Write Down The Things That Drain You To Identify Patterns

We have discussed plenty of ways to stay motivated, but it’s just as important to address the things that sap your energy and make you want to give up and try again tomorrow. Start by writing them down.

Photo by Brian A. Jackson (Shutterstock).

If you’re looking to make substantive changes, build better habits or just rediscover your passion, one of the first things to do is write down the things that actually sap your motivation and your energy. It may seem silly to write them down if you think you already know what they are, but getting them onto paper will help you connect the dots and see if there are some common themes connecting them. That way you can get to the root cause instead of just treating the symptoms. Author and speaker Scott Eblin explains it this way:

By asking me to write down all of my energy drainers, my coach created the opportunity for me to see the patterns and the connections among the items. There were some relatively easy things to do that ended up making a pretty big difference.

In essence, you may not be able to tackle everything on the list at once, but if you can identify one or two things that can make a big difference and improve your situation overall, it’s worth it. We’ve talked about how powerful writing can be, and how writing down positive things can help improve your outlook on things. Sometimes, doing the inverse can help you identify issues you didn’t know existed as well.

How to Get Rid of the Things That Drain You [Eblin Group]