At some point or another, everyone gets burned out and unmotivated. Sometimes you start to dread doing even the smallest tasks. It’s important to try to get out of this slump before you get stuck in it. Try to remind yourself of the things that inspire you and that bring you joy. This can motivate you to think about your next goal and how you’re going to get there. Sawyer Grace Simmons (11) describes her inspiration for finding motivation to keep pushing herself every day. 

“I continuously look to God and pray. I also tell myself that every day I’m faced with two options: lay in bed asleep with your dreams or get up and chase them,” Simmons said.

The first step to finding motivation is deciding that you want to see improvement in yourself. You don’t like how you’re living your life now? Ok, then change it. You want better things for yourself? Ok, start doing better.  If you want to get your homework done, you’ve got to get up and do it. If you want to have more money, you’ve got to get a job. If you want to get good grades, you’ve got to study. Nobody is going to do it for you, so you’ve got to do it yourself. We try to make excuses or make things more complicated than they have to be, but it’s just point A to point B. If you want it done, do it. It may not always be that simple, but usually, the only thing stopping you is yourself. It’s a hard mental block to overcome, but with the right approach, you can do anything. Chloe Tinker (10) recounts her struggle with motivation and how she has worked to overcome it.

“High school can be really difficult, oftentimes it’s a lot of work with very little reward. Finishing an assignment makes me feel accomplished, and I can usually use that feeling to motivate myself to keep working. It’s also important to know when to just call it a night or maybe take a break,” Tinker said.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. You have to work towards it, and the best way to do that is to set small goals for yourself. Like trying to do one hard thing a day. Whether it’s making your bed, or getting out of bed at all, do things you’ve thought of as “hard” and remind yourself how capable you are. Think about where you see yourself in 5 years. Think about the steps you will need to take to get there. Try to get just a little closer each day. Never forget to show yourself grace, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help.