A few months ago, I had an interview for a job that I really wanted and I was quite sure I was going to land it after a great first interview and second interview and passing all tests they threw my way, but then came the third interview. A few days later I received a mail and in it the employer giving regrets that they decided to move forward with other candidates. They didn’t decide for me because I didn’t show enough interest in the position. For a few days, I felt really down and my motivation was nowhere to be found.

Then I decided that I had enough and I remembered the words of a friend of mine. He once told me the blunt and honest truth. “Only you can move your ass”. I immediately started to search for ways to keep my spirits high and tried out different approaches. Here’s what I found and what worked for me.

Making weekly goals and checkpoints to track progress

It is important to know what your goals are and to know if you are achieving them or not. Both can be motivating since if you are achieving them you can feel great about yourself and if you aren’t you can get the kick that you need to get back on track.

Watching or reading motivational stories or videos

Although it sounds cliché, motivational videos have the power to make your heart beat faster, to believe in yourself and to make you feel that anything is possible. Now I’m not saying that all you need to do is watch one or two videos and read a story, but it does help when you need a little pick-me-up.

Taking breaks and making sure you reward yourself when achieving goals

Taking breaks might sound counterproductive, but if you take a break from the task at hand and do something else. Go for a run, meet some friends or do a change of scenery. A little change can go a long way. If you’ve been for example writing applications every day for a week or two, you can take a day off and treat yourself, since you deserved it!

Everyone struggles with motivation every now and then and getting back on track can be difficult. Each person has their ways of keeping themselves motivated.  Try out these methods and see if they work for you or share what worked for you in the comments below!