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How do I stay motivated when I am not seeing results?

190 Answers
Last Updated: 12/03/2022 at 3:15pm
How do I stay motivated when I am not seeing results?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Elaine Kish, LMSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

My goal is to treat clients with respect and compassion. I am a supportive, strengths-based therapist with experience in treating mood disorders, grief, and trauma.

Top Rated Answers
lovingLynx89
August 25th, 2016 12:54pm
Be realistic, it doesn't take one day to get results. Think of the time it took you to get were you are now. Wait for the momentum to catch on! Have fun!
BazinYEG
February 8th, 2017 10:42pm
I'm learning that wellness is a process that can have great leaps forward, plateaus, and even regressions, the latter two are the most difficult to manage, as we, as people, can struggle without concrete forward motion. But what I like to think of is what my personal trainer showed me during a weight plateau during fitness training. The scale showed the same weight - but my body composition had changed drastically. My body fat had declined and my muscle % had increased. What I'm getting at is: The metric you're looking at might not show changes - but looking at things from a different perspective will show you something different.
PuddinsHarlee
February 11th, 2017 5:54pm
The easiest way to stay motivated when not seeing results is to remember that you are looking for progress and not perfection.
Anonymous
August 17th, 2016 9:23pm
Sometimes great things take time, and patience. For instance, when you start a new diet do you see immediate results? No, you have to work at it.
Anonymous
August 12th, 2016 1:53pm
Do something new try a new exercise or a new healthy meal just work on it & enjoy the process rather than focusing on the number on your scale for instance
CoachJohn
August 21st, 2016 7:13pm
If you are not getting the results you desired, take a step back and evaluate your process. Are you doing something each day to move towards your goals? Are you eating the right foods? Are you stretching and staying hydrated? Even running a mile here or there, or doing push ups every so often is a lot better than doing nothing! Even though you may not be hitting your goals, observe any progress and build upon it! If you could only manage 60 pounds on a certain weights exercise last week, but lifted 65 pounds this week, you're making progress! Keep working hard and use every success as a victory!
Softheart4
August 10th, 2016 7:11am
Stop criticizing you for what you aren't and start knowing and recognizing the good in you, simply believe in yourself and have goals never give up!
ForeverAndEver123
August 22nd, 2020 7:14pm
It's all a journey and a progress... you never see results in an instant but you actually always see results throughout this journey. Results are happening 24/7... take a look at where you are now before you were motivated and were at 0. Compare the two people... you will notice a change no doubt. You may not be at your final destination but you are way farther than you were from the start. That's progress... let that keep you going :) You have already come this far and it would be terrible to see you come back to 0 and start again :)
CarpeNoctem22
December 3rd, 2022 3:15pm
Look at it realistically. Can your results be gained in the time period you wish to gain them? Or does it take for the process to give you results only after a certain amount of time? For some goals it may take a month, for others 6, 7 or more months. What is important that you picked the right stuff to make your goals more achievable and that you stick to your plan the much you can. If you really think that you should gain your results much earlier, then perhaps you lack something in your process to achieve it.
Rabbit033
July 29th, 2020 1:17am
Motivation is a tricky thing. It comes and goes. One thing that helps motive me is remembering why I'm doing something in the first place. Also it helps knowing that when I feel unmotivated and push through and get things done anyways I'm building that mental toughness. Also keep in mind that plateaus are bound to happen. You can never be in a state of constant growth. Don't get discouraged. It's always easiser to maintain what you have rather than give up for a while and have to build back up. Stick with it and don't focus on 1 area when looking for results. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean you can't feel it. Just be you don't notice it, doesn't mean other people don't.
Anonymous
July 24th, 2020 4:18pm
Sometimes the results are not what we may be expecting. Having a more keen eye and accepting mistakes as lessons help us move closer to our result. The more you look at smaller things, the easier it will be for you to reach your goal. The key is be consistent. Trust yourself. When we are at our lowest, our mindset is bound to become negative with it. You must remember at such times that good things come to those who strive for it. Do your best. You will get a result, that in hindsight may be better than what you were originally striving for.
Art3misTheSecond
July 22nd, 2020 11:02pm
It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. I failed numerous tests in my math class, but instead of worrying about whether I'm going to do well on the next test, I looked at it from a different perspective: Since I've already hit rock bottom, the only way is up. I looked at what I was doing wrong in my efforts, fixed that and slowly started doing better on the tests. So don't worry if you're not seeing results, they will come and they will go. Enjoy the process of putting in effort and learning. That's where real motivation lies.
