The world feels like a challenging place right now. Change, uncertainty, and competing priorities are part of daily life. That’s why keeping your motivation on track is so important – it helps you stay focused, resilient, and ready to move forward in your career.

At Elevate, we’ve shared many tools over the years to help with this. Here are three of my favourites:

1. Eat the Frog

The phrase comes from a quote often attributed to Mark Twain:
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

The idea was later popularised by Brian Tracy in his book Eat That Frog! as a productivity principle.

In practice, the “frog” is that task you dread – the report you keep putting off, the tricky conversation you’ve delayed, the presentation you’d rather ignore. Tackle it first thing. Doing the hardest thing early not only clears mental clutter, it also builds confidence for everything else that follows.

Think of it like training your brain: once you’ve proven you can handle the most uncomfortable task, the rest of the day feels lighter. And the bonus? You stop wasting energy on procrastination, because the “frog” is already gone.

2. MICE – A Corporate Take

The FBI originally used MICE to understand what drives criminal behaviour. We’ve reinterpreted it for the workplace – and it’s become a popular framework with Elevate attendees. We’ve used it in a variety of topics: from leadership, handling change and having difficult conversations.”

• Money → In corporate terms, this isn’t just about salary. It’s about aligning your role with opportunities for growth, recognition, and fair reward. Understanding how financial incentives fit into your bigger career picture helps you stay grounded and focused.

• Ideology → For us, this means purpose. What values do you stand for? How does your work connect to something larger than yourself — your team, your organisation, or even society? When you link tasks to purpose, motivation feels natural.
• Coercion → In business, coercion shows up as pressure: deadlines, accountability, or high expectations. Rather than seeing it negatively, you can reframe it as structure. Sometimes the “push” of responsibility is what keeps us disciplined and moving forward.
• Ego → Pride in your work, professional reputation, and the drive to be recognised for your contribution. Ego in balance isn’t vanity – it’s confidence. Use it to fuel ambition and remind yourself that what you do matters.

3. Anchor Yourself with Small Wins

In tough times, don’t wait for the big milestone to celebrate. Break goals into steps and recognise progress along the way. These micro-wins keep momentum alive and remind you that forward is forward – no matter the pace.

In coaching sessions, when a client shares a small win, I’ll often ask: “How will you celebrate it?” With new clients, that question is often met with silence – picture tumbleweeds rolling by. We’re so used to racing to the next thing that we forget to pause. But celebrating small wins reinforces progress and trains your brain to stay motivated for the long run.

Motivation doesn’t happen by chance. With the right tools – whether it’s “eating the frog,” using MICE to understand your drivers, or leaning into small wins – you can stay focused and energised even when the world feels heavy.

If this resonates with you, have a look at our upcoming sessions to see how we can help to unlock – and elevate – the potential in your workplaces.

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