You can do it motivation

How to Keep Working When You’re Just Not Feeling It

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Motivating yourself is hard. In fact, I often compare it to one of the exploits of the fictional German hero Baron Munchausen: Trying to sustain your drive through a task, a project, or even a career can sometimes feel like pulling yourself out of a swamp by your own hair. We seem to have a natural aversion to persistent effort that no amount of caffeine or inspirational posters can fix.

But effective self-motivation is one of the main things that distinguishes high-achieving professionals from everyone else. So how can you keep pushing onward, even when you don’t feel like it?

To a certain extent, motivation is personal. What gets you going might not do anything for me. And some individuals do seem to have more stick-to-itiveness than others. However, after 20 years of research into human motivation, my team and I have identified several strategies that seem to work for most people—whether they’re trying to lose weight, save for retirement, or implement a long, difficult initiative at work. If you’ve ever failed to reach an attainable goal because of procrastination or lack of commitment—and who of us hasn’t?—I encourage you to read on. These four sets of tactics can help propel you forward.

Design Goals, Not Chores

Ample research has documented the importance of goal setting. Studies have shown, for example, that when salespeople have targets, they close more deals, and that when individuals make daily exercise commitments, they’re more likely to increase their fitness levels. Abstract ambitions—such as “doing your best”—are usually much less effective than something concrete, such as bringing in 10 new customers a month or walking 10,000 steps a day. As a first general rule, then, any objectives you set for yourself or agree to should be specific.

Goals should also, whenever possible, trigger intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivation. An activity is intrinsically motivated when it’s seen as its own end; it’s extrinsically motivated when it’s seen as serving a separate, ulterior purpose—earning you a reward or allowing you to avoid punishment. My research shows that intrinsic motives predict achievement and success better than extrinsic ones do.

Find Effective Rewards

Some tasks or even stretches of a career are entirely onerous—in which case it can be helpful to create external motivators for yourself over the short-to-medium term, especially if they complement incentives offered by your organization. You might promise yourself a vacation for finishing a project or buy yourself a gift for losing weight. But be careful to avoid perverse incentives. One mistake is to reward yourself for the quantity of completed tasks or for speed when you actually care about the quality of performance. An accountant who treats herself for finishing her auditing projects quickly might leave herself open to mistakes, while a salesperson focused on maximizing sales rather than repeat business should probably expect some unhappy customers.

Another common trap is to choose incentives that undermine the goal you’ve reached. If a dieter’s prize for losing weight is to eat pizza and cake, he’s likely to undo some of his hard work and reestablish bad habits. If the reward for excelling at work one week is to allow yourself to slack off the next, you could diminish the positive impression you’ve made. Research on what psychologists call balancing shows that goal achievement sometimes licenses people to give in to temptation—which sets them back.

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In addition, some external incentives are more effective than others. For instance, in experiments researchers have discovered that most people work harder (investing more effort, time, and money) to qualify for an uncertain reward (such as a 50% chance of getting either $150 or $50) than they do for a certain reward (a 100% chance of getting $100), perhaps because the former is more challenging and exciting. Uncertain rewards are harder to set up at work, but not impossible. You might “gamify” a task by keeping two envelopes at your desk—one containing a treat of greater value—and picking only one, at random, after the job is done.

Finally, loss aversion—people’s preference for avoiding losses rather than acquiring equivalent gains—can also be used to design a strong external motivator. In a 2016 study scientists from the University of Pennsylvania asked people to walk 7,000 steps a day for six months. Some participants were paid $1.40 for each day they achieved their goal, while others lost $1.40 if they failed to. The second group hit their daily target 50% more often. Online services such as StickK.com allow users to choose a goal, like “I want to quit smoking,” and then commit to a loss if they don’t achieve it: They have to donate money to an organization or a political party that they despise, for example.

Sustain Progress

When people are working toward a goal, they typically have a burst of motivation early and then slump in the middle, where they are most likely to stall out. For instance, in one study observant Jews were more likely to light a menorah on the first and last nights of Hanukkah than on the other six nights, even though the religious tradition is to light candles for eight successive days. In another experiment, participants who were working on a paper-shape-cutting task cut more corners in the middle of the project than they did on their initial and final shapes.

