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1. WRITE YOUR STORY
Write down, in a paragraph or two, the story of your desired future.
Write down what you'll be doing, where you'll be living, and the
successes you'll be enjoying. This will be a motivator for you in both
the immediate present and the future to come.
2. VISUALIZE INTO THE FUTURE
Close your eyes and see yourself doing whatever it is that you wish to
be doing. If you want to get in shape, picture a slim, healthy you
running or working out. If your dream is to start a small business, see
yourself on opening day, greeting customers and employees.
3. VISUALIZE BACKWARDS
When you visualize backwards, you see where you were and how far you
have come. If your goal was to get organized, and you have made enormous
improvement in that area, visualize back to when things weren't going so
well. This will keep you heading in the right direction.
4. DREAM BIG
When you think about your future, don't be afraid to dream big. This
will make short-term failures easier to handle. When you hit an obstacle
it won't stop you because your eyes are set on a bigger goal.
5. EDUCATE YOURSELF
Learn, read, talk about, listen, experience everything you can about
your particular goal or dream. If you wish to be an author, you can take
classes, read books, write, talk with other writers, join work-shops,
etc.
6. GET ORGANIZED
A clean, tidy, and well-organized home, office, and life is a must for
the motivated mind. Physical clutter can easily lead to mental clutter.
Keep your life organized, and you will find more energy and clarity in
every day.
7. PLACE MOTIVATORS IN YOUR HOME AND OFFICE
Place symbols, signs, notes, or objects that remind you of your goals
and dreams in your home, office, car, wallet, planner, or calendar.
These reminders will guarantee a constant
stream of motivation.
8. VOLUNTEER
Volunteer your time to helping others. When you give of yourself you
will realize how much you have in your own life, and how satisfying it
is to make other people happy.
9. HELP OTHERS WITH MOTIVATION
Only when you teach others do you fully understand the subject at hand.
Help your children get motivated, help your friends set effective goals,
help your husband or wife achieve personal dreams.
10. SPEND TIME WITH CHILDREN
Spending time with children will put things in perspective for you. You
may be stressed out from work and worried about getting everything done
on time, but when you play with your kids the worries and stress seem to
melt away. Children have a simple way of looking at things, and that is
something we could all benefit from.
11. CREATE A BUDDY SYSTEM
Do you have a close friend who is trying to accomplish something? Is
your wife or husband setting goals for improvement? If so, join them in
a buddy system. You will each serve to motivate the other, offering
words of encouragement and helpful reminders as you both progress
towards your particular goals.
12. FIND A ROLE MODEL
Choose a role model to learn from. You won't have to reinvent the wheel
when you can follow an exemplary example of someone you respect.
13. TAKE A WALK OR DRIVE
Take a walk around the block or a short drive through the neighborhood
to relax, reflect, and enjoy some quiet time. We all need a break now
and then, and a quick walk or drive is the perfect solution.
14. READ SUCCESS STORIES
Read the success stories of those around you. In the daily newspaper
alone there are dozens of small success stories that can serve to
motivate and inspire you to action. The library is filled with
autobiographies and biographies of ordinary men and women who have done
extraordinary things.
15. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Music can calm, excite, sadden, and even motivate. Listening to Rocky's
theme song while running is a great way to use music as a motivator.
What's your motivating song?
16. WATCH MOTIVATING MOVIES
One reason people enjoy watching movies is because of the hero's tale. A
young, unexpecting hero is called to action. After struggling throughout
the movie, he learns, grows, and is victorious in the end. This is
motivation at its best. Make a list of movies that motivate you and
build a small library to use as your motivation station.
17. READ MOTIVATIONAL QUOTATIONS
Located on the Internet and in books are thousands of quotations that
inspire, motivate, and cause us all to think about our lives in a
different way. Search the Internet for quotations and you will find
millions of pages that match just what you are looking for.
