A 4-step ritual to find your motivation

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cally drained. This was in January 2009, after which the wound took six months to heal. However, her condition continued to get worse. It turned into severe back pain, eventually making it impossible to sit even through a cup of coffee. For two months, the doctors tried pain management and physiotherapy. The expenses were heavy, with no relief, and we were extremely worried. An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging">MRI</a> showed deterioration in her vertebral column and it was obvious she had spinal TB. Ironically, still no treatment seemed forthcoming.</i></p><p id="4b93"><i>Miserable, I met Mom’s doctor again, who finally suggested another MRI, which we did right away. He saw the report and advised immediate surgery.</i></p><p id="bdb0"><i>This naturally shook us up. He set up an appointment with a spine specialist, who was of the same opinion. Alarmed, I decided to get a second and third opinion. I was advised to see an orthopedic.</i></p><p id="c6b9"><i>I did, and was pleasantly relieved when he said surgery is not an emergency and should only be the last resort. He suggested complete bed rest for two months, saying there was a chance she would recover fully. This was music to my ears.</i></p><p id="590b"><i>Hope is a wonderful thing. After the months of suffering she had gone through, we were delighted to begin this regimen. I was totally motivated and enthusiastic. Of course we couldn’t predict the future, but we could hope. And when our attitude is positive — life can be good.</i></p><p id="058f">So, what I am trying to say is, we can always find motivation, even if we have to dig a little deep.</p><p id="b615">I have realized many times that a healthy dose of motivation coupled with determination will get you almost anything in life. When you are genuinely motivated, i

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t will:</p><ul><li>get you out of bed</li><li>constantly remind you why you do what you do</li></ul><p id="8074">What about when motivation is low?</p><p id="a5d2">Here’s what I do:</p><h1 id="b726">Step #1: Find your motivator</h1><p id="e165">Motivation stems from having a goal. What is your goal? Why do you want to do what you want to do?</p><p id="a516">Once you uncover your personal motivator you’ll find that motivation flows quickly your way. Find the REAL reason WHY.</p><h1 id="557f">Step #2: Write it down</h1><p id="3098">This makes it more real. Write it and put it up where you can see it. The inspiration is amazing. Helps you visualize yourself accomplishing your goal — and gives you focus and direction.</p><h1 id="ccf8">Step #3: Be Practical</h1><p id="d39e">Time for action. You know what you want — and now its time to make a plan to achieve your goal. Be practical. Weed out ideas that wont work.</p><p id="b4da">Plan a <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-magic-of-routines-8ffb3761c63">routine</a> that will fit into your schedule and you’ll be more likely to stick with it.</p><h1 id="ba3b">Step #4: Get support</h1><p id="37ed">Get the support of friends and family. Share your goal and you’ll be surprised at the support and encouragement you can get.</p><p id="e2e6">I am doing it. Its working for me.</p><figure id="034d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*6gfnVvkMRFtjVsWF7vkClA.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><h2 id="fd41">This story is published in The Startup, Medium’s largest entrepreneurship publication followed by 303,461+ people.</h2><h2 id="7945">Subscribe to receive our top stories here.</h2><figure id="c222"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*6gfnVvkMRFtjVsWF7vkClA.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></article></body>

A 4-step ritual to find your motivation

A shortcut to find motivation when you feel low

Sometimes life gets so busy that it seems like the hamster wheel won’t stop. Before we can rejoice about checking off two things on that to-do list, six more have miraculously added themselves. Often, it becomes so hard to draw the line between urgent and priority. And most of the time, urgent becomes a way of life.

The hectic busyness need not always be unpleasant. Nevertheless, tough or happy, the result is fatigue, and somewhere along the way, motivation starts to lag. We generally tend to start things over-enthusiastically and when the energy levels sag, it leaves us uninspired.

I remember, years ago how, when my Mom was going through a particularly bad patch, we had gotten caught up in a never-ending round of doctors’ visits, lab tests and medical opinions, all of which seemed futile, with no real solution in sight. Then one day, frustrated, I reached saturation point. But first, let me tell you a little bit of the back story.

My mother had been ill for over 4 years at the time and was in and out of hospital. Three of these occasions were quite traumatic. Then in 2007, she was diagnosed with pulmonary TB and underwent treatment. As the treatment continued, she developed a major PSOAS abscess, which had to be surgically drained. This was in January 2009, after which the wound took six months to heal. However, her condition continued to get worse. It turned into severe back pain, eventually making it impossible to sit even through a cup of coffee. For two months, the doctors tried pain management and physiotherapy. The expenses were heavy, with no relief, and we were extremely worried. An MRI showed deterioration in her vertebral column and it was obvious she had spinal TB. Ironically, still no treatment seemed forthcoming.

Miserable, I met Mom’s doctor again, who finally suggested another MRI, which we did right away. He saw the report and advised immediate surgery.

This naturally shook us up. He set up an appointment with a spine specialist, who was of the same opinion. Alarmed, I decided to get a second and third opinion. I was advised to see an orthopedic.

I did, and was pleasantly relieved when he said surgery is not an emergency and should only be the last resort. He suggested complete bed rest for two months, saying there was a chance she would recover fully. This was music to my ears.

Hope is a wonderful thing. After the months of suffering she had gone through, we were delighted to begin this regimen. I was totally motivated and enthusiastic. Of course we couldn’t predict the future, but we could hope. And when our attitude is positive — life can be good.

So, what I am trying to say is, we can always find motivation, even if we have to dig a little deep.

I have realized many times that a healthy dose of motivation coupled with determination will get you almost anything in life. When you are genuinely motivated, it will:

get you out of bed

constantly remind you why you do what you do

What about when motivation is low?

Here’s what I do: