How I tackled lack of motivation problem during my Placements?

Suffering from a lack of motivation? Well, that is something which is common to every human being out there at some point in time in their lives. 

There are some facts that you need to grasp very well in your mind - 

• Everyone has got 24 hours. 
• Everyone faces a lack of motivation at some point in time. 
• No one can study for 24 hours straight. 
• Most of the people have the available resources to study around you. Example - Phone, Internet, Books, and Materials, etc. 
• Most people tend to waste their time in mobile games, series, movies, etc. 
• Not everyone gets up at 4 o clock and starts reading Data Structures and Algorithms and starts coding right away. 
• Not everyone is god gifted. 

So, if this is the case with everyone, then where does the difference actually come up? How are some people more productive and achieve more as compared to others? 

The difference comes up in the way how some have trained their mind to react to situations and their attitude. I will write more about a good attitude in another blog post. 

If you are lying on the bed, playing mobile games all day, seeing movies all day. And whenever you get a thought of studying you start procrastinating, you try to convince yourself that you have a lot of time left. 

Then stay alert! This might be a DANGER signal. 

I personally use one tactic which helped me tackle the motivation problem during placements. I remember, SAP Labs was one of my dream companies at the time when I was preparing for my Campus Placements. 

The initial days of preparations would be full of enthusiasm. Yes, I will crack this. I am the person who is gonna get this company etc. But I too faced the lack of motivation problem within a week or two, post starting my preparation for the company. 

However, I did the following which helped me a lot during those times - 

1. GOAL SHEET - Getting into SAP Labs was my primary goal during the placement season. So I wrote "I will get into SAP LABS" on a white sheet of paper and stuck it near my study table (it happens to be near my bed). Whenever I used to see the paper, written in bold letter was my goal that I want to achieve! My mind would say to me, you won't have time later on! Do it now. 
   And the next thing that I would be doing would be to sit and open my TO-DO list for placements. 
2. GOOD THINGS SHEET - Think about all the "Good Things" that can happen if you get this job. Write them down on another sheet of paper. 
   The examples of Good Things might include things like - Parents being proud, Popularity in Society, Good Package, Becoming Financially Independent, Can take your partner for lunch in a good restaurant, your Friend Circle can go to amusement parks or trips without caring much about money, if you plan to buy a 2 wheeler, etc etc. These are some things that came randomly in my mind.
   Use Colour Pens (to differentiate it from normal writing). The human brain tends to skip most of the things that are written in a normal flow. Something different, but something written in a RED MARKER or any other color, attracts its attention. 
   After writing, just stick this sheet next to the previous sheet. When you read about them, you will feel another energy within you. Trust me, it works.
   
3. READY, STEADY, and GO! - When you are feeling very lazy, and you don't feel like getting up at all. Just say Ready, Steady, and Go! And suddenly get up and stand. Go straight to the bathroom or to the nearest washbasin. Wash your face properly. See the above two sheets, and sit properly at your study table. Open your Laptop. Open your TO-DO List of things for placements and JUST START! 

These were some of the things that helped me during my placements season to stay focused! It is all about mind games with your mind. Just make sure your trick it properly. Otherwise, it might be too late to learn the trick! 

Author - Abhishek Kumar Rai