The shelf life of motivation

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.
Og Mandino
1923 – 1966

No doubt you’ve heard of the ‘shelf life’ of a product — a term typically applied to food. Most food products come with a ‘use by’ date; after that date, the product is no longer at its peak and may not be fit for consumption.

I’d like to introduce a different sort of shelf life: that of motivation.

When we decide to change a behavior, start a new project, or pursue some other goal, the drive to follow through has a limited life span. Unfortunately, it’s not always long enough to get us to the finish line. (This is one of the top reasons New Year’s resolutions are so rarely kept.)

Let me give you a common example. You decide you want to get in shape. At the moment the choice is made, you’re probably quite excited about it. You might buy fitness clothes, join a gym, develop an exercise plan, and vow to work out five days a week. But as we all know, enthusiasm for our plans can quickly wane. When we first have an idea, our motivation is high. But as the days pass, that motivation can dwindle and then expire, taking our commitment to master our goal with it.

If we’re going to achieve our goals, we need to be aware of and extend the shelf life of our motivation.

The first step is to start pursuing the goal as soon as the decision is made. The longer you wait to start, the more doubt and fear can build up, undermining your confidence and conviction. Delaying action can greatly shorten the shelf life of motivation.

Another effective tactic is to accumulate quick wins. No matter what your goal, strive for some short term results that will help you gain momentum. Meeting small targets early on will provide positive reinforcement, renewing your energy and enthusiasm for your goal.

Next, enlist the help of others to keep you motivated and on track. You can recruit a friend, an accountability partner, or even a coach. Without help, it’s too easy to create excuses when your enthusiasm starts to fade. A good accountability partner will help keep you on track.

Finally, make sure you have a strong reason for pursuing your plans. If you’re trying to achieve a difficult goal, you need a compelling reason to keep you motivated. Get clear on why this goal is important to you. How will your life be improved by this plan? What need does it satisfy? I suggest you review these answers often; if the need behind your goal is important to you, revisiting it will help renew your motivation.

Motivation is a feeling, and like all feelings, it can fade away if it’s not reinforced — and without it, you won’t invest the time and energy required to meet your goals. Don’t let your plans die because your motivation exceeded its shelf life.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas A. Edison
1847 – 1931