13 Tricks to Stay Motivated When You Feel Like Giving Up

13 Tricks to Stay Motivated When You Feel Like Giving Up

We all hit those moments when our motivation tank runs empty and giving up seems like the easiest option. Whether you’re tackling a tough project, trying to lose weight, or chasing a big dream, the urge to quit can be overwhelming. But before you throw in the towel, try these practical tricks to rekindle your motivation and push through the tough spots.

1. Remember Your Why

When things get tough, reconnect with your deeper purpose. It’s the fastest way to reignite your motivation.

Write your purpose on sticky notes and place them where you’ll see them daily – on your bathroom mirror, computer monitor, or refrigerator. These visual reminders work wonders during low moments.

Many successful people keep a “motivation journal” specifically for recording their core reasons and reviewing them whenever their energy dips. This simple practice creates an emotional anchor that pulls you through challenging times.

2. Break It Down Into Tiny Steps

Feeling overwhelmed often leads to giving up. The solution? Chop that mountain-sized goal into pebble-sized tasks that feel doable right now.

Focus only on the very next step – not the entire journey. Crossing off even small accomplishments triggers dopamine releases in your brain, creating natural motivation boosts.

Keep a visible progress tracker where completed tasks accumulate visually. This strategy works because our brains respond positively to evidence of progress, making each small win fuel for the next step rather than letting the entire goal’s magnitude crush your spirit.

3. Create a Reward System

Your brain loves rewards! Set up small treats for yourself after completing difficult tasks or reaching mini-milestones. These don’t need to be expensive or elaborate.

Maybe it’s ten minutes of your favorite game, a short walk outside, or that special coffee drink you love. The key is making the reward meaningful to you personally and directly tied to your accomplishment.

This technique works because it transforms the motivation equation from pure willpower to anticipation. Rather than pushing yourself with discipline alone, you’re pulling yourself forward with the promise of something enjoyable, creating a much more sustainable motivation cycle.

4. Find an Accountability Partner

Humans naturally work harder when someone else knows their goals. Find a friend, colleague, or mentor who will regularly check in on your progress and not let you off the hook easily.

Schedule weekly check-ins where you must report what you’ve accomplished. The simple knowledge that you’ll need to explain any lack of progress creates powerful motivation to avoid that uncomfortable conversation.

Studies show people with accountability partners are up to 95% more likely to complete their goals than those working alone. The social commitment creates external pressure that often pushes us through when our internal motivation wanes.

5. Change Your Environment

Your surroundings dramatically affect your motivation levels. A cluttered, distracting space can drain your energy before you even begin.

Try working in a completely different location when motivation lags. Even moving from your desk to a kitchen table can refresh your perspective and energy. Remove visual distractions that pull your attention away from the task at hand.

Environmental psychology research confirms that our physical surroundings directly impact our mental state. Sometimes the fastest path to renewed motivation isn’t changing your mindset but simply changing where you sit, what you see, or even the background noise around you.

6. Use the Five-Minute Rule

Starting is often the hardest part. Promise yourself you’ll work on the task for just five minutes, with permission to stop after that if you still don’t feel like continuing.

The beauty of this trick lies in physics – objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Once you begin, the activation energy is overcome, and continuing becomes much easier than starting was.

Most people find that after the initial five minutes, they naturally want to keep going. The rule bypasses your brain’s resistance to big commitments while giving you the psychological safety of an exit strategy, making it perfect for days when motivation seems impossible to find.

7. Visualize Success Regularly

Elite athletes have used this technique for decades. Take time daily to vividly imagine yourself completing your goal, feeling the emotions of success, and enjoying the benefits of your hard work.

The brain doesn’t always distinguish between vividly imagined experiences and real ones. Regular visualization creates neural pathways similar to actually performing the task, making success feel more familiar and achievable.

Try creating a vision board with images representing your completed goal, or spend five minutes before bed mentally rehearsing success. This practice builds confidence by making the outcome feel real and possible, even when current circumstances suggest otherwise.

8. Track Your Progress Visually

Seeing how far you’ve come provides powerful motivation to continue. Create a visual representation of your progress – a chart, graph, or even a simple line showing your journey from start to finish.

Update your tracker daily, even for small advances. The visual evidence of movement forward combats the feeling of being stuck that often leads to giving up.

Research shows we’re naturally motivated by seeing progress. A study at Harvard Business School found that making progress visible was more motivating than almost any other factor in workplace satisfaction and productivity. The same principle applies to personal goals – what gets measured and seen gets improved.

9. Listen to Motivational Content

Feed your mind with motivation during low periods. Podcasts, videos, books, and speeches from people who’ve overcome similar challenges can provide the mental boost you need.

Create a personal motivation playlist for quick access when your energy dips. Having these resources ready before you need them ensures you can quickly shift your mindset without wasting time searching for content.

Our brains are highly responsive to stories of others overcoming obstacles. Hearing how someone else pushed through similar difficulties activates mirror neurons that help us believe we can do the same, making this an especially effective technique when self-doubt is the primary motivation killer.

10. Change Your Physical State

Your physical condition directly impacts your mental motivation. When energy drops, try changing your body position or movement pattern to shift your psychological state.

Stand up and do 25 jumping jacks, stretch for two minutes, or take a brisk walk around the block. The increased blood flow and oxygen wake up your brain and release endorphins that naturally boost motivation.

Tony Robbins calls this “changing your state” and considers it one of the fastest ways to transform your mindset. The body-mind connection works both ways – sometimes the quickest path to mental motivation is through physical movement rather than trying to think your way into motivation.

11. Connect With Your Community

Nothing drains your drive like feeling alone. Connecting with people on the same path gives you the boost to keep moving, even when it gets tough.

Join online groups, attend meetups, or simply talk with friends who understand your journey. Sharing struggles and victories with people who get it normalizes the challenges and reminds you that difficulties are part of everyone’s path, not just yours.

Social connection also provides fresh perspectives when you feel stuck. Often someone else can see solutions or opportunities that remain invisible to you, making community not just emotionally supportive but practically valuable for maintaining momentum.

12. Practice Self-Compassion

Harsh self-criticism kills motivation. When you make mistakes or fall behind, treat yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a good friend facing similar challenges.

Research by Dr. Kristin Neff shows that self-compassion actually leads to greater progress than self-criticism. Rather than beating yourself up, acknowledge the difficulty, remind yourself that struggle is universal, and ask what you need right now to move forward.

This approach prevents the downward spiral where feeling bad about missing targets leads to giving up entirely. By maintaining a supportive inner dialogue, you create emotional safety that allows for continued effort despite setbacks.

13. Remind Yourself of Past Wins

Your history contains proof of your capabilities. Keep a “victory log” of previous challenges you’ve overcome, goals you’ve reached, and difficult situations you’ve navigated successfully.

Review this evidence of your resilience when doubts creep in. Our brains have negativity bias, meaning we tend to forget our successes and fixate on failures – this practice deliberately counteracts that tendency.

Many high achievers keep physical reminders of past accomplishments visible in their workspace. Certificates, awards, or even simple notes about previous wins serve as tangible evidence that you’ve pushed through difficult periods before and can do it again.