0ut1s
July 19th, 2020 4:19pm
Find out your why. Why did you start doing what your doing? What motivated you to start? I'm sure it does feel disappointing not seeing results. You might hold back on whatever your doing.When this happens. Just remind yourself why you started in the first place.if its workout, why not check with a trainer to make sure you are doing it right? If it's a business, why not get a help from an expert to evaluate your business? . We all go through taugh time. But believe in yourself and good things will happen. "He who says he can, and he who says they can't, are both usually right" _Will smith
Anonymous
July 10th, 2020 7:32pm
Just know that everything takes time and you won't necessarily see results immediately. However, you will see results in the long run. This is why goal setting is so important. You set your long term goal, as well as short term goals. You will be able to see progress along the line as you pass your short term goals, and sooner or later you will be hitting your long term goal and achieving what you want. That is how I personally deal with motivation. I was a swimmer for many years, and I always set goals of times I wanted to achieve, that way I can see the progress I make.
Earthling22
July 5th, 2020 3:57pm
Staying motivated to work hard is pretty difficult as it is, but when you don't get the results you've worked for it get harder. I myself have been through such a situation in my life before and the only thing that kept me going was following the policy of going through each day, one at a time. Do your part for today with worrying about your tomorrow. For example, if you have a test in a week's time, prepare a little each day and before you know it you will have completed everything you need for that test. Also sometimes our methods of hard work may not be appropriate and a small change may get you to the results you want to see!
safeshoulder2CryOn
July 5th, 2020 10:53am
We live in an age of instant gratification where we enjoy whatever, whenever, however we like. However something that is worth doing often requires effort and its results may not be visible or tangible till much later. We have to understand and maintain our motivation in order to enjoy the fruits of our labour. Recognizing and overcoming interim discouragements n setbacks is a common thing. when there are obstacles and your intended results are far, you need to calm down, monitor and regulate your thoughts and know that it is only temporary and things will improve. We must know that the end result is a worthy cause and believe in it to stay motivated.
Anonymous
June 26th, 2020 6:25am
Many people gets confused when it comes to how to handle the results when they are not to the mark they expected. But everyone needs to understand that it is not only our effort towards the situation that decide the result but the end result will get impacted by lot of other things which we don't have any control over. So putting our efforts is only one of the things that will impact the results. So the right way of approaching things is to this, No matter whatever be the result I get I will put my 100% efforts. Even if I get something less , I will be okay . This kind of approach will helps us to move on from the bitter situations there by not effecting our self confidence or self doubt issues. Only thing we can keep in our minds is putting our full efforts towards a task and not focussing or expecting about the result.
beautifulKermit9939
June 20th, 2020 7:34pm
Results may not always be obvious and the fact that someone has been able to share their thoughts may in itself be a positive step for them even though there may not be an obvious solution to their situation. The motivation comes from being available and supportive to each and every member to offer the best opportunity for them to reach a more positive state through self enquiry. It is important to understand what the motivation actually is so that you have a point of reference to how well you may be performing and to set an appropriate level of expectation when talking to people.
annak2275
June 4th, 2020 2:21pm
The first thing I do to stay motivated when I am not seeing results is to take a step back and properly assess the work I have put in and the outcomes. I have repeatedly found that when you're heavily focused on a goal and a specific outcome it is easy to miss other positive things you've done along the way. For example, if the goal was to lose weight but there was no evidence of results, you could step back and examine how you may be cooking healthier meals. Therefore, although the main goal may not have been achieved yet, you have acquired new skills that will help contribute to the end result. It can be hard to stay motivated when you're not immediately seeing result, but it is important to remind yourself that a lot of things take time and unfortunately don't happen as fast as we'd like. This can be easier said than done sometimes, but talking can help! Any of our trained listeners are happy to listen to any motivation problems you're having.
endearingHand5634
May 31st, 2020 7:22am
Staying motivated is important. It helps us to move towards the goal. The problem is when we lack the energy or when we feel overwhelmed or when we feel that task is too difficult or boring, we tend to give up and search an easier task or a distraction. However, to stay motivated, we need to use the brain's instant gratification tendency to our advantage. We need sandwich the long-term beneficial tasks with the instantly gratifying tasks such as checking the mobile for a minute or so. We can excercise and then use mobile for a minute. That way, we will be motivated and also will be happy.