Fortunately, research has uncovered several ways to fight this pattern. I refer to the first as “short middles.” If you break your goal into smaller subgoals—say, weekly instead of quarterly sales targets—there’s less time to succumb to that pesky slump.

Giving advice may be an even more effective way to overcome motivational deficits.

A second strategy is to change the way you think about the progress you’ve achieved. When we’ve already made headway, the goal seems within reach, and we tend to increase our effort. For example, consumers in loyalty programs tend to spend more when they’re closer to earning a reward. You can take advantage of that tendency by thinking of your starting point as being further back in the past; maybe the project began not the first time you took action but the time it was first proposed.

Another mental trick involves focusing on what you’ve already done up to the midpoint of a task and then turning your attention to what you have left to do. My research has found that this shift in perspective can increase motivation. For example, in a frequent-buyer promotion, emphasizing finished steps (“you’ve completed two of 10 purchases”) increased customers’ purchases at the beginning, and emphasizing missing steps (“you are two purchases away from a free reward”) spurred consumption as buyers neared the goal.

This tactic can work for rote tasks (such as sending out 40 thank-you notes) as well as for more-qualitative goals (becoming an expert pianist). The person writing the notes can gain motivation from reminding herself how many she’s sent until she passes 20; then she should count down how many she has left to do. In the same way, a novice pianist should focus on all the scales and skills she has acquired in her early stages of development; then, as she improves, focus on the remaining technical challenges (arpeggios, trills and tremolos, and so on) she needs to master.

Harness the Influence of Others

Humans are social creatures. We constantly look around to see what others are doing, and their actions influence our own. Even sitting next to a high-performing employee can increase your output. But when it comes to motivation, this dynamic is more complex. When we witness a colleague speeding through a task that leaves us frustrated, we respond in one of two ways: Either we’re inspired and try to copy that behavior, or we lose motivation on the assumption that we could leave the task to our peer. This is not entirely irrational: Humans have thrived as a species through individual specialization and by making the most of their comparative advantages.

The problem is that, especially at work, we can’t always delegate. But we can still use social influence to our advantage. One rule is to never passively watch ambitious, efficient, successful coworkers; there’s too much risk that it will be demotivating. Instead, talk to these peers about what they’re trying to accomplish with their hard work and why they would recommend doing it. My research shows that when a friend endorses a product, people are more likely to buy it, but they aren’t likely to if they simply learn that the friend bought the product. Listening to what your role models say about their goals can help you find extra inspiration and raise your own sights.

Interestingly, giving advice rather than asking for it may be an even more effective way to overcome motivational deficits, because it boosts confidence and thereby spurs action. In a recent study I found that people struggling to achieve a goal like finding a job assumed that they needed tips from experts to succeed. In fact, they were better served by offering their wisdom to other job seekers, because when they did so, they laid out concrete plans they could follow themselves, which have been shown to increase drive and achievement.

A final way to harness positive social influence is to recognize that the people who will best motivate you to accomplish certain tasks are not necessarily those who do the tasks well. Instead, they’re folks who share a big-picture goal with you: close friends and family or mentors. Thinking of those people and our desire to succeed on their behalf can help provide the powerful intrinsic incentives we need to reach our goals. A woman may find drudgery at work rewarding if she feels she is providing an example for her daughter; a man may find it easier to stick to his fitness routine if it helps him feel more vibrant when he is with his friends.

. . .

In positive psychology, flow is defined as a mental state in which someone is fully immersed, with energized focus and enjoyment, in an activity. Alas, that feeling can be fleeting or elusive in everyday life. More often we feel like Baron Munchausen in the swamp—struggling to move forward in pursuit of our goals. In those situations it can help to tap the power of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, set incentives carefully, turn our focus either behind or ahead depending on how close we are to the finish, and harness social influence. Self-motivation is one of the hardest skills to learn, but it’s critical to your success.

