Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
I read this quote recently and couldn't agree more: motivation is not what keeps you going.
The best example I can think of is the common New Year's resolution of becoming fit. As a fitness addict, I have a fairly accurate gauge of when the gym will and won't be crowded. So, during the first few weeks of January, I know that the gym is unusually packed... and by packed I mean there are so many people jammed into the weight room that the walls crack.
But, what happens? After those first few weeks of the new year, the size of the gym crowd returns to normal. I once asked a friend who quit his new goal, and he reasoned, "I just don't have the motivation to go anymore."
And that's when it clicked.
I realized that depending on motivation may be a recipe for failure, because motivation is temporary. It is some cause and effect of thinking of or perceiving something and feeling excited to do something else. So, the real question is this: how long does motivation last?
Well, it seems obvious that the stronger the motivation, the longer it will last. So, the truth is, a New Year's resolution can't be what drives you in the long term. It's far too shallow. Compare weak motivation such as becoming fit because it is a new year, versus strong motivation such as becoming fit so you can live a healthier life and create a stronger impact for your family. I hope you see the difference.
And that brings me to my next point.
Basal ganglia shown in purple
The motivation behind your action must be strong enough to produce consistency, ultimately creating a (hopefully good) habit. Human beings are habitual by nature. The part of our brains that govern habit, called the basal ganglia, ultimately exists to conserve brain power. This is why when we're driving, for example, we don't have to consciously think about steering, braking, and accelerating to the degree of when we were first learning. Thankfully, our brains make these processes habitual so we can instead do other things, such as conversing with friends.
And this is great news, because it means that if you are motivated enough to become consistent, then your brain will literally rewire itself to make your new action into a habit. But, unfortunately, this may also work against you as you may know with a few of your bad habits.
But, wait a minute, what's the motivation behind your bad habits? Certainly you don't want any of those!
It turns out that human beings, by nature, seek immediate gratification which is why bad habits such as procrastination are such common phenomenons. Pleasurable actions, regardless of whether they are good or bad, encourages your brain to repeat that action. It makes sense, right? If you enjoy doing something, you'll want to do it again!
So, the trick is to use this powerful, pleasure phenomenon to your advantage with a bit of positive reinforcement. If you find yourself strongly motivated to do something, give it your best effort and reward yourself to encourage your brain to create a new habit. For example, if you're motivated to work out, make it fun by rewarding yourself with your favorite smoothie afterward to encourage future visits to the gym. After a while, you won't even think twice about going to the gym because your brain will have made it automatic! If anything, you'll think twice about not going.
My key point is this: take advantage of the fact that we are habitual by nature. You can achieve almost anything if you create the proper habits before your motivation dies down, and the road between motivation and habit is paved with pleasure and consistency. If you create the proper habits, you'll be in auto-pilot toward achieving your biggest goals.