So you’re burnt out and feeling down…I get it. You don’t feel like getting up at 4 am as I suggested and you would rather sleep in. Guess what? This problem can be solved quicker than you think. We all have peaks and troughs until we reach a level where there is no turning back.

This level that I am referring to is the one where you get chills down your spine. It’s the one where you are excited to wake up and wish there were more hours in the day to pursue your passion. People say to me all the time, “Tim how are you always super motivated?”

Answer: Well I am human, so I’m not always, but the majority of the time I am. It’s because I have made motivation a habit.

I see so many people walking around that are low on energy, unhealthy, failing, and look like they’re ready to give up. Unless you commit to a higher purpose and stop settling for your current circumstances, you are never going to be happy or fulfilled.

Below are 7 ways to get to an extreme level of motivation quickly:

1. Find that one thing and don’t stop until you do

At the crux of motivation is finding something that self-motivates you. We don’t need to use big, overused words like passion or purpose. Let’s take a more simplistic approach and just say that you need to find the thing that put’s you in the zone. The thing that you dream about all day and the thing that brings out emotion in you.

When something starts to make you feel all sorts of emotions, then you’re probably on the right track. What stops us from being motivated though is that we don’t search long enough. You have to try 100’s of things before you find the one that ticks all the boxes.

What makes it even harder is that finding your one thing changes over time. For some people, every two years they have to find that one thing again. Or, that one thing might morph into similar related activities. Either way, you have to stop being so soft and put some effort into finding your one thing.

“The moment you get a hold of your one thing, your motivation starts to hit an extreme level quickly without the need of outside forces” – Tim Denning

2. Practice being disciplined

If I had to pick one thing that stops motivation from occurring naturally, I would pick discipline. Your success is made up of tiny little steps that you perform each day. We all know what habits are and why we should choose positive ones. What we forget is that habits only work if we’re disciplined.

Discipline is saying no to sugar because you’ve got to prepare for a speech….discipline is saying no to social media until your energy levels start to run low….discipline is practicing your craft every day until you perfect it. By letting the small things get the best of you, you’re destroying your motivation long term.

3. Get into motion

Like the rest of you, I have times when I’m very unmotivated. The best way to combat this war on motivation is to get into motion. This means that if you feel tired or are lacking motivation, all you need to do is start moving. The best forms of movement are the gym, walking outside, bouncing on a trampoline, and even taking the dog to the park.

When you get moving your state starts to change, and you begin to feel different. As the blood begins to pump through your body, your previous mindset washes away, and a new relaxed one comes into play. From there, you can get back to working on that one thing I mentioned before.

If this method fails you, the other way to quickly recharge and change your mindset is a 15-minute power nap or some gentle meditation. With a refreshed mind, you’ll find it easier to focus and crush your goals to pieces. Try it out for yourself!

4. Try getting into new circles

Whenever my motivation is lacking, I get into new circles of people. The best way to break into a new circle is via a friend, work colleague, or attending an event. People help to shape your experience and to have new experiences you need fresh people around you.

By constantly having new people come in and out of your life (while maintaining your existing friends) you not only build your network but you find new ways to stay motivated.

“A new perspective will come through other people’s ideas and interpretations of what you’re trying to achieve” – Tim Denning

I’ve felt a little bit unmotivated recently, and I’ve practiced this skill more than anything else. It’s lead me to meet people I could have only dreamed of and to travel overseas in search of something new. The bottom line as always is that you are in control.

Only you can turn your motivation around, and it is always going to start with action. Make a new decision and become a lover of meeting new people. The other point to mention is that circles are different to people. When you break into a circle, you get more than one person to help transform you.

In high-powered circles, your life can literally be taken to a new stratosphere if you search long enough. I‘ve witnessed this first-hand, and it’s given me at least another ten ways to be motivated. It’s very hard to be down on your luck when you have champions around you.

5. Become a shining light on social media

Platforms like LinkedIn (especially) are full of people from all walks of life. The posts, comments, and conversation don’t vary a hell of a lot and can often center around negativity of some sort. By being different and choosing to be more positive than everyone else, you can quickly make an impact.

Once you make your impact, people will rally around you, and this will help raise your intrinsic motivation to an extreme level. It’s not hard to be different. Just be your vulnerable self and forget opinions.

6. Help someone other than yourself

I recently helped a friend of mine get into Harvard. It took a fair amount of time, and there was zero in it for me. So what! Out of service to others, you bring people closer to you. There is no way you could do a favor like that and not get something special in return.

The difference is that what you get back is typically via a different channel, so you don’t often know that it was that one good deed (like helping someone go to Harvard) that caused it. Stop trying to know why everything happens and learn to trust more.

7. When you feel motivated, create an anchor

Yes, I’m one of those losers that like watching auditions from Xfactor, The Voice, Got Talent, and any other tragic reality singing show. It’s not the stupid show and the lousy format that I like, it’s the way the rawness of the undiscovered artists giving their all makes me feel.

After an experience like this, the best thing you can do is to create an anchor in your mind. When you need some motivation, think back to these moments that made you feel chills down your spine. Hopefully, once you get the chills, you can re-create them through your passion and deliver them to others.

How are you going to become more motivated? What action are you going to take? Let me know on my website timdenning.net or my Facebook.