EPISODE 253

How to stay motivated all year (without burning out)

January can come with a lot of pressure to feel motivated, inspired, and ready to conquer the year.

And sometimes… that energy just isn’t there.

In this week’s Chill & Prosper, I’m talking about how to keep the New Year energy going all year - because your motivation will dip, and that’s completely normal.

We talk about:
✨ Why motivation naturally ebbs and flows
✨ How to plan your year so you’re not running at full speed constantly
✨ What to do when things don’t go to plan (refunds, delays, disappointments)
✨ Why rest and space actually support momentum
✨ Practical ways to reduce friction and protect your energy

This episode is about setting yourself up for a sustainable, supportive year. Not pushing harder. 

xx Denise

Transcript

Prefer to read?  Here's the transcript:

Hey, gorgeous! It's Denise Duffield-Thomas here, and you are listening to Chill and Prosper. Today we're talking about how to keep your motivation going all year long.

Right now it's January—and there's a lot of pressure to feel motivated in January. And sometimes we do feel it! That “new year, new me” energy can feel fresh and exciting. You might think, “This year is going to be so different!”

But that motivation can fade. Maybe it already has. Or maybe you’re listening to this later in the year, wondering, “How do I get that energy back?”

Let’s talk about that—because motivation will ebb and flow throughout the year. That’s normal.

You can still set yourself up for an incredible year. Whether your goals are personal, financial, or business-related—you don’t have to be perfect or full of energy every day. Let’s talk about sustainable motivation that doesn’t just rely on the hype of a new year or quarter.

Even with the best intentions, there will be times when:

• You feel off track
• You face external disruptions
• You get discouraged
• You experience delays or disappointments

Spoiler alert:
You’ll have people who aren’t happy with you.
You’ll get refund requests.
You’ll spend money on things that don’t work out.
You might get ripped off.
You might get copycatted.

And none of that means you’re failing. These are just rites of passage in business. They're normal.

You might have a launch that doesn’t go to plan.
You might expect a yes and get a no.

It doesn’t mean your dream is dead.
It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
It doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of success.

Sometimes we expect things to go perfectly—or we think success only counts if it happens quickly and smoothly. That’s not true.

There is no such thing as a criticism-proof price, and there’s no such thing as a perfectly smooth year.

The key is to keep going, even when momentum dips or things feel slow. Remember: a year has 365 days. You can achieve a lot—but not everything has to happen in the first week.

All month long, I’ve been talking about the Goals and Upgrades Workbook. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, it’s not too late! Go to denisedt.com/jan. It doesn’t matter when you start—it’s full of ideas to help you set your goals and make meaningful upgrades, whenever you’re ready.

Also, part of setting yourself up for success is looking at your year as a whole, not just focusing on goals right away.

For example:

• When are you taking time off?
• When are your launches?
• When are your busiest personal seasons?
• Where might you need space between projects?

Planning visually—looking at your calendar from a bird’s eye view—can be so freeing. It gives you permission to have seasons in your business.

You don’t have to go full-throttle all year.

And yes, I’m saying this as much to myself as I am to you. I have to remind myself constantly: Denise, it’s okay to take breaks. It’s okay to ebb and flow. It’s normal to have seasons.

You might also discover that if you want to sustain momentum, you need to bring in help during your busiest times—or even just for one intense project.

That’s why each episode this month builds on the last. They’re all part of the puzzle:

• What’s your big picture?
• What are your goals?
• What support do you need?
• How will you handle the dips?

If you anticipate those dips and plan for them—you’re already ahead.

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned over the years is about lag time—the energy before and after big events.

For example, a few years ago we scheduled all our launches back-to-back without accounting for:

• Pre-launch energy (planning, prep, team meetings)
• Post-launch energy (delivery, onboarding, follow-up)

What happened? All the projects started bleeding together. It was exhausting.

I remember saying to Mark (who runs my launches), “You’re already onto the next launch, but I’m still delivering the last one. It feels like I’m in every trimester of pregnancy at once!”

This is why we now build space into our calendar. That space creates sustainability. It also supports motivation.

When you’re constantly rushing, pushing, and reacting—it’s hard to stay inspired.

This is true in other areas too. For example, when training for a marathon (which I would never do 😄), you don’t just run a marathon every day. You build up to it. And close to the event, you rest.

In fact, I accidentally learned this in ballet.

Before my first big ballet exam, I got injured six weeks out. I couldn’t train as hard—and I ended up doing really well. The rest helped.

The following year, it happened again. I had to ease off training and—surprise—I did even better.

That’s when I thought: maybe not cramming right up to the finish line is the key.

So now, when I look at my year, I ask:

• Where do I need space?
• Where do I need rest?
• What are the high energy periods?
• Where will I need recovery time?

This episode isn’t about “how to run at 100% all year.” That’s impossible.

It’s about identifying what you need to thrive.

That includes:

• Managing your energy
• Anticipating your sabotages
• Putting boundaries or systems in place now to support Future You

Let’s make it practical.

Maybe one thing that always derails your motivation is cancellations. You get thrown off emotionally, your income dips, and it drains your focus.

A fix? Tighten your cancellation policy.

Or change the way people book with you.

For example: my hairdresser now sends a text reminder, requires confirmation, and charges a deposit through an online system. I’m sure it’s cut down her no-shows dramatically.

It’s not just about motivation—it’s about eliminating friction.

Friction can show up in lots of small but exhausting ways.

For example:

• I used to always forget my keys. That tiny stress added up.
  So, I installed electronic keypads on the doors. Problem solved.
• I was constantly searching for my phone charger.
  Now I have multiple chargers in every room. No more digging around.

These might seem like little things, but they drain your energy and impact your motivation over time.

That’s why I want you to think about two sides of the motivation coin:

1. Reduce friction – What’s slowing you down, draining you, or making things harder than they need to be?
2. Add joy – What gets you excited, inspired, or reconnected to your vision?

You need both. For some people, reducing friction is the game-changer. For others, it’s dreaming bigger, setting stretch goals, or having fun rewards.

Only you can know which one will help most right now.

Here’s your permission slip to make this year work your way.

Maybe you need:

• A clearer cancellation policy
• Better calendar spacing
• More naps or massages
• Exciting goals that light you up
• Fewer notifications
• A VA or coach
• New rituals or habits

Maybe you need less. Maybe you need more. You get to decide.

This month, I’ve shared lots of tools to support your motivation:

• The Goals and Upgrades Workbook → denisedt.com/jan
• The Money Bootcamp call (if you're in the group)
• All the January podcast episodes—each one covering a piece of the puzzle

Let’s recap your toolkit:
✅ Visualise your year and build in space
✅ Plan for dips and energy lag
✅ Reduce friction wherever possible
✅ Choose your support team
✅ Set symbolic upgrades and joyful goals
✅ Focus on sustainable momentum—not perfection

This is your year to thrive on your own terms.

“It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.”

Big love from me—and I’ll see you next time on Chill and Prosper.