OK, so you wanted to start a blog. You’re passionate about writing so you set up a website and went to town blogging. Six months into it, you only have a handful of subscribers, few comments, and nobody’s knocking your door down wanting guest posts. On top of that, your site could already use a major overhaul. You’re losing steam— fast.
You’ve heard it said that, “Some people make things happen, some people watch what’s happening, and some people wonder what the heck happened.” If the latter describes your attitude lately, you may need a little kick in the pants to get yourself motivated again in the face of not so promising writing career.
The problem isn’t that you’re not passionate about what you’re doing; you are. When you first started out you were blowing things up. But somewhere along the line you started wondering if all the blood sweat and tears was really worth following your dream.
The answer is a resounding YES! Why? Because you’re not the sit on the sidelines and watch kind of person, you’ve just hit the same wall everyone else hits, and that’s where everyone else quits—but you!
How do you avoid the motivational sinks that make you wonder what the heck happened to achieving your dream? You don’t. You accept them as part of the process and keep pressing on. Here are some ideas that may help:
Relax
Stress and worry hinder your ability to be creative. Notice if you’re stressed by paying attention to your body and mind. Then do something to relax like exercise, progressive muscle relaxation, or deep breathing to de-compress.
Make time to be creative
Get away from your computer. Get outside. Listen to what’s going on around you to stimulate your thinking. Be still. You may find quiet gives you time to reflect and come up with new ideas.
Reassess your goals
Goals don’t have to be in stone. They can be changed or modified depending on the needs of the day. Reassess often. Make sure your goals are specific, but don’t freak out if you don’t reach them when you had hoped. Every great endeavor takes time. Plan for obstacles and avoid being discouraged. Remember, you’re doing what you love so enjoy the journey.
Never- never- never- give up
In 1941, speaking at his old school, Winston Churchill made this phrase famous, and it holds true for anyone who wants to be a “make it happen” kind of person. The only way to fail is to quit. Keep moving. You’re learning and growing through the process.
Fan the flame
Keep your passion alive by fanning the flame. Remind yourself of why you started doing what you’re doing. Ask yourself how you have grown since you started. How have the challenges you’ve faced built your character, made you more disciplined or showed you something new about yourself? How will achieving your goals make you a better person and a help society in general?
Accept what you can’t change
Acceptance is key to navigating through any of life’s losses or setbacks. When we don’t accept them, we end up fighting the wrong battle, using all our energy to complain, blame, get discouraged and wonder what we’re doing wrong. We may not be doing anything wrong. We just have to stay at it. Accept where you’re at and learn to be grateful.
If success were easy, everyone would be successful. Realize you’re not alone in your struggle. Solicit support from others who have gone before you. Seek counsel and ask for help. Then get out there and make it happen!
Back at you: Have you ever hit a motivational sink, and if so, what helped pull you out of it?
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Rita A. Schulte is a licensed professional counselor. She is the host of Heartline Podcast and Consider This. Follow her at www.ritaschulte.com. Her blog, Life Talk Today is at www.ritaschulte.com/blog.