How to use visual cues to support your motivation

Do you have problems with self-motivation? If you sometimes struggle with motivation, it may be worth looking beyond willpower alone. One approach is to make the things you want to do more visible in your everyday environment.

Setting up a series of visual cues for motivation can provide useful reminders of what you want to achieve. A visual cue won’t make the decision for you, but it can bring an intention you’ve already made back to your attention at the moment you need it.

So how can you apply this yourself? Here are four visual motivation cues that you can experiment with.

1. Track your progress visually

This might seem childish, but some people find a visible record of progress motivating. The method involves using a calendar and some star stickers to log your achievements towards a personal goal.

For example, you can use different coloured stars for different achievements. A blue star could represent ‘I did yoga today’, a green star ‘I went for a walk ’, or a gold star ‘I spent time on my personal project’.

This method can also work when you have someone to share it with - a flatmate, partner or friend. Sharing your progress can add encouragement or accountability. You could also use an online calendar if you’re buddying up with someone far away.

2. Create a vision board

Vision boards are an all-time favourite with coaches and gurus. The goal is to create a collage of images representing goals, experiences or ideas that you’d like to keep in mind.

You can have fun with this. Look for images that appeal to you, from laughing with friends to a place you’d love to visit or something you'd like to achieve. You could use your own photographs or other images you have permission to use to create a physical or digital vision board.

The most important thing is not to limit yourself - go wild, have fun. Stick a pet unicorn on there if you like. Nothing is off limits.

3. Put useful reminders where you’ll see them

Choose a few short words, phrases or reminders that genuinely mean something to you. Think about what you might need to hear when your motivation drops or when you're tempted to put something off.

Write them down and get creative. You could make a poster full of them, or lots of little Post-its with different reminders on each. The last step is to stick them around you - choose places that you regularly look at, like above your desk, or in front of the toilet!

4. Keep the equipment you need visible

Someone I once worked with had the goal of getting fit at the local swimming pool. The pool was just across the road, and he really wanted to follow through but, somehow, just didn’t. I advised him to find a visual reminder, in this case, his swimming trunks, to hang up in plain sight.

Every day he was confronted with the trunks, a constant reminder that he had a choice - to follow through or not. For him, having that visible reminder made it harder for the intention to disappear from view and helped prompt him to act.

Give them a try or come up with your own ideas!