How do you stay motivated to go again when you’re at the end of a big project or challenge? In this insight, we share some simple tips for sustaining regrouping, refocusing and going again.
If you’ve ever worked on a big project, or taken on a significant challenge, the feeling of ‘come down’ at the end will be a familiar one to you. After the satisfying ‘mission accomplished’ feeling, it can feel like we’re in the doldrums, lacking motivation, energy and focus. And while during the project we may have resented elements that have tested us – the hard work, sacrifice and intense focus – we can find ourselves missing the structure, pace and intensity of the challenge.
As humans, we thrive when we’re optimally challenged – when we’re stretched, faced with new tests, problem solving and learning. We also need purpose, and some of us also really like to have goals to work towards. Complex work projects, or personal challenges we take on, often meet those needs. And so when they’re over, it’s unsurprising that we feel a sense of anticlimax and ‘come down’.
It’s one that the athletes we’ve worked with experience often – and at no greater a time than after an Olympic Games. The post-Games letdown is well documented (think Adam Peaty after the Tokyo Olympics) as they struggle not just for focus and direction after their metaphorical Everest has been summitted, but also for life meaning and purpose.
And while we may not experience this to the same scale and intensity as an Olympic athlete, there are definitely some tips we can borrow from those who have successfully come through the doldrums to regroup and ‘go again’.
- Recovery time
A big project or challenge will consume time and energy – emotionally, practically, intellectually. It often requires operating in 6th gear for extended periods of time. No matter how energising, intoxicating and enjoyable that it, it comes with a cost. Take the time to recover and replenish – just like every Olympic athlete does. - Be kind to yourself
We tend to have high (and unrealistic) expectations of ourselves – that we ‘need’ to always be at our best, full of energy and motivation. Learn to see work and life as ebb and flow – it’s ok to be moving more slowly, have less focus or without clear/meaningful goals to work towards for a while. Acknowledge and accept how you feel, and resist judging yourself. - Find a new purpose – what it’s time
Once it’s time, start to think about ‘what next’ – but don’t rush it. The bigger and longer the project, the more important it is to allow yourself time out before thinking ‘what next’. And when it comes to the ‘what next’, think what would have purpose and meaning for you – rather than just ‘what can I now take on’. - Define success and create a plan
Once you’ve decided on the ‘what next’, create a picture of success. What would be true at the end of this project (or set a time period if it’s not a defined project)? Think broader than goals and deliverables… what would you have learned? What would be the impact on others? Create a full and rounded picture of success. Once you’ve done that, you can then build a plan to achieve it.
Recovering and refocusing after a period of working towards something is a challenge – but see it as a skill that you can develop and get better at. Your motivation and energy will naturally ebb and flow – go with it and embrace it.
