Few feelings can top the sense of accomplishment that comes with achieving a long-term goal. Whether it is a promotion at work, an athletic feat, or publishing a poem, achieving a goal can boost your self-esteem and help you become a better version of yourself.

However, in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, “‘Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” This reality is what puts many people off achieving difficult dreams that require persistent and long-term motivation.

The wonderful Katie Brenneman writes this week’s article. Thank you, Katie, for writing this for me.

Rather than letting your goals go unrealised, consider boosting your motivation by using mood boards to visualise your dreams. Mood boards are a powerful tool that can focus your efforts and reignite that initial spark that got you excited to set and achieve goals to begin with.

Understanding Motivation

Anything feels possible when you’re high on motivation. You have plenty of energy to work, practice your favourite art medium, or write in your journal. Everything feels possible, and it seems as though your end goal is almost within reach. However, at some point, your motivation will dry up. That energy that felt so readily available suddenly feels fleeting, and your mental engagement will suddenly diminish.

These feelings can be frustrating if you’ve set serious goals. Rather than ruing the loss of your motivation, try to accept the reality that motivation waxes and wanes. During times when you’re low on motivation, lean on discipline to guide your behaviour and continue your progress toward your goals.

It’s worth noting that fleeting motivation may be due to underlying health problems. For example, low motivation at work may be caused by health issues like:

• Vitamin Deficiency: A low intake of vitamins like B12 and folate can lead to confusion, fatigue, forgetfulness, and muscle weakness. This is certain to undermine your motivation and will make it difficult to stick with it for prolonged periods.

• Mood Disorder: Conditions like depression and anxiety require medical intervention to get you back on track. Rather than trying to “tough out” a mood disorder, speak to your primary care physician or work with a therapist who can alleviate some of your symptoms.

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): Chronic fatigue can be a real issue if you’re aiming for a promotion or working on a tricky project. If eating a more nutritious diet, drinking more water, and sleeping 7–9 hours isn’t working, speak to a doctor who may be able to spot underlying issues.

• Learning Disorders: Understanding the way you learn is crucial if you want to progress in a certain skill at work. Getting tested for a disorder like dyslexia or dyscalculia can save you plenty of misplaced frustration and help you find solutions to the struggles you face.

Addressing underlying issues is crucial if you want to sustain your motivation and embrace a period of personal or professional growth. Working with a doctor to take care of conditions like anxiety can boost the efficacy of strategies like mood-boards, too.

Mood Boards for Vision

Visualising your goals can be extremely beneficial if you find yourself lacking focus during a busy week. A mood board can be the perfect tool to remind yourself of why you want to achieve your goals and how you aim to reach your targets. At their core, all good mood boards have:

• A blend of text, imagery, and other elements that evoke strong emotions

• Strong foundations and a crystal clear vision of what you want to achieve

• An aesthetic appeal that resonates with your overall personality

• Inspirational images or quotes that draw from a clear source

• A clear organisation that elicits an immediate response

You can also have multiple mood boards if you find that having a few sources of inspiration helps. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re a visual person with a blend of goals related to your professional and personal life. It’s important to balance your passions and profession, and a mood board can help you sort this out by placing your priorities front and centre.

For example, if you’re considering creating a few mood boards, start with boards like:

• A mood board that reflects the professional persona you’d like to create while at work.

• A collection of boards that inspire you to become a better version of yourself in your personal life.

• A vision board that relates to your athletic goals or hobbies that you enjoy.

For example, if you want to become a kinder, more generous person in your personal life, you might create a mood board that focuses on wise and kind characters like Ted Lasso. This will help you stick to your principles, increase your self-worth, and help you remain disciplined. You can also create an accompanying work-related vision board full of inspirational figures in your industry.

Creating a mood board that works for you can declutter your mind and help you focus on those things you find most important. This can make a world of difference if you’re ambitious and talented but lack the mental focus and discipline necessary to remain motivated in the long run.

Conclusion

A good mood board can centralise your ambitions and help you feel connected to your goals. This can be transformative if you find that your motivation waxes and wanes regularly. Rather than letting a minor setback stop you from achieving your goals, start using a mood board to boost your motivation and propel yourself towards achieving your dreams.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specialising in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on X.

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