Motivation: Factors within a human being or animal that arouse and direct goal-oriented behavior.  —Webster’s Dictionary

We all get down on ourselves or our situation, bummed out, or overwhelmed. Like with any solution, the first step is to recognize and identify your trouble, look it straight in the eye, and work to triumphantly overcome it. Well, this can be easier said than done, so here are a few practical tips to really get you fired back up when you’re stuck in a rut.

Look on the bright side
Think about—or better yet, write down—all the good things you’ve had and all the good things you’ve done. Whether they are material accomplishments or simply treasured moments with friends and family, this will remind you that life isn’t all that bad. Furthermore, it will remind you of what you’re capable of when you are motivated and getting stuff done. Climbing a mountain, finishing a book, doing well on a test, nailing an interview, or just receiving a compliment from someone who likes your style. The glass is half full!

Read books, Listen to Podcasts, Watch Videos
One of the easiest things to do while feeling unmotivated to do anything is to receive some positive input from a book, podcast, video, or other media. It’s easy because it’s passive—you can just sit there and absorb new information flashed before your eyes and ears. You can find plenty of  free podcasts, e-books, or inspirational quotes online that will get you fired up. If you don’t feel like reading, you can usually find an audio book, like the ‘4 Hour Workweek’ or Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’. All these ‘motivational’ medias can work great and are usually applicable to many situations, but you might also check out a biography about one of your role models or a book on how to better do your particular line of work, or even just your particular hobby to get you started in something you find most enjoyable.

Find a Role Model
Steve Jobs, Henry David Thoreau, or Warren Buffett are all inspirational people and it’s great to read about them and hear how they reached their goals in life. Though you’re most likely not in a similar situation or time period, certain habits and methods of achievement could certainly be applicable to improving your own situation. You can choose as many different role models as you like for as many different areas of life, skimming off the top the best attributes from each. When you get to know your role models better, you can try to think of what they would do in your shoes.

Goals
You’ve got to have some goals. Run the gamut: start with your wildest dreams, then bring it down to daily goals. Think of different timelines, like 20 years out, 10, 5, 1 year in the future; what do you want to be doing by this Tuesday next month? Your goals can and should be crazy and challenging, but also have some that you can accomplish sooner than later. It is crucial to break down the goals into smaller, more approachable steps—’Baby Steps’. As a high school trigonometry teacher once said, “A piece at a time equals a piece of cake.” Goals will help get you started, provide direction, and keep you focused, giving you a reason to stay up late and/or get up early every day (maybe make 8 hours of sleep a goal). Like the quotes discussed above, you definitely want to write these down and put them around your house, car, office, etc., to constantly remind yourself of what you’re working toward.

Keep your cool
Sometimes I have so much to do that I just stare at the ceiling, paralyzed and overwhelmed, without a clue where to begin. To stop everything I need to do from swirling around in my head, I start by writing down a list of all the things I need to do. Just brainstorm and let things flow for a while. Then step back and prioritize, then start with priority number one and break it down into the most doable steps, which may be just taking a shower or making a phone call. Listing like this kind of goes along with goals, and it’s ok if these intertwine, just try to keep your tasks specific and doable.

Visualize Success
Imagine yourself having completed a goal—where you’ll be, who you’ll be with, how you’ll be sitting, what you’ll be drinking, what you’ll be wearing, and what you’ll have done. This could be a huge change or maybe not much, but you’ll at least be wearing a smile. If you think about it enough, you will eventually think it into being. “The more I practice, the luckier I get,” said Michael Jordan; “If you book them, they will come,” said Jim Morrison’s character in Wayne’s World.

Take a Break
Don’t keep hitting your head against the wall. Slow down, take a deep breath, take a break. Get some exercise or just start with a walk around the block. Some fresh air and a little movement will get your blood flowing and start helping you think new thoughts. Doing something other than what you’re stuck on will get your mind in a different frame and maybe you’ll even come up with a new solution that you couldn’t see before.

Reward Yourself
When you achieve a goal, reward yourself. Don’t go overboard, but you know, take a break, eat a treat (preferably healthy, like strawberries), do some yoga or go for a run. Maybe buy some toy you’ve been wanting. Just don’t go spending that whole chunk of money you’ve been working toward, or linger too long in revelry—I’ve found that as soon as I think I’m ahead, I start slipping.

Keep the End in Sight
As an entrepreneur, hopefully you’re doing something you are passionate about in one way or another. Creating your own business can be a lot of work though, and some points along the way will definitely be tough. Just keep the end in sight, how you’ll feel when you’ve come out on top. Like exercise can stink sometimes too, but man does it feel good when you’re done!

Make a Difference
How will your project impact the world or your neighborhood? Helping others in your community or just bringing a smile to a few faces are both important contributions. Think of all the people that rely on you and respect you, and what will happen to them if you stay unmotivated. It could be a direct family member or even just a young impressionable kid that you see only every once in a while. Interactions like that make a difference in other peoples’ lives, if not your own. Don’t get holed up in your head in your house—just getting outside your comfort zone and interacting a bit can get you going again. Hopefully whatever you’re doing can make a difference to someone or everyone.

Pete Sveen is the owner of SignsoftheMountains.com and promotes entrepreneurship through his site ThinkEntrepreneurship.com.