A version of this article appeared in the November–December 2018 issue of Harvard Business Review.

85 You Can Do It Quotes For Students and Entrepreneurs (2022)

These motivational quotes will inspire you to dream bigger and do better.

You can accomplish any goal as long as you try hard and never give up hope.

Read this collection of ‘you can do it’ quotes for encouragement on your journey.

Have you ever doubted yourself before?

These words of wisdom will inspire you whether you’re a student, entrepreneur, or any other ambitious person.

The secret to success is believing in yourself and knowing in your heart that you can do it.

These you can do it quotes will remind you that anything is possible.

It’s important to be confident in your own abilities and talents.

Read these inspirational quotes if you ever need to remind yourself that you are a capable, courageous, and resourceful person.

There is no goal too lofty to achieve as long as you never give up and never stop trying your hardest.

Always remember that you can do it.

Don’t forget to also check out these never give up quotes for endless determination.

If you like this article, we suggest you explore our most popular quotes article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily encouragement.

Read more related content on our inspirational quotes category page.

You can do it quotes for students and entrepreneurs

1. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

2. “If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all.” – Arsene Wenger

3. “Style is whatever you want to do, if you can do it with confidence.” – George Clinton

4. “If you think you can do it, you can.” – John Burroughs

5. “You must first clearly see a thing in your mind before you can do it.” – Alex Morrison

6. “If it’s what you do and you can do it, then you do it.” – Van Morrison

7. “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.” – Dizzy Dean

8. “I don’t think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it.” – Richard L. Evans

9. “Everyone has a part to play. We have the power. You can do it.” – Maxine Waters

10. “Be magnificent. Life’s short. Get out there. You can do it. Everyone can do it. Everyone.” – Andy Serkis

You can do it quotes to make you believe that anything is possible

11. “The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent. ” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

12. “No matter what you’re going through, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and it may seem hard to get to it but you can do it and just keep working towards it and you’ll find the positive side of things.” – Demi Lovato

13. “There’s a time in your life where you’re not quite sure where you are. You think everything’s perfect, but it’s not perfect… Then one day you wake up and you can’t quite picture yourself in the situation you’re in. But the secret is, if you can picture yourself doing anything in life, you can do it.” – Tom DeLonge

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of The Secret quotes to help you manifest your dreams.

14. “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.” – Richard M. DeVos

15. “Have confidence in everything. No matter what it is that you’re doing, know that you can do it better than anyone. ” – O’Shea Jackson, Jr.

16. “My motto in life is ‘If you think it, you can do it’ and if we all apply that thought we can end hunger the world over.” – Dionne Warwick

17. “Don’t let people make you afraid of taking chances in life. And if you fail, it’s no big deal. Get back up and fight through it and be successful again. If you did it once, you can do it again.” – Ken Shamrock

18. “You just have to have the guidance to lead you in the direction until you can do it yourself.” – Tina Yothers

19. “I would say to always follow your dream. And dream big because my whole career, including any of the things that I’ve accomplished, I never thought in a million years that I would be here. So it just proves that once you believe in yourself, and you put your mind to something, you can do it.” – Simone Biles

20. “There is something at work that’s bigger than us. It’s about having a trust in life and being at peace that things are happening the way they should. You do what you do as well as you can do it, and then you don’t worry or agonize about the outcome.” – Sherilyn Fenn

You can do it quotes to inspire you to follow your dreams

21. “When people push back on you and don’t think you can do it, and you struggle a little bit and wonder if they’re right, it drives you to be successful and to be a great player.” – Reggie Jackson

22. “Sometimes to go forward you’ve got to go to the depths of your own personal despair and claw yourself back. From that point, no matter what happens, you know you can do it.” – Gordon Strachan

23. “You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” – Ralph Marston

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of determination quotes to help you keep moving forward.

24. “You don’t need a corporation or a marketing company to brand you now: you can do it yourself. You can establish who you are with a social media following.” – Ray Allen

If you’re enjoying these quotes, make sure to read our collection of marketing quotes about getting your message out there.

