How To Motivate Yourself To Reach Your Goal

Motivation is a tricky game.

It comes and goes at the best of times.

Most newbie writers aren’t sure how to deal with loss of motivation. Does it mean writings not for them? Does it mean they suck? Is their writing over?

No. The answer to all those questions is no. 

Losing motivation is normal. We all go through it, we all do it. We all hate the choice we made to become a writer at one point or another. We can’t think of the next word, every idea falls flat and we want to curl up in a ball and cry.

Motivation comes and goes but that doesn’t mean words do. 

I assume everyone reading this has had a job before. If not, when you read the word ‘job’ just replace it with something you have to do - go to school, wash the dishes, brush your teeth etc.

We go to work every day (that we’re employed to), we wake up at the same time, get dressed, have our coffee, get ourselves to the office (or equivalent), we do what’s asked, we attend meetings, we fill in forms, we greet people, we eat lunch, we work on our projects, we defend ourselves, we go home, we shower, we make dinner.

We might wake up and feel an urgency to get to work. We might work ourselves into the ground.

We might wake up and hit snooze. We might look outside and think up all the illnesses we could pretend to have. We might feel unmotivated and go extra slow in the morning. We might be hyper focused on our project, we might have to buy lunch, we might work slow. But we show up and we do what’s asked. 

Why?

Two reasons. We remember our “Why?” (Often to pay rent and buy groceries), and we have a routine. We can get up, get ourselves to work, do what’s needed and come home without too much thought. Because we have a routine.

This is how we battle lack of motivation in our writing. We need to have a routine so getting started happens with the least amount of effort possible. We need to remember our “Why?” If there’s no reason to push yourself, just go back to bed. The “why?” could be because you enjoy it, you want to work in writing full time, you want to finish the project, or you just like having goals and routine. The why is unique to you and only you.

Another point to make: At work, when you’re not feeling very motivated, you still do everything you need to. You file those folders, discharge those patients, and impart your knowledge. You might not be a star employee on those days, you might make a couple mistakes, you might even head home early. 

But you showed up. You did what you could. And you move on to a new day. You don’t beat yourself up, you don’t quit, you don’t look for a new career. You rack it up to a bad day. 

The same philosophy needs to be applied to your writing. If you’re having a bad day, you still show up; you do what you need to; and if you must, you clock off early. Tomorrow will be a new day. 

There’s no magic trick for gaining motivation but there are some techniques to help you get through the day:

1. Give yourself a treat. Perhaps an extra special coffee, a meal out, a new top, a walk with a friend. Something that will help make you smile while you are pushing through the work.

2. Give yourself time. If you’re not up to writing 1,000 words - and that’s your usual goal - slow down. If your word count is 1,000 in a day, cut it in half to 500. Or 250 if you need to. If you usually bang out a paragraph in 30 minutes, give yourself two hours. 

3. You’re allowed a sick day. It’s controversial but I think days off writing are allowed. If you sit in front of the screen and all you do is twist in a whirlpool of angst, close the computer and give yourself a break. Do I write everyday? No. I try to. I write every day that I can. But on the odd day I can’t bring myself to look at the page, I don’t. And I’ve published two books, have two successful blogs, my own website, freelance, write guest posts and have a third book out 30th October 2025. Breaks keep you from going insane.

Do you have any tips that help you stay sane and get past the lack of motivation?

I’d love to hear them and add them to my toolbox.