it's really just procrastination. If you are going to google quotes do it at night before you sleep and save the ones you think work for you, this way when you are in the middle of work and want to give up you know where to look, rather than googling for half an hour for a quote that applies to you.

Another big thing for me is to reward myself for my hard work, but making sure that the reward is worth the work, so if I have had a day full of revision then I will probably reward myself with good food, or reading a bit of my book and some chill out time because I deserve it. I will usually do this at the end of the day because it's not a reward if you treat yourself before the work is done. But after my exam period (which is going on right now!) I will probably buy myself something better that I have had my eye on for ages. Again, doing this after my exams makes it feel like a reward and more of an incentive to work now, rather than shopping online for it in the middle of exams. So reward yourself only when you have earned it.

This is my realistic motivation guide, I have not sugar coated anything and this is honestly what motivates me so I think it might help with you guys too - I hope it does! Even though it's a bit on the negative side I think we need to know the costs of our actions as much as the rewards. I'm all about that tough love. 

I'll share with you a quote that gets me to wake up:

Excuses are for people who don't want it enough.