25. “You can be good at technology and like fashion and art. You can be good at technology and be a jock. You can be good at technology and be a mom. You can do it your way, on your terms.” – Marissa Mayer

26. “I tell my kids and I tell proteges, always have humility when you create and grace when you succeed, because it’s not about you. You are a terminal for a higher power. As soon as you accept that, you can do it forever.” – Quincy Jones

27. “I have used astrology to send positive messages: ‘You can do it, even if you fall, get back up again.’” – Walter Mercado

28. “I think people sometimes get my message misconstrued and believe I’m trying to brag, but I’m genuinely trying to show people that you can do it all yourself, and there’s so much power and freedom in that. ” – Russ

29. “Society sets us up to be everything but ourselves, but I want to take a moment and say to people, love yourself. Find your purpose. You are unique, and that makes you great. I pursued my dreams. You can do it, too.” – Karen Civil

30. “You have to be you. You can’t be anybody else. If you speak loudly, and people tell you to speak quietly, you can do it for a little bit, but loud people are loud, and people who are not, are not.” – Mario Testino

You can do it quotes for encouragement on your journey

31. “If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your pants down, you can still do it with dignity.” – William Shatner

32. “Once you win, you have no doubt that you can win. So you have gone through it once, and you can do it again.” – Ivan Lendl

33. “You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can. ” – Jimmy Carter

34. “What I find in terms of the small success that I’ve had, with no backing, just doing it off my own back is the way I wanted to do it – I wanted to prove that you can do it on your own.” – Gerry Cinnamon

35. “I know who I am. I don’t have to brag. I know what I contributed. I know what I did. You think you can do it better? Hey, go right ahead. The stage is yours.” – Al Lewis

36. “So much better to write pen on paper; you can do it anywhere, say, while stuck at the airport.” – Upamanyu Chatterjee

37. “Looking back on my life, I wish I’d stepped forward and made a fool of myself more often when I was younger – because when you do, you find out you can do it.” – William K. Sessions

38. “Yes, we have to look at our opponents and study our opponents. But you have to look at you first and know you can do it.” – Bernard Hopkins

39. “My advice to young people who want to act is just to do it as much as you can! Find friends who also want to do it and have readings of great plays in your apartment. You don’t have to wait for someone else to tell you that you can do it. You can be getting better on your own all the time.” – Sarah Steele

40. “I just push away everything negative. Just do what you want to do and believe that you can do it and you will do it.” – Maryse Mizanin

You can do it quotes to motivate and inspire

41. “If you know you can do it – if you can already chart every day in your future – then why bother? Choose to do something you have more trouble imagining. Take a chance.” – Gina Barreca

42. “Life’s a balancing act. You have multiple roles and goals, and you can do it all – just not all at once.” – Denise Morrison

43. “Too often, women are waiting for someone to recognise their great work and tap them on the shoulder and say, ‘Here – this is the next thing we want you to do,’ and that may happen. But I feel you need to take more ownership of telling your story, advocating for yourself. You can do it in a way that’s positive and that your leaders will appreciate.” – Lynne Doughtie

44. “When you have to start over from scratch, you can do it very differently than if you have this big thing that’s kinda been building on top of itself for ages and ages.” – Brock Pierce

45. “I think the best part about music is that you can do it anywhere at any time and it’s always with you.” – Chris Sullivan

46. “I want to get to a point in my career where I can be a role model. A good one. I want to say, ‘I got here without drugs, and I got here without drinking or smoking. If I can do it, you can do it. I have no doubt.’ I really want kids to have a chance in life.” – Chad Michael Murray

47. “Life asks not merely what you can do; it asks how much can you endure and not be spoiled.” – Harry Emerson Fosdick

48. “We often grow up being told that we can do this or that, but if you don’t see anybody that looks like you doing it, you don’t believe you can do it. But I had great teachers, and I wanted to be a great teacher.” – Jesse Williams

