THRIVEIN2025 setting ‘ new year , new me ’ resolutions can be triggering – so , if you feel your motivation has dwindled recently , don ’ t panic , there ’ s ways to get it back , nurture it and grow it , too .
The main reason we either become overwhelmed with the idea of motivation or lose it entirely is because our goals are too vague or too broad , so setting clear and specific goals – even for really small wins – helps make it easier to understand what we need to do to reach our desired outcome , as well as measure our progress in getting there .
Using the SMART technique to work towards each of your goals with clarity is a great place to start and , once in practise , is something we can all apply to the areas in our life that we feel we ’ ve neglected .
• Specific . Give your goals greater clarity and definition ; instead of saying ‘ I want to be fitter ’, commit to exercising for 20 minutes a day .
• Measurable . You ’ ll only know if you ’ re achieving your goals by setting – and recognising – benchmarks along the way , whether that ’ s saving £ 500 towards a £ 3,000 holiday or reading one book from a list of 10 .
• Achievable . Be realistic ; it ’ s great to have optimism , but if you ’ ve never run before , aim for a 5k and work your way up instead of immediately taking on a marathon .
• Relevant . Align your goals with your wider life objectives – if you ’ re aiming for more motivation to work on your spiritual side , for example , make a promise to yourself that you ’ ll practice more mindfulness or start journaling .
• Time-Sensitive . Want to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby ? Set yourself achievable deadlines as to when you ’ ll find it , start it and develop it over time .
FOCUS ON KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING
Learning is essential for the continuation of humanity , but this also means that it ’ s so embedded into our lives from a young age that we rarely stop to consider what it actually means . In a nutshell , it ’ s the process of gaining new skills , knowledge , understanding and values – and , with technology ’ s rapid advancement in almost all walks of life , it ’ s never been more crucial that we try and keep up . It was American futurist Alvin Toffler who said in his groundbreaking 1970 book , Future Shock : “ The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write , but those who cannot learn , unlearn and relearn .”
He wasn ’ t wrong , but the idea of continued learning doesn ’ t have to hold so much existential weight and can instead be focused on developing existing passions and interests . In fact , ongoing research on the topic has shown that people who practice continuous or lifelong learning are happier on average because learning about topics that interest us , makes most of us feel more content and enthused while also keeping boredom at bay .
Fulfilment at work and potential career development is also deeply reliant on our willingness to learn and retain knowledge as improving our existing skillsets and broadening them with new skills is an excellent stepping stone in the pursuit of both personal and professional development . What ’ s more , better skilled employees can do their jobs more efficiently , with research showing that companies with a strong learning culture are 52 % more productive than their less pro-active counterparts . Internal promotions are a timesaving and more cost-effective solution than hiring externally for most companies too , so the benefits of moving forward professionally through taking time to learn – and share – new knowledge are holistic ; a workplace win-win . www . insidekent . co . uk • 19