Staying Motivated

Lessons On How to Stay Motivated “Motivation starts with a sense of desire… When you want something, you become motivated to get it.” - Denis Waitley What motivates you? What fuels and grabs you and makes you spring out of bed each morning? Think of a very important goal that you have, and first of all ask yourself if you have a real belief that you can accomplish that goal. Then ask yourself if you really have a burning desire to achieve the goal. And finally, do you have a really strong visualization of how you are going to achieve and attain that goal? Let’s take losing weight for instance. As a life coach, I’ve had many clients who say they want to lose weight, but their motivation ebbs and flows, and after a short time on a weight loss or fitness program, they fall off the wagon and go back to unhealthy eating or eating too much and finding excuses to not continue with their workout. Having a certain desire for something is really not enough. That desire has to be married to self-motivation. You need to increase your motivation and strengthen and flex your willpower and self-discipline. As Hal Urban says in his new book, Life’s Greatest Lessons, 20 Things that Matter, “Desire is the seed from which all achievement grows. More than any other characteristic, it determines whether we’re going to be mediocre or successful in life. Desire, not ability, separates average people from those who excel.” Urban also talks about another important aspect of desire, which is commitment: “A promise that we make to no one but ourselves. This is what keeps us going when things are toughest. Instead of giving up in the face of adversity or defeat, we bounce back. Famous psychologist Dr. Joyce Bothers thinks commitment is the pivotal quality of success.” So believing in you is a very important first step in becoming motivated, and as a coach I often say that I really believe anything is possible. If you want to make movies, be on Broadway, make a million dollars by the time you’re 40, run a marathon, or travel the world in 80 days, there is nothing that can stop you when you truly know and believe that anything is possible. Having a dream or a goal is great, but wishes and dreams don’t work unless you convert them into very clear and straightforward goals. In other words, instead of saying “I would love to live in Europe someday,” you have to make your goal more concrete. As Urban says, “Goals are dreams with deadlines. When we put a target date on our dreams, it’s the first step in turning them into goals. So make your goal specific and detailed—paint a picture with words. Give the goal a date, make it visual, narrow it down, brainstorm, and find new and creative ways to achieve it, and you’ll be on your way. Another great idea comes from the book Write it Down, Make it Happen, Knowing what you want and getting it! by Henriette Anne Klauser. Klauser tells a fantastic story in her book about Scott Adams, the creator of the comic Dilbert. “Adams says that when you write down a goal, you’ll observe things happening that will make that objective more likely to materialize. As a lowly technology worker in a cubicle in corporate America, Adams kept doodling at this office desk. Then he began to write, 15 times a day, ‘I will become a syndicated cartoonist.’ Through many rejections, he persevered and finally it happened. He signed a contract for his strip to by syndicated.” As we all know, Dilbert is syndicated now in almost 2,000 newspapers worldwide, and Adams has made his dreams come true. Action is everything, even if you take one small step towards your goal every day. So if you want to write a book, even if you only write one page a day, your book will be finished in less than a year. The founder of the Holiday Inn, Kemmons Wilson said, “A successful person realizes his personal responsibility for self-motivation. He starts with himself because he possesses the key to his own ignition switch.” We can all benefit from the help of motivational speakers, coaches, motivational tapes and seminars. And a perfect place to start is with a motivational tape for 15-20 minutes each day on your way to work. I would delete this due to safety concerns. There’s a great story from Jack Canfield’s book The Success Principles, where Canfield talks about a man named Jeff Arch who always had a dream to be a successful screenwriter. He listened to Anthony Robbins’ tapes, and eventually after a few failed attempts, he wrote the screenplay for “Sleepless in Seattle.” Needless to say, the film went on to become a mega hit that eventually won an Oscar nomination for best screenplay! So you may want to try any of Jack Canfield’s motivational audiotapes, anything by Anthony Robbins, Steven Covey—or find the one that works for you. Acknowledgment is another very powerful tool in motivating employees. When you notice and acknowledge your team, they will perform better than ever. When someone notices and acknowledges you, don’t you become even more motivated to perform well? Motivation is the powerful engine that will move you toward success and accomplishment. To fuel that engine, you have to tap into your passion and believe that you can do it. Have an actual goal; write it down to make it happen, and keep taking small action steps everyday towards your goal. To quote Denis Whitley once more, “Virtually nothing on earth can stop a person with a positive attitude who has his goal clearly in sight.” Have a clear vision and know that nothing is impossible when you are excited and passionate about your dreams. Know that with the right spirit, focus and determination, the sky is the limit. So rev up your engine and motivate yourself to greatness! 10 Tips for Increasing Your Motivation Imagine the goal you desire. Make the goal clear. Make it a dream with a deadline and write it down. Think about it often and write about new and creative ways you can achieve it. Visualize it happening. Read about people who have achieved success. Listen to motivational tapes to fuel your own motivation. Think about the benefits you will gain by achieving your goal. Think about how you will feel when you’ve achieved your goal. Repeat positive affirmations, such as “I have the desire, the commitment and passion and the strength to make my dream happen.” Do something every day toward your goal, even one small action step each day.

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