If you are like 92.4% of people at the beginning of the New Year (not a factual number mind you), you have sat down with a shine in your eye to set about making a list of goals to achieve in 2019. I know I have. So far there’s only one goal… get my driver’s license (I’m nearing 30 for god's sake!)

When it comes to staying motivated to maintain those goals here’s some steps you can use over the next year so you can earn that end goal gold star (or in my case, the ability to drive on the road without another adult).

Number 1: Accountability
No one is going to drive that car but me and no one is going to create that comic but you. You’re going to have bad days where you feel like it’s a slog to get through a page or sections of your comic and you know what? That’s ok. The key to getting a comic out is sitting down and doing the work. You might love what you do, but you need to embrace that there are times where this business suuuuuuuuuuuucks and you just have to push through. Speaking of which…

Number 2: It could always be worse!
Life could always be worse, so take the time to put your webcomic woes into perspective. Take a leaf out of the mindfulness book and realise that this feeling of lack of motivation will not be there in a week, or a month and that all it is, is a feeling that will pass. Take comfort in the idea that you are doing an activity that you love and that if you die tomorrow (which, touching all the wood you don’t) you did what you ultimately loved, even when it tested you. That being said…

Number 3: Stroke dat ego
We creatives are very quick to bring ourselves down and second guess ourselves. It’s a hard ocean to swim in. So pump yourself up! Look at old art and marvel at how far you’ve come, listen to some pumped up music or try a new technique to break the routine. Remember, consistency means you improve and if nothing else, you can become good at that! But if all else fails…

Number 4: Bribe yourself
Yup. When in doubt, bring out the bribes. I often do so by the thought that once a hard part is over, it is done and I’ll feel good about it but you can use chocolate. Sometimes I use a nice cup of tea, or a true crime episode or video games (though between Smash bros, drawing for hours and gripping the steering wheel for dear life my hands are perma-ruined). Find a way to bribe yourself to do a least a little bit of work. And that real key to that is…

Number 5: Make it a habit
Guuuuuuuuuuuys this is kinda the cornerstone to following through on motivation. Like you do at work, establish a creative routine and stick to it. Establish what days you are going to create and become an immovable rock. It sucks, and the devil will lay out many a temptation, but ya gotta be strong. Once you have that habit in place, you won’t have to rely on motivation anymore. It’s a fickle offspring of a pair of dogs anyways.

Got any goals for the new year? How have you handled motivation throughout 2018? Let us know in the comment section below. And join us on Sunday evening for our Quackchat at 5:30PM(EST)!

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