Here are 5 simple motivation hacks. These aren’t the common ones you’ll find on Oprah. They’re real ones that actually work – if you’re brave enough to test them for yourself. I’m not even going to do a boring intro on why they work. They just do. Here we go:
Hulk Up
Table of Contents
Get pissed.
Get seriously pissed at your goal. Throw stuff. Break things. Yell. Scream. Call your goal names and punch it in the nose.
Then go dominate it.
It works for the hulk. It can work for you.
Blackmail Yourself
Tell your friend you intend to do XYZ goal.
Set a date and bet your rent. Or twice your rent. Whatever you do, make it HURT.
Put your money in their hands on the start date.
If you don’t do what you say you want to do by the date you set, your friend either keeps the cash or gives it to the person you hate most. I’ve talked about blackmailing yourself extensively here.
Create A Painful Alternative Outcome
Similar to the above but, instead of money, make a personally painful outcome.
- If you wuss out on finishing a race, make yourself do two.
- If you miss your morning workout, you have to do 200 burpees before you go to bed.
- If you quit, make yourself tell everybody you know.
My old basketball coach was a pro at this. Miss a play on defense on you’ll be on the line running sprints! (Needless to say, we focused a lot on defense).
Create a painful alternative outcome so, even if you don’t feel like running towards your goal, you’ll want to run away from whatever painful alternative outcome you’ve set for yourself.
Create NO Alternative Outcome
Put yourself in a corner. Make it so that your only choice is to succeed. Make it so you that have no other choice than to fight it out and win.
Decide that there is no acceptable alternative other than success.
Make no Plan B. Bet it all on Plan A.
Then figure out how the hell to make it happen.
Become The Goal
Own your goal.
Stop trying to accomplish the goal and make it a part of who you are – your identity.
- You’re not trying to work out 3 days a week – you ARE the guy who works out 3 days a week. That’s what you do, not what you try to do.
- You’re not trying to learn Spanish. You SPEAK Spanish. No matter how terribly, you speak it.
- You’re not a “freelancer” trying to start a business. You run ____ business and you’re making $____/year.
You need to have some gall. In order to achieve what you want to achieve, you have to become the person who’s capable of achieving that. Stop trying to become it and start acting like it’s a part of your identity from the start. You’ll get there faster.
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Notice what most of these “motivation” hacks aren’t. They’re not “go watch this video” or “go buy X.” You don’t need that crap. You need to tap in to the animal part of your mind in order to accomplish stuff. PAIN is an incredible motivator. Use it. Create painful alternatives with TEETH that make you change OR ELSE.
Nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change.” – Arthur Burt
Stop trying to be “normal”, and accomplish something impossible. If you want to do something uncommon, you’re going to have to do things uncommonly. Stop running from it – embrace it.
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photo credit: JD Hancock via photopin cc
I thought the first one was my favorite – get pissed. Then I read the fifth one. My goal should not be a thing separate from me, a thing I am reaching for. It should be a vital part of me: I have a heart, I have lungs, I have goals, I have a skeleton, etc. Thanks!
Great morning advice, I’m gonna get pissed and go wash the hulk, then continue to kick plan A’s arse!!
“Hulking up” has been a great motivation strategy for me over the years. But I’d add that you should make sure you get some chill time afterward. If you use this strategy too much, then you end up carrying around a lot of stress.
Great list. I particularly like the blackmailing one and the making the goal your own.
Joel, one day you’re gonna kill all of us but we love you for it.
What do you think about telling a gossipy person about your goal and telling her NOT to tell anyone?
Haha I absolutely love this list. I use a few of these items on a daily basis to keep myself motivated and more importantly keep myself accountable. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you actually make yourself accountable for your actions and your role in situations. I like how you advise using your emotions to change your state too. Emotions can get you out of a rut and into action lightning quick. Awesome article. Simple and effective! Keep up the good work
Great list! I put a picture of Justin Bieber on my boyfriend’s refrigerator. Having your manliness questioned seems like it is a good motivator for men.
These are motivation tips on steroids.
I like the bit about becoming the goal. It is, in other words, you gotta fake it till you make it; A mantra I have always put a lot of stock into.
Brilliant stuff Joel! Nice work. Ill try this today.
These tips are refreshing.
My favorite is hulking up. It’s similar to my “hell no” approach to tasks I’ve spent too much thinking or procrastinating on. It has worked for me a number of times.
Thanks especially for urging me not to watch another video or buy another anything. I’m especially guilty of these. They are nothing but delay tactics guaranteed to overwhelm me and avoid the accomplishment of my goals that much
Yeah, this is crap actually. This old lady has tried all of these and the only thing that have me piece of mind was letting go of angers. Letting anger fester is self defeating and if you use it as motivation, chances are in your pursuit to seek revenge on whomever our whatever you want revenge, you may step on other tours that are going to seek the same revenge on you one day. Admit that the world contains a lot of Assholes, try not to become one and move on with your life KNOWING that all assholes get theirs even off you’re not there to see it.