18. CREATE A HEALTHY DIET
Energy is very important to living a happy life, but that is dependent
on eating healthy. Be sure to create a healthy diet that includes all of
the necessary nutrients, minerals, and vitamins for your system.
Following the basic food table is a good guide for starters.
19. GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Some people can get by on six hours, while others require seven to
eight. Regardless of what you need in sleep, make sure you get enough. A
few nights in a row of only three or four hours a night will takes its
toll on your motivation, energy, and attitude.
20. NEVER STOP LEARNING
This is the most important lesson of all. Never stop learning about the
world around you. Read, listen, and learn about the things that interest
you. Instead of asking a question and being satisfied with an 'I don't
know' answer, go out there and find the answer. Be curious. Without
goals, long-lasting changes are hard to make in life. Use the tips below
to set effective and efficient goals.
21. USE GOALS IN YOUR LIFE
This is the most important tip about goals - use them! Without goals you
will have a difficult time improving any area of your life. Leaving your
future up to chance isn't a good way to get what you want. Make use of
goals throughout your life and enjoy the success and happiness they
bring.
22. BRAINSTORM
Get out a clean sheet of paper and a pen. Sit in a quiet, well-lit area,
and think, think, think. Write down any ideas that pop into your head.
Financial goals, personal goals, relationship goals, health goals, etc.
Write down every idea, and when you're finished you'll have more than
enough goals to work with.
23. WRITE YOUR GOAL DOWN ON PAPER
Once you select a goal to work towards, write it out on paper. This
makes it more tangible and concrete. A goal that is left to float around
in your head may be forgotten before you have had a chance work on it.
24. MAKE YOUR GOAL SPECIFIC
Goals must be specific in order to be effective. Improving your
relationship with your children is an important and worthwhile goal, but
it may be too broad. Instead, your plan could include a play-day once a
week, family dinner time each night from 6:00 to 7:00 and a game night
once a week. This plan has a greater chance of success.
25. USE DEADLINES
Procrastination is deadly to your goals and objectives. A great way to
leapfrog that problem is to give your goal a deadline. As with the goal
itself, make your deadline specific.
26. USE A START DATE
Deadlines are very important to goal setting, but we can't forget about
their counterpart - start dates. Once a goal is created you may have
many reasons for putting it off. Give your goal a start date and stick
to it.
27. MAKE YOUR GOALS CHALLENGING
In order for goals to be effective, they must be challenging. If your
goal is too easy to achieve, your motivation and dedication will
decrease. Your goals should make you reach and extend your current
abilities and skills.
28. MAKE YOUR GOALS ACHIEVABLE
Setting a goal that is out of your reach completely will cause
frustration, anger, and self-doubt. Be sure to set goals that challenge
you, but are also reasonable.
29. MAKE A DETAILED PLAN OF ACTION
Create a detailed step-by-step plan of action for each part of your
goal. One of the main reasons many goals are not accomplished is the
lack of understanding of what needs to be done. Plan your work and work
your plan.
30. DON'T OVERDO IT
Don't set too many goals at once. One to three is a good amount to start
with. Spreading yourself too thin will create a situation where no
single goal will receive the attention it requires.
31. MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS
Measure your progress as you work on your goal. You may wish to write a
300 page novel. Don't set 300 pages as the only goal. Break it up into
25 - 50 page increments and keep a daily tally of the pages you
complete.
Measuring your progress keeps your motivation peaking during your goal's
lifecycle.
32. WISH LIST
Make a list of ten things that you must do in life. Starting a business,
running a marathon, visiting Europe, learning French, etc. Put the list
in a drawer in your office or home.
33. QUICK REMINDERS
Post-it notes are a great tool to help you remember your daily tasks and
goals. Just don't overdo it. You don't want so many notes taped to your
computer screen that you can't read what's on it.
34. REWARD YOURSELF
Set a reward for yourself. If you accomplish a small step or your entire
goal, celebrate. You've worked hard and you deserve it. Go out to dinner
with your family, take a short vacation, or do anything else that makes
you happy.
