Isn’t it unbelievable how little motivation many people need and how they have none? No one gave that little push or encouragement to start or keep going.
They have everything to start at their fingertips, yet they find it hard to make the first move.
Why?
Human beings are always aiming for goals, no matter how small they are, and we’ve seen from our personal lives to those of parents and kids just how much motivation can play a role in helping them achieve those goals.
Whether taking the first step into the gym, sitting down for hours to learn a skill, or stretching your hand for a relationship, motivation is the catalyst for positive change. Without it, it’s easy to fall into an endless state of hope, lacking the energy to chase your dreams and goals.
Motivation is the thin line between decision and action. It’s the spark that ignites determination and resilience in people. It’s the momentum that fuels the happiness in our lives.
The power to motivate others is a superpower.
In this article, you’ll learn about perhaps the most incredible power you can ever have—how to motivate others and inspire them to take action. It highlights seven ways you can help transform the lives of others around you.
Without further ado, how to motivate others:
Listen
Stop talking.
How can you motivate others when you don’t listen to what they have to say? It’s easy to think people need your motivation because it’s a good thing but useless when it’s unnecessary.
The first step in learning how to motivate others is listening. When you don’t listen, your attempts at motivation will be based on guesses.
Before you even think of motivating others, you need to know why they need the motivation, and that answer comes from listening.
Ask questions about what they’re going through—what they need, when, and how they will get it. It would help if you had the patience to reflect on the words of the person you’re listening to to learn how to motivate others.
Listening is beyond lending an open ear; it’s letting them know you’re here with them and care about them. When you listen closely, you’ll be able to identify the areas where they truly need your motivation and how to go about it, rather than throwing a blanket of motivation and hoping it hits the right spots.
Listening shows you care about how to motivate others and change their lives.
Don’t Criticise
Remember the last time someone corrected you for something you did wrong? How did you feel?
People see criticism as a failure, even when it’s good. It’s like telling people they’re not enough or didn’t do their best. Nobody likes being criticized.
Criticism can also be taken badly when not properly taken, which results in resentment, envy, and apathy. Despite the difficulties associated with giving criticism, it’s important to help others measure their progress.
Knowing how to give a good one will help you learn how to motivate others and inspire them to improve.
Make sure you have good intentions when giving criticism. Give your feedback on the activity done, not the person. Don’t make it seem like it’s the person’s fault. Give specific examples of what they can do to improve.
Once you’re done, listen to what the person says and encourage them to improve rather than criticize them.
Recognize Efforts
Recognizing people for everything they do makes them feel seen and heard. They’ll feel appreciated and motivated to keep doing whatever makes them recognized.
People want to feel valued and respected for their actions, some more than others. The easiest way to motivate others is to tell them you appreciate what they’re doing, no matter how little it is.
If you are a parent, you have surely experienced this with your child once; you admired how well-behaved your child is and told other family members. I’m sure you’ve noticed a motivated child and a more well-behaved one.
You can recognize people’s efforts in many ways, from a simple compliment to a handwritten or typed “thank you” letter to how you introduce the person to others in a gathering to public recognition on a stage to award ceremonies.
You can learn how to motivate others by something as simple as acknowledging their work. When you recognize people’s efforts, tell them genuinely. It takes a great mind to recognize the efforts of others.
Celebrate
There’s no such thing as a small win.
Celebrating others is more than just a fleeting moment of praise; it’s a genuine expression of appreciation for someone’s accomplishments, no matter how small they may be.
When you celebrate others, you validate their efforts, and this can be the perfect spark to help them believe in themselves and build the confidence they need to take on new challenges.
Celebrating others can also inspire them to aim higher. It shows all their hard work is paying off and encourages them to chase even bigger goals and dreams.
When you want to celebrate someone, it doesn’t have to be grand, like a surprise party. It could be as simple as a small get-together to celebrate their new milestone if the person is a close relative or sharing their success on your social media platform.
Celebrating others is one of the most simple yet profound acts that can show you how to motivate others; it can make a difference in their day, no matter how small the celebration may be.
Celebrate someone today.
Share Resources
Imagine you’re going for a healthy morning jog with a group of friends on a weekend, and one of them runs out of water. You stretch out your remaining bottle of water for them to drink. In that moment, you’ve provided them with water to quench their thirst, give them energy, and keep going.
This act can boost their spirits beyond motivational chants and help them keep running. This principle applies to motivating others in other aspects of life—words alone are not enough.
Sharing your knowledge is a beautiful way to provide resources and motivate others. If you see a friend struggling with something you have the expertise to solve, you can offer to help. When you do so, you not only help them overcome that challenge, but you’ve also empowered them to do it on their own next time.
High spirits without the necessary tools to achieve their goals can only achieve so little, whether it’s your knowledge or access to tools you possess that can make the difference in motivating others and helping them accomplish their goals.
If you’re thinking about how to motivate others, look within; you might have something that can be of help to them.
Motivational Words
Words carry power.
If you want to learn how to motivate others, you have to learn how to use the right words that would cause a positive change in them.
A single word can make or break a person. Words communicate energy, emotions, possibilities, and fear.
When spoken rightly and adequately, words can positively affect those around them. When you share motivational words with people who need them, those words can be the uplifting and inspiring words they need.
Be intentional when you offer words of motivation. People can always tell when it’s not genuine. Instead of using common phrases like “You can do it!” try to be more specific, like using their names and talking about their situation.
Please don’t overdo it. There’s no limit to how much you can motivate someone, but learn when it’s okay to stop.
Smile
Always smile.
It’s amazing how effectively a genuine smile can motivate others when it’s done sincerely. Have you ever noticed that it’s hard for your lips not to curve when someone smiles at you?
One of the greatest individual assets you can have is the ability to smile. It’s powerful and transcends any spoken word. One of the easiest ways to motivate others is to learn how to smile at others.
When you smile, your body releases hormones that make you feel good, instantly elevating your mood and making you feel more optimistic and motivated.
Studies also show that smiling can reduce your stress level, improving focus and making staying motivated during difficult tasks easier.
Isn’t it hard not to be motivated when working with a smile?
So, it’s easy to motivate others with something as simple as a smile.
Conclusion
Motivation is the bridge between intention and action; sometimes, it takes others to give us the push we badly need to cross that bridge. In this article, you’ve learned how to motivate others and inspire positive change.
Each of these ways underscores the remarkable impact these simple acts can have on people’s motivation and determination. Whether you’re a leader, a friend, a parent, or someone who wants to help others around you, these seven ways will teach you how to motivate others.
If you want to learn more about how to motivate others and inspire others to chase their dreams and live happier and more fulfilled lives, check out my “Convert Confusion to Clarity” training program, where I go in-depth on how to unleash the superpower that lies within each of us, waiting to be unleashed.
