Dear Distress Signal,
I’m having a difficult time getting motivated to continue pushing to fulfill all the promises I’ve made to myself regarding self-improvement, life goals and education. What would you recommend to kick myself back into gear?
– Stuck In Second.

Dear Stuck In Second,
On my eighteenth birthday, I reveled in my newly-found, grown-up status by eating an entire cake’s worth of batter. The resulting stomachache left me with the realization that adulthood doesn’t mean absolute freedom. Adulthood (and I know how much this sucks) means becoming responsible for your own well-being.
There are a few things students can do to become their own life coach; luckily, students have had life experiences to help discover what motivates them and what doesn’t.
In Thomas Harris, M.D.’s classic book on transactional analysis, “I’m OK, You’re OK,” self-nurturing is further explored and is an excellent guide for students to use while becoming their own guru.
Think about what has historically inspired you to meet goals; was it the withholding of rewards until tasks were complete? Or maybe you need to be encouraged with positive self-talk to stay motivated.
Regardless of technique, now is the time to learn how to self-parent. Don’t worry if you can’t always control the impulses of your hedonistic inner child; it takes a lifetime.
Just recently, I had to sit in horror as I watched myself delete all of my favorite time-wasting apps. It brought me to tears, but it was ultimately a beneficial act of self-discipline.
And yet, time-management is only half the battle.
The seminal piece on motivation is Albert Bandura’s 1977 paper, “Self-Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change,” and is a great tool for digging out the demons that like to squash self-progress.
In the meantime, break up large tasks into manageable chunks. Then place those chunks on a timeline and stick to it. Apps like Evernote and Google Calendar can be amazing for those that tend to have attention deficit markers, like yours truly.
Emotional health plays a big part in motivation too. Keep a journal to track triggers of doubt and confidence and enlist the help of friends and family to keep you optimistic and accountable. It sounds silly, but maintaining a clean diet and sleep schedule really does help.
Best wishes,
The Distress Signal
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