49. “I’ve done a lot of assignment work in my life, and the only way you can do it is to make it your own as quickly as possible, and then you give it back.” – Kenneth Lonergan

50. “If we were all kind, if we were all loving and respectful to one another, this world would be so different. So it starts with you, and you can do it. Don’t let anything hold you back!” – Ally Brooke

You can do it quotes to elevate your perspective

51. “Never allow anyone to define you! Just be you!” – Chrys Phillips

52. “You Don’t Give Up When You Can’t Give Up.” – Marion Bekoe

53. “If you fail, you will be sad. But if you quit, you will be mad. Don’t give up on your dreams. Get up. You can do it!” – Israelmore Ayivor

54. “Believe, if you can think it; You can do it.” – Allan Bridjith

55. “Always remember that there were many times in the past where you thought it couldn’t be done, but somehow you found a way to do it.” – Edmond Mbiaka

You can do it quotes to support your goals and dreams

56. “If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” ― Dr Roopleen

57. “The bird dares to break the shell, then the shell breaks open and the bird can fly openly. This is the simplest principle of success. You dream, you dare and and you fly.” ― Israelmore Ayivor

58. “Get out of your mind and become crazy about your future in a creative way!” ― Michael Bassey Johnson

59. “Know the truth. You have it in you to climb every mountain.” ― Hiral Nagda

60. “You don’t have to achieve everything overnight. You just have to be willing to try. One day at a time. Just keep trying. Keep believing. ” ― Akiroq Brost

61. “A bird will only fall from the sky when it stops believing in its ability to fly, and a fish will only drown in water when it stops believing in its ability to swim.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo

62. “People didn’t believe that eyebrows were a business. I believed in it, and I think that’s enough. If you believe it, you can do it.” ― Anastasia Soare

63. “I say this to women all the time: If you’ve got the passion, you believe in making change, and you’ve got an issue or policy or something that you want to do, believe in it. Have confidence in yourself. You can do it.” ― Catherine Cortez-Masto

64. “We always set ambitious goals in our group, and I have found that if you set your mind to it, you can do it ,and sometimes all the circumstances will play in your favour.” ― Ajay Piramal

65. “If your real desire is to be good, there is no need to wait for the money before you do it; you can do it now, this very moment, and just where you are. ” ― James Allen

You can do it quotes when you need encouragement

66. “If you can do it better than me, then you do it.” ― Kanye West

67. “The most important thing for success is self belief and confidence. Believing you deserve it, believing you can do it, and you will get it.” ― Anil Sinha

68. “You don’t need anyone to believe that you can do it, as long as you believe in yourself and what you’re capable of.” ― Agatha Stephanie Lin

69. “When you believe that you can do something, that’s when you can do it.” ― Joseph Gordon-Levitt

70. “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.” ― Henry Ford

71. “Think you can and you can do it. Your thoughts are your life.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

72. “The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent. ” ― David Hockney

73. “By stepping outside your comfort zone to do something peculiar, you confirm that you can do more than you’ve done. Move out!” ― Israelmore Ayivor

74. “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. And you can do it when things are tough.” ― Richard M DeVos

75. “You can do anything if you have enthusiasm.” ― Henry Ford

You Can Do It Quotes To Believe In Yourself

76. “Just get it right, “it is not too late to dream”. You can do it now!” — Israelmore Ayivor

77. “You can do anything you set your mind to do.” — Franklin A. Ohiozebau

78. “There is no limit to what you can do,when you focus on your strength.” — Lailah Gifty Akita

79. “Always remember you can do anything you put your mind to.” — Michael Gunner

80. “You want to climb the mountain because it’s there and you know you can do it.” — Alex Zanardi

81. “I want to show that you don’t have to be older to live your dreams, you can do it at any age.” — Zendaya Coleman

82. “Trust yourself that you can do it and get it.” — Baz Luhrmann

83. “Kids always need a role model. I let them know you can do it, too, if you really want to.” — Leon Spinks

84. “You can cease to be influenced by people who tease you. Just neglect their help and elevate your steps. You can do it!” — Israelmore Ayivor

85. “You can do it,but do not panic. Be positive and stay focused.” — Robert Randle

What are your favorite you can do it quotes to encourage success?

