How to Get Motivated (with a Little Help from PicMonkey)

When your feet hit the ground in the morning, does the earth brace itself for a tornado of wow-worthy productivity? Do you aspire to do unmatched, astonishing things in life?

The answers are likely “yes,” because you’re incredible, but if you’re a tiny ways off from the portrait of pure motivation, PicMonkey can help you up your game. While we could advise you on the fine art of self pep talks or interesting ways to consume copious amounts of caffeine, we think you’ll like these ideas about how to get motivated better.

Get your quote on

You know the drill: Goog’ for a good one, copy it down, and get ready to make something dreamy. Once you’ve rounded up your new favorite get-going phrase, hover over Design on the PicMonkey homepage. You can peruse our folder of templates and customize your favorite, or choose a canvas size to start from scratch. If you’re beginning with a blank canvas, head to the Basic Edits tab and pick a canvas color that makes your heart sing, then find the most motivating font in the gaggle and get that bad boy typed.

If your quote is calling for a photographic background, find a seriously motivating image (free stock image sites can help if you don’t have one at the ready), apply some snazzy effects, and add the quote as text on top. If you want a little more instruction and inspo, check out our article about quote images.

Your artsy quote pièce de résistance can be put to use in a multitude of ways. Here are a few ideas of things you can make and then look at when you need a little extra motivation:

  • A ho-hum crushing cover photo or social media post. And don’t forget to add your original work to your Pinterest board of quotes to live by.

  • A custom calendar, featuring a gorgeous quote creation every month.

  • A phone lock screen or wallpaper. Check out our tutorial and learn how to make one supa fast.

  • A powerful quote keychain. Unlock your door and your productivity!

  • Stickers that you can use to adorn your journal, planner, laptop, etc.

  • A necklace or bracelet. Print your quote, put it in a frame charm, and enjoy wearable motivation.

  • A non-hideous motivational poster, because byesies to 1998’s black framed scenic photo with a motivational word and fluffy quote.

The ideas are endless, but you get the drift. And listen, if you just want to go the tried-and-true route of printing out your fancified quote and taping it on your mirror, no one would judge you if you took a couple minutes to gaze lovingly at it before bed every night.

Sing that song

Music is powerful, and the lyrics to your fave song can stir up something fierce. Don’t just wait for it to play on your Pandora station—PicMonkey it, stat!

Similar to your favorite motivational quote, your favorite song lyrics can be transformed into something you see all day long. Maybe you’ll deck out a tote bag, T-shirt, or wood wall decor piece with those words so they greet you every day with a motivational “pow!”

Get started with a blank canvas in Design and head to Canvas Color in the Basic Edits tab. Click the Transparent canvas box so your text will show up with zero background. After you add your lyrics, select them and flip ‘em horizontally using the left-right arrows in Rotate. This ensures that your words don’t display backward when they’re transferred to your object. Save, print on some wondrous art paper or rub-on transfer film, apply to your chosen item, and you’ll be in finish mode in no time.

Toot, toot!

Love this look? Get your motivational design started with our Dynamic Duo template!

That’s you gently tooting your own horn. It makes sense that being kind to numero uno boosts self assurance and motivation, so give yourself a little hug with an “I am” board. By reminding yourself of your outstanding qualities, you’ll exude them more. So put them in ink and make them so!

Hop over to the Design tab and choose a color for your canvas, or find a template you adore. Then just add your horn-tooting text! Before you know it, you’ll be more fearless, determined, and victorious than ever before.

Dream it, do it

Putting your dreams to paper—er, virtual canvas—on a vision board helps you wrangle, visualize, and achieve them. To make one with PicMonkey, start with a blank canvas in Design and choose your canvas color (cork board texture optional, but extra cute) and click Add your own at the top of the Graphics tab to add images of the things you want to achieve—perhaps these include a vacation, job, financial goal, or skill. Put some text on top of shmancy label graphics to pinpoint those dreams, and wham-bam, you have a vision board.

Set that masterpiece as your computer’s desktop wallpaper, print it on photo paper and frame it for your bedside table, or put it on canvas and hang it on the wall.

Side note: A quick YouTube or Pinterest search will help you find some stellar tutorials made by PicMonkeyers who have crafted their own vision boards with our tools. Booyah to them for not only making motivational materials, but also documenting the process. They might just motivate YOU, go-getter.

Feeling motivated? Good. Now go tackle stuff!

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Kelsey Pangborn

When Kelsey realized that PicMonkey was permanently open on her browser from using it all day every day, she knew her love for the company was serious. This Wisconsinite is a copywriter, mama of two, avid crafter, master sing-along-er, quirky vegetarian, and lover of all things rustic.