Dressing For Success

Posted on: 17 April 2019

Virtually everyone has areas of their life they would like to improve. Unfortunately, finding the motivation to make real and lasting changes can be extremely difficult, regardless of how much a person may want to change. This can lead to cognitive dissonance, which is acting in a manner that is contrary to what the belief is; for example, most people who smoke know it is bad for them, but they continue to do so despite this belief. The cognitive dissonance that results can create inner turmoil, self-loathing, anxiety, and depression. If change is so hard, how can one motivate themselves to succeed? Fashion evokes many feelings, both from the wearer and those who view the fashion -- and as the old adage goes, the clothes do indeed make the man. Here are three ways wearing motivational clothing from companies like Algastena can help:

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

This saying basically means to be willing to be open, honest, and vulnerable to your feelings. With motivational apparel, you can literally do this. Wearing motivational clothing lets the world know who you are, what you believe, and where you are going. It also reminds you of these same things. For example, your goal may be to regularly exercise and lose weight. When you hear that voice telling you to skip your morning run, you can pull out one of your motivational t-shirts with a message that speaks to your goal emblazoned across your chest and feel renewed. Motivational clothing reminds you to be honest and recognizes your humanness and the difficulty of change.

Fake It Until You Make It

Sometimes finding the motivation to make real and lasting change is to simply force yourself to do it. It's stepping outside of yourself and practicing some motivational self-talk. Just as those motivational t-shirts speak with quotes that mean something to you work, self-talk reinforces these ideas. Self-talk says, "no one cares if you are tired or don't feel good, get out there and just do it!" By faking the behaviors you want to obtain, you can motivate yourself until you make it a true habit.

Create Opportunities For Personal Accountability

Most people want to be seen by others as someone who does what they say they are going to do. This is a desirable character trait, and that's why it is so uncomfortable if they fail instead, adding to that feeling of cognitive dissonance. When other people see you in a motivational t-shirt professing an attitude or goal you are aspiring to, it's a lot harder to do the opposite because then how would people see you? To support this feeling, tell people what you have planned. Take a selfie in your favorite motivational clothing and post it to your social media account. Ask for accountability partners to check in with you and see how your progress is coming.