Teen Motivation

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Hey, friends! I’m here to talk to you about something that might seem boring, but trust me, it’s not.

So you know, we just started a Teen help group, and we have to keep it active. That’s why I came up with this topic today. It’s something that can change your life for the better and make you happier, healthier, and more successful.

It’s something that you have the power to do right now, no matter who you are or where you come from. It’s something that I call: MOTIVATION.

Motivation is the force that drives you to do things. It’s what makes you get up in the morning, go to school, study, work hard, and pursue your dreams. It’s also what makes you overcome challenges, learn from mistakes, and grow as a person. Motivation is what makes you happy and fulfilled.

But motivation is not something that you either have or don’t have. It’s not something you’re born with, or someone else gives you. It’s something that you create for yourself every day by choosing your attitude, actions, and goals.

So, how do you create motivation? How do you find the spark that ignites your passion and purpose? How do you keep it going when things get tough or boring?

Well, there’s no one answer to these questions because everyone is different and has different sources of motivation. But I can share with you some tips that have personally helped me and many others to stay motivated and achieve our goals.

Tip #1: Find your why.

Your why is the reason behind what you do. It’s the answer to the question: why do I want to do this? Why do I want to go to school? Why do I want to study this subject? Why do I want to pursue this career? Why do I want to improve myself? Your why is your vision of what you want to accomplish and who you want to become.

It’s your personal mission statement. And it’s what gives meaning and direction to your life.

To find your why, you need to ask yourself some questions. What are you passionate about? What are you good at? What are your values? What are your strengths? What are your interests? What are your dreams? What are the problems that you want to solve or the causes that you want to support? What are the things that make you happy and excited?

Once you have some answers, write them down. Make a list of your whys. And then, choose one or a few that resonate with you the most.

These are your main whys. These are the ones that will motivate you the most. If you do not feel free to write it on paper or fear that someone else would see ’em, u can use e-papers like Google Docs. But I don’t recommend that much cuz that can cause eye problems too.

Tip #2: Set SMART goals.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These are the criteria that make a good goal. A good goal is clear, concrete, realistic, meaningful, and has a deadline. A good goal is not vague, abstract, impossible, irrelevant, or open-ended.

For example, a bad goal would be: I want to be successful. This goal is too vague and abstract. What does success mean to you? How will you measure it? How will you achieve it? When will you achieve it?

A good goal is to graduate from high school with a 3.5 GPA by June 2024. This goal is specific (you know exactly what you want), measurable (you can track your progress), achievable (you have the skills and resources to do it), relevant (it aligns with your why), and time-bound (you have a deadline).

To set SMART goals, u need to break down your big vision into smaller steps. Start with your main why and then ask yourself: what do I need to do to achieve it? What are the milestones along the way? What are the actions that I can take every day, every week, or every month?

Once you have some answers, write them down. Make a list of your SMART goals. And then prioritize them according to their importance and urgency.

Tip #3: Make a plan.

A plan is a roadmap that shows you how to get from where you are now to where you want to be.

A plan is a tool that helps you organize your time, resources, and energy. It’s also a strategy that helps you overcome obstacles, avoid distractions, and stay focused.

To make a plan, you need to use your SMART goals as a guide. For each goal, ask yourself: what are the steps that I need to take to achieve it? What are the resources that I need to use or acquire? What are the potential challenges or risks that I might face? How will I overcome them or prevent them?

Once you have some answers, write them down. Make a list of your action steps for each goal. And then schedule them in your calendar or planner.

Tip #4: Take action.

Action is the bridge between your plan and your results. Action is what turns your dreams into reality. Action is what makes motivation happen.

To take action, you need to follow your plan and execute your action steps. You need to do what you said you would do when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. You need to be consistent, disciplined, and persistent.

But taking action is not always easy. Sometimes, you might feel lazy, bored, tired, scared, or discouraged. Sometimes, you might face obstacles, setbacks, failures, or rejections. Sometimes, you might lose sight of your why, your goals, or your plan.

That’s why u need to have some strategies to keep yourself motivated and on track.

Here are some strategies that you can try:

Remind yourself of your why. Review your vision and mission statement regularly. Visualize your desired outcome and how it will make you feel. Think about the benefits and rewards of achieving your goals. Think about the consequences and regrets of not achieving them.
Reward yourself for your progress. Celebrate your achievements, big and small. Give yourself a pat on the back, a treat, a compliment, or a break. Recognize your efforts, improvements, and learnings. Be proud of yourself and what you’ve done.
Seek support from others. Surround yourself with positive, supportive, and inspiring people. Find a mentor, a coach, a role model, or a peer who can guide you, advise you, encourage you, or challenge you. Join a group, a club, a community, or a network that shares your interests, values, or goals. Ask for help when you need it and offer help when you can.
Learn from others. Read books, articles, blogs, or podcasts that teach you new skills, knowledge, or perspectives. Watch videos, documentaries, movies, or shows that entertain you, inspire you, or motivate you. Listen to music, speeches, stories, or interviews that uplift you, energize you, or move you.
Learn from yourself. Reflect on your experiences, successes, and failures. Ask yourself: what did I do well? What did I do poorly? What did I learn? What can I improve? How can I grow? Keep a journal, a diary, a blog, or a portfolio where you can record your thoughts, feelings, etc.