How to Stay Motivated During Adversity

You know those days when it seems like everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

You sleep through your alarm, don’t have time for breakfast, miss your bus, get to work late, and things go downhill from there.
Or it’s more than a bad day. You’ve had bad news, the bills are coming in, and you don’t know what’s coming next. It’s easy to stay motivated and energized when things are going well, but what about when times are tough? How do you keep going when things are looking grim? These are the times when you have a clear choice about how to react. You can bury your head in the sand and hope that it will all go away, or you can choose to take control and find a way out.

Here are three practical ways you can keep your motivation high and paddle out of adversity.

1. Get clear on what’s happening
Adversity can seem confusing and overwhelming. Part of the fear and paralysis comes from not knowing what to do. It can help if you take the time to sit back and work out just what is going on. Once you have the facts in front of you, you can assess how big the problem is and how much is under your control. You’ll know what you need to do and you can start to plan.
2. Write it down
Writing things down on paper not only gets the worries out of your head but often it shrinks those problems down from overwhelming and insoluble to clear-cut and not so scary after all. Sometimes the very act of writing helps you formulate solutions. And it gives you something concrete that you can talk through with family, friends or colleagues.
3. Share your worries
Lying awake at 4 am is not going to solve any of your problems. In fact, issues seem to get bigger as the night goes on. Chances are whatever problems are happening to you they are not unique. Everyone goes through tough times whether it’s related to finances, health, employment or relationships. The adage ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ is deeply rooted in truth. The act of sharing your worries helps enormously. Sometimes just sharing your troubles makes you feel better, and often asking for help or support can lead you to a solution.

You don’t have to stay stuck in helplessness when things are tough. You can take control of your life by being clear about the problem and taking steps to find the right solution.