It took me a loooong time to write this blog post. I’ve had a lot happening in my life professionally and personally and so, as with many things when unexpected events take priority, the blog was unintentionally moved to the bottom of my To Do list. Well, actually, it probably fell off. Every time I had a quick second to think about reprioritizing and writing the post, I got consumed with other things. So, I had to buckle down, turn off my phone, and follow the “tried and true” advice I discussed in Getting Started.

This post is most apropos for this time of year (if you’re an educator) and those who are in the middle of a project that has lost the luster and excitement of being new, but the end result is too far away to use the finish line as motivation. When you’ve reached the 10th mile in a marathon, what do you do in the meantime to maintain your momentum and progress?

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO STAYING MOTIVATED IN THE MEANTIME…

STEP 1: Create short-term goals.

Creating short-term, realistic, and attainable goals where you can identify the completion of a task, project, unit, or mile will save you from the depths of discouragement. If you have an intimidating number of concepts to teach before the end of the year or you’re involved in countless activities and projects with each requiring a lot from you, it could be easy to get overwhelmed and give up. Break down the larger goal into smaller weekly or biweekly goals. For example, at the end of two weeks, plan to complete one unit or teach two-three related concepts in depth. Creating a short-term goal will provide you with the metaphoric finish line you need for motivation and, invariably, bring you one step closer to the actual finish line.

STEP 2: Assess your progress for each short-term goal.

When narrowing your focus on a short-term goal, it’s not enough to simply complete it. Be sure to assess the quality of the product you completed. If it was not done well or to your expected standard, all is not lost. This is the precise moment your next short-term goal should be to improve what was just completed. You will continue to make progress with both short- and long-term goals – and, you will be further along on your journey than you were before.

STEP 3: Celebrate your short-term accomplishments.

You don’t have to have a big celebration, if that’s not your personality, but it’s important to acknowledge the completion of a goal you’ve set. Acknowledging your short-term progress will provide you with the momentum and motivation you need to continue until you have reached your ultimate goal. Whether you’ve planned an activity for a small celebration each time, a phone call or text to your biggest supporter, or simply put a check mark on your short-term-goal calendar, be sure to punctuate the moment with some sort of acknowledgment commensurate with your accomplishment. You’ve set out to do something of significance to you, whether big or small, so be sure to celebrate; you deserve it!

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Acknowledging the lull and inertia associated with being in the middle of a long-term project is important for developing ways to overcome that inertia and build momentum toward your ultimate goal. So, don’t beat yourself up or wallow in your lack of motivation – do something about it! Create short-term goals that will bring you to your ultimate goal and you’ll be well on your way!.