Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we are going to learn about 7 habits that are
destroying your motivation. Now, let’s begin
1. Creating Excuses There are a million reasons
not to do something. If you’re afraid of making a change, you will always find reasons to justify
your comfortable lifestyle. For example, let’s say you’re working at a boring job,
which does not excite or inspire you. You dream of pursuing a more satisfying career,
but you’re struggling to let go of the comfort and stability you have now. Every time you think
about quitting your boring job, you come up with a list of excuses that keep you locked in place.
This destructive habit takes a toll on your motivation. Making excuses,
no matter how big or small, discourages you from achieving your dreams. You never grow or improve,
because you always find reasons to procrastinate the risks you need to take.
So, stop making excuses. There may be a million reasons to not do something, but you only need
one reason to follow through. If you want something more from your life,
nothing should stand in your way. The more excuses you make, the harder it becomes to really change.
So, let go of your excuses, and pursue what matters most to you.
2. Idolizing Celebrities Do you idolize successful people? Do you
marvel at the amazing things they have achieved? If you want to be successful, it’s important to
find people whose stories challenge and inspire you. You may look up to celebrities, artists,
or natural leaders. You may respect the wisdom they’ve acquired or the skills they’ve learned.
But you need to remember that successful people are still people. Some time ago,
they were standing in your shoes, looking up to all the individuals they admired. Back then, they
were uncertain of their future, and they doubted whether they had what it takes to be successful.
Despite their worries and fears, they forged their own path. They persevered through failure,
and they created their own definition of success. When you idolize successful people, you treat them
like larger-than-life characters. While there’s nothing wrong with admiring their success,
remember that you too can achieve your long-term goals.
Just like any successful person, you can work hard, invest long hours, and manifest your dreams.
Have respect for the people who inspire you, but don’t idolize their accomplishments. Envy will
never get you anywhere in life. But if you believe in yourself and learn from your mentors, you can
pursue a version of success that’s unique to you. 3. Complicated Plans
Planning is a valuable trait, but too much planning can decrease your motivation.
Many people waste hours of their time choosing what they’re going to do,
instead of actually doing it. You may plan out every minute of your schedule. You may
set dozens of small, concrete goals. You may prepare complex, inspiring routines,
but unless you are acting on your intentions, those plans are a waste of your time.
This is a common trap, which many people fall into without realizing how much damage they’re doing.
You rely so heavily on your schedules, structures, and routines, but are you making real progress
toward your goals? Or are you designing plans, simply because you’re afraid to get started?
The truth is… you may be using your plans and goals like any other timewaster. On the outside,
it seems like you’re doing something constructive. But you’re not actually taking any steps forward.
In fact, you’re bogging yourself down with all kinds of imaginary responsibilities.
The more detailed your plans become; the more pressure falls on your shoulders.
Without realizing it, you’re creating tasks and problems you don’t need to solve.
You may be overcomplicating your problems because you don’t believe in your ability to face them.
No amount of planning is a substitute for courage and determination. You can make
the most detailed plans, but the only way to achieve your goal… is to take action.
That doesn’t mean all plans are a waste of time. Schedules, spreadsheets,
and to-do lists are fantastic tools to stay organized and efficient. In the beginning,
these tools can help you figure out what you need to do and when you need to do it.
But once you understand the challenges in front of you, there’s no more time to lose. Set your
schedules aside. Put your spreadsheets away and start making real progress toward your goals.
4. Judgmental Assumptions Many people justify their lack
of achievement by making rash assumptions about others. You look at people who have achieved more
than you, and you assume they have cut corners to get where they are today. You may undervalue their
accomplishments. You may blame their success on their upbringing or their good fortune.
But your judgments are merely defensive mechanisms that allow you to justify your personal failures.
This bad habit not only skews your vision of the world, but it also destroys your motivation.
It leads you to believe that luck is the only reason why anyone is successful. The more value
you place on luck, the less important it seems to work hard and make investments in your success.
