What are the best ways to stay motivated when learning statistics?

1 Set realistic goals

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to set clear and achievable goals for yourself. Goals help you focus on what you want to learn, why you want to learn it, and how you can measure your progress. However, if your goals are too vague, too ambitious, or too dependent on external factors, you might lose motivation and feel overwhelmed. Therefore, try to set SMART goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of saying "I want to learn statistics", you could say "I want to complete the introductory course on descriptive statistics by the end of the month and score at least 80% on the final exam".

4 Seek feedback

Staying motivated in learning statistics can be achieved by seeking feedback from others. This feedback can provide valuable insights, suggestions, and encouragement, as well as help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, correct mistakes, and improve performance. To do this, you can seek feedback from instructors or tutors who can guide you through the course content and assess your work; peers or classmates who can collaborate with you on projects or assignments and share their perspectives and experiences; or online communities or forums where you can ask questions, discuss topics, and exchange resources with other learners or experts.

5 Reward yourself

Staying motivated can be achieved in a variety of ways, one of which is rewarding yourself for your achievements and efforts. This can help reinforce positive behaviors, celebrate progress, and sustain enthusiasm. Rewards can be anything that makes you happy, such as taking a break after completing a task or session, treating yourself to something you enjoy, like a snack or movie, or receiving praise from others for your work or results. Additionally, tracking milestones and displaying certificates or badges can serve as rewards.