How to Get Refocused on Your Goals When You’re Unmotivated

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Even the most motivated people in the world get thrown off course. We all experience trauma, sickness, transition, and unforeseen circumstances that can stop us in our tracks and suck our inspiration. And sometimes, we’re just burnt out from letting our progress and accomplishments dictate our worth (read the last Joyful Takeaways post for more on this topic.)

In those seasons, it’s so important to take time to give yourself space to recenter. Don’t force yourself to gut it out if your body, mind, or Spirit are telling you to rest. But when it’s time to get back up and get moving again, there are things you can do to get back in the groove and pursue what I like to call graceful intention: a life lived with purpose but always centered in grace.

Here are some ways to gain momentum and make progress when you’re ready to get back into motion.

1. Get back to the basics.

While your vision is all about the big picture, your basics are about doing the things you know you have to do to move the needle every day. What are the main things you want to get done? For me, I have a shortlist of things that I do on a regular basis to make sure I move forward, even if just a little bit.

Quiet time first thing in the morning.

Whether it’s 5 minutes or 50, starting the day with the Lord will never steer you wrong. Read the Bible. Worship. Journal. Pray. It may be tempting to hit snooze or skip this routine, but time with the Lord is the best investment you can make every day.

30 minutes of movement.

Move your body every day. Whether that’s it’s a mixture of walking the dog and a quick bodyweight workout or a full-on weight training session, make movement a non-negotiable. And no matter what the routine is, make sure to drink a protein shake post-workout to help your muscles recover. This addition to my fitness routine has made the BIGGEST difference for seeing visible progress.

Green smoothie every day.

Listen, there are some days when eating a lot of vegetables just isn’t in the cards. That’s why it’s so important to sneak in the greens whenever you can. And if you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen me post about my go-to green smoothie.

1 banana

½ cup frozen riced cauliflower (you can’t taste it!)

½ cup or more frozen berries

Heaping handful of spinach

Water to get things moving

It’s light, refreshing, and full of nutrients. And no matter what the rest of your schedule looks like, you’ll know you’ve already gotten in some greens for the day!

1-minute cold shower blast.

I’ve been doing this since January and have seen an improvement in my health, energy, and more importantly, my confidence because I remember that I can DO HARD THINGS. Take your normal hot shower and when it’s almost time to hop out, turn on the cold water. This will be uncomfortable so plan for it. Move your body. Sing. Shout. And always remember to breathe (please don’t pass out.)

2. Be grateful for the opportunity to refocus.

I was lucky to speak at the 2019 Wheatful Woman Event alongside keynote speaker, Dr. Caroline Leaf. One of the (many) amazing points she made in her presentation is the idea of gratitude when you screw up. Instead of shaming yourself for making a mistake which can lead to negative damage in the brain, try thanking yourself for the self-awareness you’re experiencing. Show gratitude that you were able to acknowledge how you want to grow because an older version of you might not have recognized the opportunity to change. The slip-ups we shame ourselves for today were once the progress we only hoped for in the past.

3. Get clear about your why.

If you’re feeling unmotivated in your current season, shift your focus away from what’s not working well in your life and get centered on your long-term vision. Think about the person you want to become and the reason you want to grow.

Ask yourself these questions to find clarity and inspiration:

  • Why do I want to grow and pursue my potential?

  • What am I passionate about? What fires me up?

  • What does my ideal self look like? What characteristics would describe me?

  • What are 5 big picture dreams I have for myself?

  • How can this current (season, hardship, circumstance, etc.) be the best thing that ever happened to me?

4. Choose one goal or focus and take it slow.

When you lose motivation and want to give up altogether, overwhelm is probably a culprit. In seasons like this, don’t try to accomplish all the things. The best thing you can do to set yourself up for success is to take it slow and focus on building consistency. Just like when starting a new workout routine, you want to focus on form over the number of reps. It’s more important to be intentional with every movement than it is to cross off all the lists.

Instead of trying to grow your business, improve your marriage, take on a new health and fitness routine, become a better friend, and volunteer in your community all at once, just pick one. Your growth pursuits may all be good, but the right things at the wrong time are still the wrong things. The negative you get from the wrong cancels everything out (thanks, math.)

Don’t get discouraged if you’ve recently lost focus on the good goals you’ve set for yourself. You’re going to hit rough patches when you backslide on your progress and personal growth takes a back seat. It happens to all of us. But it’s not about having the perfect journey. It’s about how you get back up and keep going that matters.

Joyful Takeaway: The slip-ups we shame ourselves for today were once the progress we only hoped for in the past.