Anonymous
May 6th, 2020 5:09am
Remember that there will always be failure before success. There will always be a mountain to climb before you reach the gold mine. One day you will wake up and you have reached the gold mine and you have succeeded. However make sure to keep setting new goals for your self to achieve. But keep them positive and reasonable. It is quite hard to stay motivated sometimes. It is like a cat and mouse game with motivation as the mouse. But if you bribe it with food and are kind to it you will catch it. So make sure to keep at it you got this!!!
Wishucontentment
October 18th, 2019 12:43am
Remeber results don't happen instantly. They take lots of hard work and patience. The very hardest part is starting to get things moving. It's like pushing a broken-down car. Once it finally gets rolling it's much easier to keep it rolling. Don't give up. Things that seem impossible today can become a reality tomorrow with determination. Many people that are great and famous for what they do are there because they worked harder than anyone else to get there. If there is something you truly want, you can get there. It may take some trial and error, and some time, but you can do it.
Yous370
March 1st, 2020 4:03pm
Give myself feedback every now and then and see what happens with every step to find what is not working out exactly. To be clear I set goal for myself to pave the path as a start, I consider the multiple routes I can take and from there I test the routes. If the first route works for me I keep going until I feel that it reached its limit I take the other route and so on. Another way to stay motivated is remembering why I started whatever it I am doing in the first place, that is the ultimate push to keep going especially if you have gone far with it.
KristenJoy321
February 19th, 2020 6:21pm
Change in perspective. When I'm not seeing results, I try to take a step back and identify even the smallest accomplishments. Once I'm able to identify all the little things I was able to accomplish (from just getting out of bed to doing all house chores), I'm able to build a momentum. This momentum is what contributes to getting my motivation back. It's all a matter of perspective. To some people, getting out of bed just a no-brainer. To some, it's the biggest challenge they may be facing. Being able to celebrate small wins is what allows for a positive shift in perspective and ultimately, keeping your motivation.
armyvet09
February 12th, 2020 6:39pm
I like to place sticky notes where I will see them. They are like a little pep talk throughout the day reminding me that things take time. Sometimes if I have worked for a while at something and do not see results I forget that it takes time to change or I lose track of what I am doing and why I was doing it. These little reminders are really helpful in keeping on track. It basically helps me reaffirm my goal and refuel my motivation for what my goal, or goals are! It is a great way for positive affirmation too.
ZacharyCalms
November 2nd, 2019 2:56pm
You have to find a way to enjoy the process of reaching your goals. Success is not always linear there are ups and downs along the way. A lot of times you have to experience the downs to know what the ups feel like. Life is just this journey that we are all on. This journey isn't a competition and you should never really compare yourself to other human creatures. Relax and look at your life from an open perspective and you'll find that everything is just perfect and everything is going to be alright. Smile more!
AmethystRayne96
September 25th, 2019 4:19am
Staying motivated without seeing results can be tricky, but it is possible. Sometimes reminding ourselves of why we have set the goals that we have can remind us not to give up. Ask yourself why you are working toward this goal, and think about how you will feel once you have reached the goal. It is definitely common to feel unmotivated, and it is totally okay to feel this way! You are strong, brave, and you can reach the goals that you have set for yourself. Although it may take some time, you will make it there, and you will be so proud when you do. Think of the things that you have already accomplished. You are doing wonderful.
Anonymous
August 16th, 2019 7:51pm
Remind yourself why you're doing it. Progress is never linear and sometimes it takes a lot of time to see any results. Remember, it's about the ones who stay in it for the long run. You can do something for a week, but doing it for years takes a whole different level of dedication. Have you got what's needed? Or is it worth to continue? You need to evaluate and decide if you have goals and reasons for the thing you do!
iashley
March 21st, 2020 10:48pm
Think of your overall goal and how happy you're going to be once you achieve that overall goal. Take every step in mentally, physically, and emotionally. Realize how much closer you're getting through every step you're taking, you're getting that much closer to your big goal. Take a moment to realize your goal is possible and you're going to get there despite your obstacles during the process. Sometimes you may not always see results, but in others eyes, they see a change. Results may also take time, not everything can change overnight, so keep your patience throughout your journey! You got this!
yoyo2019
October 3rd, 2019 3:42pm
How to stay motivated when you do not see the results? It ia not that difficult to figure out. Basically, it not bad at all to take your time and see the results later. However, let's say that you have set a goal like reaching an "x" level at learning a new language, but even though you try hard you don't seem to succeed yet. Some people may say "Sorry, not for you", others "Focus on something else, you seem to have failed". Nonsense. Focus on your goals. Nobody knows how truly good you are at something. If you stay close to your target you will sooner or later see the outcome. And remember. You like him or not, even Di Caprio took his time until he received the Oscar.