35. WIFM?
Why are you setting this goal? Write down 'What's In It For Me' for each
one of your goals. You must be able to state clearly the reasons why you
are setting this goal. If you cannot, delete the goal from your list and
move to the next one. Attitude is everything. These tips will help you
to create a winning attitude, and help others to do the same.
36. USE THE RIGHT WORDS
Use statements like, 'I have a positive attitude,' or 'We'll find a
solution,' in daily conversation. The words you use on a daily basis
have a major impact on your attitude and moods.
37. STRIVE FOR OPTIMISM
I have spoken with many people who see being a pessimist or an optimist
as a 50/50 chance, believing one is just as good as the other. That is a
trap! Having a positive attitude is something you should strive for. It
isn't something you are or are not, it is something you can become.
38. WHAT COMPANY DO YOU KEEP?
Do your friends have negative attitudes? Does it rub off on you? Many
times the company we keep can affect our attitudes. If your group at
work or at home negatively affects your attitude, take the necessary
steps to change the situation.
39. WHEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED A CHANGE
When you know you aren't happy, admit it to yourself and take action to
reverse it. This is a very difficult thing to do, especially when you
aren't in the mood to admit things to yourself. It may be hard, but it
is worth it. When you are being negative, realize it and change it.
40. LISTEN TO WHAT OTHERS SAY
We may like to tell ourselves that we are positive people, but it's not
always true. Listen to what your friends and family say about your
attitude. They may say things that you don't want to hear, but sometimes
the best changes in life come from constructive criticism.
41. LEARN WHAT MAKES YOU TICK
When you know what makes you upset, you will be able to avoid these
situations and save yourself the tension and frustration they bring. If
it is a situation that you cannot avoid, learn how to make the best of
it.
42. WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
This is vital to your attitude and mood. Your 'happy' buttons will serve
to improve your attitude again and again. When I'm not in a good mood, I
first ask myself if I have eaten that day. More often than not, after
getting food into my system my attitude does a complete 180 degree
turnaround.
43. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
Give yourself a quick time out now and then when you are becoming
stressed or upset. Often a short break can help you to put things in
perspective and return to the situation with a positive demeanor.
44. THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU ACT ONCE
Before you act, think about what your action with cause. If an employee
does something wrong that negatively affects you, don't attack. Think
about the best response Only after you have done this twice should you
take action.
45. REACT VS. RESPOND
These two words are the difference between a happy, enthusiastic,
positive person and a sad, frustrated, negative person. When anything
happens in life that affects you, both directly and indirectly, respond
to the situation. This means you think about it, use reason to find a
solution,
and take the appropriate measures. When you react, you skip the
reasoning stage and do what comes naturally in the moment. This only
serves to cause more problems and frustration. Respond, do not react.
46. APPRECIATE THE THINGS YOU HAVE
Look around you and learn to appreciate everything you have in your
life. Your friends, family, career, home, etc. This is enough to create
a positive attitude because no matter how bad things get in life, we
still must be thankful for everything we still have. Put things into
perspective, and enjoy the good things in your life.
47. YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE HAPPY
Being in a down mood is okay, sometimes. You don't always have to be
upbeat, excited, and outgoing. This could lead to burnout or a blow-up.
There are days when things aren't going right, or we just feel a little
out of it. These days are okay, and the problems will pass.
48. THINK ABOUT IT
Look at problems logically. When you let emotion take over, you may do
things that made sense at the time but in the end weren't the best
choices.
49. DON'T JOIN THE GOSSIP
Don't join in on the negative conversations around you. If you see a
conversation heading towards that road, excuse yourself politely and
leave.
50. START IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Wake up with a smile and with energy. You have a lot to accomplish and
enjoy today. Life is short, and you are going to make the most of this
day, and every day after that.
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