These motivational quotes are a great way to say ‘you can do it’ to your loved ones.

Knowing that you believe in them and support them will boost their confidence.

This list of you can do it quotes for students, professionals, and hobbyists can encourage improvement in any field.

Together we can change the world and make our dreams come true.

If you’ve ever worried about your goals being too ambitious, just remind yourself that you can do it.

Hard work will always pay off in the end.

Share these you can do it quotes with your friends and family to inspire them to follow their dreams.

What are your favorite motivational you can do it quotes and sayings about being able to reach your goals?

Let us know in the comment section below.

August 14, 2022 5:00 AM EST

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Lou Holtz quote: Your talent determines what you can do. Your Motivation ...

- LU HOLTS

Last update on October 24, 2022

9000 Ability is what you are capable of. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

- Lou Holtz 1937

"Life is an attitude to the world, making his choice of attitude to the world, the individual determines himself. "

- Simone de Beauvoir French writer, philosopher, ideologist of the feminist movement 1908 - 1986 as we define our actions, so our actions define us. Cruelty, like any evil, does not need motivation; all she needs is a reason.”

— George Eliot English writer 1819 - 1880

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— Ivan Pyanov

“Don't let your past determine your future. Everything changes… And we can start by changing our view of the world.”

— Nathaniel Buzolic 1983

“The niche is a stumbling block, of course. But this very niche is probably determined by the viewer. But I can say one thing: what I do, no one can. I know my abilities. Besides, life and time have proven it. I can honestly tell you: strong in the dramatic repertoire and lyrics, with entertainment - weaker.“

- Yaroslav Aleksandrovich Evdokimov Soviet, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian singer (baritone) 1946

About his work

“To do easily what is difficult for others is a talent; to do what is impossible for talent is genius. ”

— Henri Amiel 1821 - 1881

“You are not in control of what happens to you, but you are in control of your attitude to what is happening. And it is this attitude that determines who controls whom - the events of you or you these very events.0003

— Brian Tracy American writer, business coach 1944

“Talent is when you do better than others.”

— Mikhail Safarbekovich Gutseriev Russian entrepreneur, philanthropist 1958

“The past defines us. We can try to run away from it or from that bad thing that was, but we will only run away by adding something good to it. "

- Wendell Berry 1934

"In itself, this or that circumstance of your life does not matter, the only thing what is really important is your attitude towards him. And it is this attitude that determines success or failure.”

- Norman Vincent Peel 1898 - 1993

"When people stand up for something really special for them, they can really become... As strong as possible. "

- Masashi Kishimoto Japanese mangaka 1974

condemning your style, it's boring to live your life. All they do is condemn. And you can do more.”

— Andy Biersack American singer-songwriter 1990

“The motivation to do something has to be an order of magnitude higher than the motivation to do nothing.”

— Alexander Pushnoy Russian musician, TV presenter, actor 1975

“Talent is the ability to do what nobody taught us.” you are talented. Your talent will fail you, if you are not trained, if you do not study, if you do not work very hard and you dedicate yourself to improvement every day, you will never be able to dedicate your art to the people you want.“

- Will Smith American actor, producer and rapper 1968

"We may get a few hard hits on the road, but that's part of life and it makes us stronger as we move on."

- Demi Lovato American actress and singer 1992

“We are too accustomed to what we do and what others around us do, we are not surprised; habit is a great thing, it is the thickest chain on human legs; it is stronger than convictions, talent, character, passions, mind. ”

— Alexander Ivanovich Herzen Russian writer, publicist, philosopher, revolutionary 1812 - 1870

From the series of articles “Whims and Reflections”

“If presidents cannot do this with their wives, they do it with their countries.”

— Mel Brooks American film director, actor and producer 1926

“If you can do it, why do it?”

— Gertrude Stein American writer, literary theorist 1874 - 1946