Motivation can be a tricky thing at the best of times. Even when we’re powerfully motivated that feeling can dissolve like a whisp of smoke.

A common example of this – at least for me – is the reaction just after achieving something, some sort of milestone or interim goal.

Logically I’m on a roll and should be able to follow through. However the time just after a major achievement is often when my motivation is most at risk. It’s almost as if my subconscious is saying “Go on, take a break, you’ve earned it”. Or, less positively, “Was that it? Was it really worth the effort?”

Limorefe is a case in point. I’ve spent months planning this, collecting ideas for posts, writing drafts, etc. It’s been great and I’ve been really pumped up. Yesterday I went live with the site and felt great.

Within a few minutes of hitting the “publish” button… “bang”. Or more accurately “whimper”. My motivation drained away. I’d reached one major goal, the world hadn’t suddenly changed. The temptation was – is – to sit back and wait for the readers and comments to roll in. Which, of course, they won’t unless I keep working on the site.

Fortunately I’m aware of the way my mind works so was ready for this. I made a point of not launching until already had a decent collection of draft post and ideas for more, so if necessary I could post on autopilot. In addition I left a few simple and fun things deliberately not done, such as exploring similar blogs and building an RSS reading list.

Because of this I’ve been able to get over the motivation slump very quickly and am already feeling pumped again.

So the lesson here is simple: achieving a milestone can itself be a trap. Be aware of how you react, anticipate the motivational danger spots and prepare for them.

Of course I did miss one trick: I didn’t have this post prepared in advance!

Possibly Related posts:
•Too Much Competition Hinders Motivation
•Motivation Show Goes Green