The debate about which came first the chicken or the egg can also apply to motivation and action. Do we have to be motivated before taking action or do we sometimes act, even when we don’t feel motivated to do so? Nike’s slogan, “Just do it,” encourages us to do before feeling motivated. While that may work in certain situations, there is no denying that being motivated works magic in moving us towards a desired goal.

Motivation is a personal undertaking. What works for one person, might not work for another. What works in one situation, might not work in another. In thinking about what motivates us, some themes have emerged. Do any of these resonate with you?

7 Ways to Get Motivated

1. Time Constraints – The pressure of time and imposed deadlines like friends arriving, packing for vacation or completing a report, can motivate us to reach our goals quickly and on time. The fear of not getting something done in time forces us to finish.

2. Self Development – The desire to look younger, get thinner, feel healthier, be smarter or get more organized can motivate us to make the changes needed in order to improve our self-esteem.

3. Peer Pressure – While we may not like to admit that we’re influenced by what others think or do, there are times we are motivated to act because of our peers. For example, I’ve noticed that when one friend starts getting organized it often motivates their friends to begin organizing too.

4. Extreme Pain – Being in physical or emotional distress can be one of the strongest motivators for change. Not all motivation stems from positive feelings. Sometimes, the negative ones force us over the edge to action because we just don’t want to be in pain any longer.

5. Life Changes – Significant life events such as marriage, births, deaths, divorce, illness and children leaving the nest or coming back home are huge catalysts for introspection and change. Their dramatic nature can cause us to make other big changes.

6. Simple Rewards – Sometimes a plain reward is enough to motivate us. I know we’re humans and not animals, but I remember how food played a huge role in motivating our dog, Norton. His love of food was so intense that he’d do almost anything for a “treat.” Sometimes food motivates me too. In the summer especially, the thought of a delicious ice cream cone from our local shop, The Blue Pig can motivate me to complete a project. Using other rewards like taking a bike ride, walking by the river, enjoying coffee with a friend or getting a massage can motivate us to complete our goals too.

7. Love Driven – Sometimes we are motivated because of our loved ones. Perhaps we want to get our affairs in order to make things easier for our family when we’re gone. Maybe we want to declutter our homes to create less stress and more harmony at home. Doing things for the people we love can be a strong motivator.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about what motivates you. When you get stuck, what propels you forward?

Don’t you just love the days that afford you the total freedom to do what you want when you want? I don’t know about you, but to me those types of days are a gift. More often than not, my time is fairly structured with commitments to be places at specific times, accomplish many tasks and goals, and coordinate with other people’s schedules. So, when I have a day “all to myself,” I really enjoy it.

Often on days like that, today being one of them, I start with a list of things I’d like to do and then go about doing them. But on this particular summer day, I found myself getting completely sidetracked. I was futzing and putzing for hours.  To my amazement, 4 o’clock rolled around and I hadn’t done one single thing from my list. There was the non-essential internet searching, the unimportant “really could wait” errands, eating of lunch followed by visiting my favorite local ice cream establishment, The Blue Pig. After all, what’s a day without soft serve berry ice?

Even before I decided to get ice cream, I realized that I was puttering for a reason. Simply stated, I needed the day to just float.  I figured that as long as I had futzed around for this long, I might as well extend it just a bit more and enjoy a frozen treat with my husband. After we ate our ice cream, I was motivated to work. And what do you think was the first item on my list? You guessed it…writing this post.

So, if you find yourself futzing and putzing, perhaps you need to indulge. Maybe you are craving a break from your busy schedule and list of to dos. Sometimes that break becomes exactly what you need to rejuvenate and get you motivated. As long as it’s in moderation, I encourage you to embrace the desire to putter and to stop feeling guilty. For more about motivation, read chapter seven of my book, The Other Side of Organized, which focuses exclusively on getting motivated to get organized.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your pros or cons of futzing and putzing?

We think about getting motivated, being motivated and staying motivated. And why? We desire to move forward and want the drive to do so. We desire to change from where we currently are to where we want to be. We have an end goal in sight whether it’s something large like organizing an entire household in preparation for a move or something smaller such as organizing the sock drawer.

I’ve kept a journal for almost 40 years. While I enjoy writing in it, it’s just as interesting to revisit previous entries. The re-reading gives me the perspective to review the challenges and check-in with the progress I’ve made or not. Just today, I was sitting outside in one of my favorite spots by the Hudson River. I was enjoying the summer sun, sea and my journal. I wrote and read.

I found a particular passage that inspired this post. Many months back I found myself with a list of seemingly impossible goals and things to do. I had overwhelmed myself with everything I’d committed to doing. I was worrying about how and if I’d get things done. That worry was using a lot of energy. The goals were there. The motivation was there and so was the stress.

Fast forward in my journal several months. I ended up accomplishing many of the things I set out to do. The stress and worry were gone. I wrote this reminder to myself:

“The motion is forward. The goals are many. Patience and time are key to give myself the courtesy and space to accomplish the varied and assorted goals.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®

As you pursue your goals and search for the motivation to do so, remember to be patient. Remind yourself that things take time. Even though it often seems like we need to do everything now or this instant, that is not realistic. Think about one thing at a time. Think about the next step. Be patient.

What are you working towards now that needs your time and patience?

Why is it that we do anything? The answer to that varies as widely as we do. We are not made from the same mold and what motivates you to accomplish your goals is different from what motivates your friends, kids or co-workers. It’s important to know what works for you because we all need something to help us move from place “A” to “B.”

Admittedly, I am extremely goal oriented. I think in terms of projects, short and long term goals. Sometimes just having a daily list of items I’ve set out to accomplish and knowing that by the end of the day they will be crossed out by my red marker is enough to motivate me to complete them. There are other times when my motivation works better if instead of it being visual (as in lots of red marker lines) it is time based. I play a “beat the clock” game with myself to accomplish something before a certain time so that I can go out and play. Wasn’t this a tactic our mothers used on us when we were small? I guess it was ingrained in my way of thinking. This often works well for me because as much as I like to get things done, I love to play even more.

A few weekends ago, in the true spirit of summer, we planned a day trip for Saturday. We were leaving around noon. So I woke up early to have breakfast, shower and get some work done. The fact that we were leaving at a specific time enabled me to focus on what I needed to accomplish. The added bonus and motivating force was that after I worked, I’d get to play and spend time with my family.

And play we did! There’s nothing like taking a day trip. One of my friends, Stacy Maxwell, writes a wonderful blog called “Backyard Therapy” exclusively about the value of going on day trips. The concept is that by stepping out of our normal routines and taking a break just for one day, our sense of well-being is restored.

Our day trip to the east end of Long Island did just that. While our girls are no longer little kids, we went to visit the Children’s Museum of the East End. My husband built some exhibits for them several years ago and we went to visit them in place. While it was fun to see his work, it was just as much fun watching our girls “play” at the museum. Dressing up was always a huge part of their childhood and they haven’t outgrown that yet. Their playfulness spilled over to us as we also enjoyed putting on tutus, pirate gear and firefighters’ jackets. Silly is good!

The day wouldn’t have been complete without having lunch outdoors, walking through the town, checking out an antiques fair, eating ice cream, touring the neighborhoods and seeing the ocean. I was amazed about the positive, rejuvenating effect our excursion had. It was a wonderful day! The idea of the trip provided me with the motivation to get some work done in the morning. The trip itself gave me time to reconnect, play and relax with my family. I was motivated to work by the notion that fun was at the other side. It was a win win!