The fast pace of today’s business environment can be both stressful and draining, and with it rarely letting us leave our workspace, either physically or digitally, makes maintaining motivation and a healthy life balance quite challenging. Few people understand this reality better than renowned entrepreneur Barak Diskin.

His achievements in everything from real estate to eCommerce has not only provided him unique insight into the competitive marketspace, but has provided him with invaluable experience in how to achieve equilibrium between his work life and personal one. It is this experience that has also taught him how to maintain his motivation, even in the most stressful of times and spaces.

It is in his ability to maintain that relentless drive, even in the face of immense difficulties, that has kept him at the top of the business world. Yet, as effortless as it appears, there are some definite guidelines he utilizes to achieve this result. According to Barak Diskin, motivation is not defined by one characteristic and can be intrinsic or extrinsic. It is knowing which one to use when presented with these challenges that determines one’s success in maintaining that motivation.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Though we often look for external achievement, such as financial reward, Diskin chooses to emphasize intrinsic motivation for long-term success. “You can either drive for short-term reward or create an approach that will always keep you moving forward”, says Diskin. While extrinsic motivation can be helpful and provide us with a rush of good feelings, intrinsic motivation, he believes, is what sets us up for long-term success

“When you are genuinely interested in what you do, take pride in your actions and strive for achievement based on the sole reward of your own self satisfaction, you are more likely to persevere and continue to move forward, even when encountering difficult barriers.” So while extrinsic motivation such as monetary rewards or recognition can be enjoyable, he recognizes they will not sustain you.

Finding Your “Why”

“Too often people think about the “how” of doing something rather than the “why”, and this prevents us from finding our intrinsic motivation.” This is why Diskin suggests that before you take on an endeavor, to identify the “why” it is so important to you — or in essence, the deeper reason behind your actions. This involves understanding what truly matters and places you in a better position to align your goals with your values. By finding your “why”, you can better find and maintain motivation.

Motivation Strategies

Though it is easy to find motivation in the abstract, applying practical strategies to incorporate it into your daily life can be a little trickier. This is why Diskin offers several practical strategies to boost motivation and maintain a balanced life.

Set Clear Goals

Setting clear and achievable goals is crucial for motivation. “You cannot be scattered in your approach to your business, you have to have an endgame in mind.” Many mistakenly interpret this as not allowing for a grander vision, but this is not the case. Instead, Diskin advises breaking down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks. “By achieving smaller tangible goals you will keep yourself motivated through these mini-successes and will be better able to continue moving forward.”

Create a Vision Board

There is an old saying “don’t lose sight of the bigger picture”. Therefore, Diskin encourages people to create a vision board, or a visual representation of your goals. So while you are taking and tracking the small steps, the vision board will serve as a daily reminder of what you are working towards. So whether it’s quotes, daily affirmations, or even inspiring imagery,  place items on it that will encourage you to keep going.

Develop a Routine

Diskin believes that establishing a routine not only provides a stable foundation for working towards an objective, but creates necessary structure and consistency in your life “My routines are the basis of everything I do. Without them, I would be hard pressed to find a manageable or successful starting point.” He suggests analyzing the habits that support your goals, whether it be setting aside time for exercise, meditation, or learning. A well-planned routine both enhances productivity while keeping you centered and motivated.

Practice Mindfulness

One tendency that can destroy balance is projecting to the future. The reason being is that those who do so, tend to project to a negative result even though there may be no supporting evidence that will be the result. “While most business people like to think of themselves as risk-taking adventurers, we are actually more cautious by nature. And this makes us susceptible to looking for the catastrophes lurking beneath the surface.”

To avoid this negative habit, Diskin practices mindfulness or the practice of being in the moment and aware of your thoughts and feelings. He believes that incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can prevent the tendency of projecting negative outcomes, keeping you in a more positive frame of mind. This in turn, will significantly improve motivation by reducing stress and increasing focus.

Balancing Motivation and Life

Achieving a balance between motivation and life involves managing your time and energy effectively. It is about maintaining drive while allowing yourself to intermittently decompress. In order to accomplish this, Diskin emphasizes the importance of self-care and setting boundaries to maintain a healthy equilibrium.

Prioritize Self-Care

“Though it sounds like old fashion wisdom, it is still true that when you’re physically feeling well, that you will better be able to maintain the activities that feed your drive.” Therefore, Diskin places a heavy emphasis on taking care of himself, as he finds it essential in sustaining his motivation. Whether it is exercise, meditation, or mental respites that include feeding the humorous or curious side of your personality, Diskin advises prioritizing activities that nurture your physical, mental, and emotional well-being to find your balance.

Set Boundaries

Many people who are high achievers feel the need to have to please everyone in the most immediate ways. However this can be deadly to motivation. Therefore, setting boundaries is crucial to prevent burnout and maintain life balance. “It is easy to get caught in the trap of wanting to address every issue, but there is only so much of you to go around.

This is why Diskin emphasizes learning how and when to say “no” to additional commitments that do not align with your goals or overall wellbeing, as he believes this vital to being able to maintain motivation. By protecting your time and energy, you can focus on what truly matters and stay motivated.

Manage Stress

All of the above practices play into managing maybe the biggest single detractor of motivation and life balance, and that is stress. Although stress in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, as it can push us toward thinking outside the box and accomplishing tasks, too much of it can stop motivation in its tracks. Diskin suggests developing stress-management techniques, such as deep breathing, exercise, or simply talking to a trusted friend in order to effectively maintain life balance.

Staying Motivated in Challenging Times

There is no such thing as a smooth ride when it comes to achieving success or the elements that lend to it. “Life is difficult, and accepting this simple truth will put you in a better position to deal with challenges as they arise.” So he has developed a strategy to navigate these periods with resilience and determination.

Embrace Change

Change is inevitable, and this will cause unpredictable obstacles that will present challenges that you may have never considered. However, it is how you view change that will be the determining factor in your success. Diskin encourages embracing change as an opportunity rather than simply a barrier that needs to be overcome. “Instead of resisting change, focus on adapting and finding new ways to achieve your goals”, adds Diskin. “This philosophy is the mindset that can keep you motivated, even when faced with uncertainty.”

Learn from Setbacks

Thomas Edison once said in reference to his over one thousand failed attempts to invent the light bulb, that he did not fail but successfully figured out a thousand different ways not to make a light bulb. Setbacks are a natural part of any journey. Diskin strongly believes that by viewing your setbacks or failures and just simply part of a successful process, you will be able to change your mindset to missteps and better progress towards your goals. “Failure in an attempt is not necessarily a bad thing, in many ways, it can be a value added proposition.”

Conclusion

Barak Diskin’s insights on motivation and life balance are about finding practical guidance for ways to achieve goals while maintaining a fulfilling life. His overriding theme is not to just find ways to remain motivated but fully understanding the nature of motivation itself. In doing so, Diskin has discovered more effective means of cultivating the motivation needed to succeed in any endeavor. By incorporating these strategies into his daily life, Diskin has been able to remain consistently motivated, yet balanced enough to allow himself to enjoy the journey.