Tips to Stay Consistent When Your Motivation is Gone

Jazmin Anderson

Today | 3 min read

Key Takeaways

Align your goals with personal values so each step feels purposeful, not just a superficial target.
Build habits by focusing on consistent show‑ups rather than intensity, using clear triggers and rewards to keep the routine running when motivation wanes.
Set SMART, measurable milestones and practice self‑compassion; tracking progress and treating setbacks kindly sustains momentum over the long haul.

When you first set a goal, you might find yourself bursting with excitement to get started on the journey of achieving it.

However, once the excitement wears off and your motivation runs low, you’ll have to find other ways to ensure you’re showing up. If you find yourself struggling with sticking to your goals, these tips are here to help.

Set goals based on your values

Familiarizing yourself with your values and aligning your goals to them will help you stay motivated. For example, if you want to reach a goal, instead of focusing on superficial outcomes to motivate yourself, tie it back to one of your core values. Your values shape how you live your life. Once you learn what they are, you can leverage them to fuel your success.

Understand how habits are formed

The basic building blocks of habits are the trigger, the behavior and the reward, according to Western University. Once you understand what drives your habits, you can engineer the triggers and rewards to make a habit desirable to perform even when your motivation is low.

When trying to establish a habit, focus on the number of times you show up to do it instead of the duration or intensity at which you perform the habit. For example, if you want to start going to the gym, start out with light exercise. Once you are a regular at the gym, you can do harder workouts for longer periods.

Build routines

There are certain habits you need to build on top of other habits to sustain them. For example, if you want to work out every morning, you might need to start waking up and going to bed earlier to have time for exercise.

Think about what changes you need to make in your daily life to support your new habits. Having a routine consisting of a series of behaviors can help you move forward even on days when motivation is lacking. One action triggers a series of other actions if you have a consistent routine, making the brain use less energy to engage in them. Have a consistent structure in place with the ability to pivot and be flexible when necessary.

Make your goals measurable

Make sure you set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART) goals. Break larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, instead of setting a broad goal like “exercise regularly,” set a measurable plan, such as working out for 15 minutes every morning.

Breaking down your goals into smaller, actionable steps makes them less daunting. Making sure they are measurable helps with tracking your progress, which can increase your motivation to continue the habit.

Be kind to yourself

Focusing on self-criticism after setbacks can reduce motivation. Being self-compassionate could help you stay motivated during difficult periods. Being self-critical when you’re already at an emotional low might further drain your energy and make it harder to continue working towards your goals. Instead, use self-compassionate language when encountering challenges or experiencing self-doubt.

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