Spring (Un)Motivation?
What do you do when you're 'supposed to' feel fresh spring motivation and renewed energy ... but don't? Here is one of my favorite tools - plus several practical, purposeful ideas - that may help.
The birds are singing, the trees are budding, the daintiest flowers are blooming through the softening post-winter soil. Spring is in the air here in the midwest U.S., the time when seemingly everyone experiences renewed energy and fresh motivation. Which can feel super exciting for those who do … and particularly de-motivating for those who don’t.
If you find yourself in the latter camp - or even if you’re just needing a few ideas to uplift and refresh a bit - today’s article is for you. I’m sharing one of my favorite tools when it comes to personal growth, along with several practical, purposeful ideas stemming directly from it. Feel free to put this tool to use to help your next season be personally fulfilling, professionally rewarding, or whatever you most seek in this chapter of your life.
Prompting A Breakthrough
Whenever I am stuck, unsure of my next steps, or about to embark on a new project with multiple layers, one of the tools I nearly always turn to is what I call a Breakthrough Map. Ever since writing my doctoral dissertation way back when, this has been one of my most tried-and-true tools for helping me get from where I am to where I want to be.
The concept is simple - almost surprisingly so - but it prompts a result like nothing else. Here’s how I suggest utilizing the Breakthrough Map:
1. Focus in on your topic.
Think about the outcome you want to achieve, the goal you want to reach, or the project you want to complete. In my aforementioned example, my outcome involved finishing my dissertation; since that time I have created a Breakthrough Map for everything from planning a fun summer with my kiddos, to getting more involved in my community, to successfully completing a marathon, to growing a new aspect of my coaching business, and so much more. The more specific your outcome, the more specific your steps will likely be - however, the Breakthrough Map works wonders with broad desires like getting unstuck or practicing healthier lifestyle habits, too.
Pick a topic and focus in as much as you’d like.
2. Phrase it in a ‘How can I…’ format.
Like the TV show Jeopardy, we’re now going to phrase your outcome in the form of a question. But not just any old question - a forward-moving, idea-expanding question. A ‘How can I…’ question, to be specific.
I encourage you to pull out a fresh piece of paper, draw a circle in the center, and write your ‘How can I…’ question within the circle. A few examples:
How can I grow my sales this quarter?
How can I start my day more calmly and positively?
How can I create a more conducive workspace in my home?
How can I feel more motivated?
How can I get unstuck?
The ‘How can I’ phrasing here is key, and not always where our minds naturally want to go. How much time, for example, have you spent spinning in questions like ‘Why do I always feel so stuck?’ or ‘Why can I never reach my sales goal?’ There can be a time and a place for these and other types of questions, but for forward-moving, action-oriented solutions to arise, I encourage the ‘How can I’ approach.
This is also different from simply writing the goal or outcome in the center circle. I can’t explain all the details of the neuroscience behind it, but writing in a question format can unlock different parts of our brains that may allow for richer, more robust responses. As can the messy, splatter approach to a Breakthrough Map versus the rigid structure of a list.1
3. Brainstorm any and all ideas.
Jot down any and all ideas that come to mind that help to answer your ‘How can I’ question, in any order, all around your center circle. Be messy, random, and allowing any idea that arises, even if it sounds ridiculous or impossible. This is simply the idea-forming process; the discernment process comes later.
When it comes to these ideas, branch out in as many directions as you’d like. You might include possible action steps, people who could help, books and websites, tools and resources, topics to search on YouTube, examples of others who have done something similar, related groups or associations, and on and on.
I encourage my coaching clients to try and get at least 25 ideas onto the page before moving to the next phase of the process. This may mean stepping away from it for a bit and then returning (perhaps heading out for a walk in between, or even a night of sleep). For added perspective, it could also mean inviting someone else - a coach, accountability partner, or other trusted source - in on the process so they can provide ideas you haven’t yet thought of.
From there, you can categorize if needed; I often do this right on the Breakthrough Map by assigning a particular highlighter color to each category, then highlighting accordingly (ie, for a business project, I might use blue for marketing ideas, yellow for potential collaborative partners, and so on). You can also begin to prioritize and choose which ideas you want to turn into an action plan and which you’ll pass on by.
It’s important to remember, now and throughout the process, that your Breakthrough Map is not a to-do list. You do not have to enact every idea you record. It begins with a big jumbled mess of all kinds of possibilities, and you get to decide what you’ll carry into the next step of the process.
I have some clients who then turn the messy scribbled map into a neatly organized action plan, and others who leave the map as is and work directly from it, checking things off as appropriate. Tune in to your personal preferences and decide what method will serve you best.
Purposeful Motivation
We all experience variance with our motivation levels from time to time. If you feel your motivation ‘should’ be higher just because of the season or what it seems like everyone else is experiencing, maybe examine that a bit. One of the ultimate motivators is your why - your purpose - and getting clear on and honoring that will likely serve you and your motivation best.
And if you discern that you’re ready to partner the purposeful with the practical and devise a plan for moving forward, you can create a Breakthrough Map to help you get started. Maybe your center question is something like, ‘How can I boost my motivation?’ or ‘How can I feel inspired?’, with some of your ideas including:
Revisit your Vision and Purpose Statements
Spend some time in nature
Have coffee with an inspiring friend or colleague
Listen to a motivating podcast or audiobook
Change your scenery for a while
Check in with your coach
Declutter or organize an area
Take one small action in the direction of delight
Or maybe your ideas run in a completely different direction. Regardless, they can begin to open up a sense of possibility, provide the framework for a plan, and remind you that you’ve got options. You can then choose one of your ideas - maybe a simple or quick one to start - and begin setting it in motion.
I hope the Breakthrough Map expands your sense of possibility and begins to remind you how much wisdom you already hold inside you! And this exercise is so much more useful, in my experience, than wishing for - or focusing on how you ‘should’ have - more motivation.
May this provide the foundation for a lovely spring - or whatever season you find yourself in as you read this. Here’s to your next breakthrough!
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Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC, and self-proclaimed book nerd, is a certified coach who helps achievers work with meaning, live with purpose, and reach bold + difference-making goals. Feel free to share your questions, comments, or topic/book suggestions below or via email to readingandpurpose (at) gmail (dot) com.
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Don’t worry, fellow list-makers - we get to make a list too, just a bit later!
Love this approach, thank you for sharing!
Haha! Loved your footnote. Fellow list-maker here! 🙋
This is a great idea, and timely, as we face the "senioritis" of the end of a school year.