How Can I Stay Motivated All the Time Through the Premed Process?

Session 32

Staying motivated all the time is an impossible feat for any premed student. Let’s talk about how you can stay motivated as you go through this process.

And most importantly, how are you always motivated to do well in your classes, to study for the MCAT, to go out and volunteer and get shadowing experience, and come home and be motivated to be a good partner or parent?

By the way, the episodes in this podcast are recordings of our Facebook Live that we do at 3pm Eastern on most weekdays. Check out our Facebook page and like the page to be notified. If you want to know about everything premed, go check out The Premed Years Podcast.

[00:35] You Can’t Always Be Motivated

It’s impossible to be always motivated. Social media perpetuates this theory that these students on social media are always happy, especially on Instagram.

'The honest truth is that the students who are posting on social media are only posting the good things. They're not posting the struggles.'Click To Tweet

They’re not actually posting the days they’re not motivated to get out of the bed. They don’t post the days they get burnt out. Or the days they failed the test and need to retake it. The days they’re not motivated to post on social media are those days you don’t see them on there.

But our brains don’t process that. Instead, they only see all the good stuff. We think they’re always happy and always on top of their game. And this is not true.

[01:52] How to Get Yourself Motivated to Study

One of my favorite quotes is “You do not smile because you are happy. You are happy because you smile.”

'You make the most out of your situation. You use your ability to adjust your attitude, to adjust your situation.'Click To Tweet

So on those days you don’t feel motivated, just get up and do something! These are the days when you know you’ve got a hundred pages to read and you just don’t want to do anything. Well, read five pages. More likely than not, just the act of getting out of the bed and reading those five pages, will make you want to read five more. And another five more and so on. Then you’re already getting motivated because you’re excited and you’re learning.

'Do something on those days where you're not motivated.'Click To Tweet

[03:00] Give Yourself Permission to Chill

There are going to be days where you just want to chill. And that’s okay. You’ve got to give yourself permission to have those kinds of days.

Don’t beat yourself up or get down if you don’t get to study or do the things you need to do. Give yourself permission to have those days. And be okay with that. Then move on again tomorrow.

'Give yourself permission to have those kinds of days to relax. You need to be okay with that.'Click To Tweet

So again, when you get into those funks, take a step back. Go out and do something for yourself that can make you feel good. Get some ice cream. Exercise. Get some sleep. Then come back the next day refreshed and ready to go.

[04:58] Go Back to Your Why

One of the biggest things you need to do when you feel you lack motivation is always bring yourself back to why. Why are you doing this? Go shadow. Get yourself around patients. Remember why you’re on this journey and why you’re struggling through all this.