Over time, this negative mindset decreases your motivation to work and excel. If you’re convinced
that hard work doesn’t earn you anything in life, why invest time and effort into your goals?
Luckily, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Time, effort, and emotional investments are
essential components of any success story, no matter where they come from. The vast majority
of the time, people find success because they have made a commitment to their goals,
and they have stopped at nothing to achieve them. If you want to build motivation,
change your outlook on successful people. It’s okay to admit that they have done more than you.
You may not see it from the outside, but every successful person has committed long hours,
put their hearts into their work, and persevered through rejection and failure. They have done
the things you may be too scared to do, and those risks allowed them to find happiness and success.
The more credit you give to others, the more you empower yourself to change and
improve. If other people can work hard and be successful, you can too.
5. Pinpointing Flaws Nothing saps your motivation
faster than self-criticism. When something doesn’t go your way, you may attack your weaknesses and
exaggerate your failures. You may blame yourself for every mistake and swear you will never fail
again. You may think you’re motivating yourself to do better next time, but this harsh
self-criticism often damages your motivation. Why? Because you’re chipping away at your
self-efficacy. Each time you criticize your failures, you’re creating pressure,
stress, and self-doubt — all of which weigh on your mind and lower your confidence.
It’s hard to have faith in yourself when you are constantly fixating on your flaws.
If you want to build motivation, confidence, and self-belief, you need to find more constructive
ways to learn and improve. For instance, instead of criticizing your mistakes, try encouraging your
progress. Even if you fail, highlight any areas in which you changed or improved. This small but
meaningful habit reminds you that you are worth believing in. It provides evidence of your growth,
which motivates you to work hard and persevere. It’s okay to have high expectations
of yourself. It’s a good thing that you have lofty goals. But you need to support, uplift,
and encourage yourself, even when you fail. You need to believe in yourself when no one else will.
Ultimately, it’s your self-belief that motivates you to achieve your greatest aspirations.
6. Staying Still
Motivation is closely associated with movement, excitement, and change. Often, the most motivating
experiences are those things that change your perspective and spark your interest.
Your brain is naturally drawn to exciting and original experiences. These experiences boost your
energy and build your motivation, yet many people deprive themselves of new or exciting stimuli.
For example, many workers sit in the same spot and stare at the same screen for hours on end.
In the first hour, your brain may be interested in the work in front of you,
but that interest quickly fades. Your brain begins craving something new — something
interesting, exciting, or unique. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic change.
You don’t have to travel across the world every time your brain gets bored,
but you should regularly energize your brain by changing your environment or shifting your focus.
While spending hours in one place can sap your motivation, simple habits, like walking outside or
talking to a coworker, can improve your mood and reignite your interest. During these small breaks,
you provide your brain with a much-needed relief from those boring, monotonous activities.
A change in scenery or a lively conversation also requires different skill sets, flexing
areas of your brain that you didn’t use before. Every hour or two, give your brain something to
get excited about. Take a 5-minute break, go for a walk, or start a conversation. Each of
these habits will leave you feeling motivated and energized, no matter how bored or lazy you feel.
7. Shirking Responsibility Many people lose motivation
because they are unwilling to take responsibility for their mistakes. When something goes wrong,
they don’t think about what they did wrong. Instead, they blame their programs,
their coworkers, or something that was out of their control. This bad habit creates a disconnect
between the goals you set and the progress you make. You’re unable to improve because you
cannot identify the obvious flaws in your work. In other words, taking responsibility for your
failures is an important part of building motivation and achieving success. When you
own a mistake, you identify opportunities for improvement. Using that information,
you can create a clear path toward success. So, take responsibility for your mistakes.
Don’t assume your tools or your coworkers are the reason you haven’t found success.
Many of the most successful people achieved great things with less resources than you have now.
Work with what you’ve got. Learn from your mistakes. Because no matter who you are, your
happiness and success are your responsibility. Thank you for watching TopThink,
and be sure to subscribe, because more incredible content is on the way.