10 simple ideas on how to get and stay motivated
1. Engineer your environment. Create a motivational workspace. Make it a place where you look forward to spending time. Keep it neat, organized, and free from trash. Add some personal touches, like a small plant or a family photo that makes you smile every time you look at it. Take this a step further by placing ‘triggers’ throughout your space. Triggers remind you instantly of your goals and dreams – the very reasons you do what you.
2. Energize yourself! Exercise dramatically affects mood and attitude. You might have thought working out was about your physical well-being (and it is) but it is also about your mental well-being. Moderate and reasonable exercise will do amazing things to create and keep your motivation high. It doesn’t take a grueling workout to achieve the benefits exercise brings – it just takes getting out there and actually moving.
3. Rise for a reason. Find a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Most people state that their reason for getting out of bed in the morning is to go to the bathroom! Certainly there’s something more motivating you can use to get yourself going. Every morning, think of at least one exciting thing that the day holds. Having something to look forward to will get you up and moving.
4. Achieve and become. Focus on what you will become as well as what you will achieve Knowing you’re about to check a task off your to-do list is a good motivator. Take it a step further by thinking long-term. Much of what we do contributes to who we are. Ramp up your motivation by thinking about how the accomplishment will shape you as a person.
5. Paint your targets day-glow. Anyone will tell you that clear, specific goals are critical for motivation. Don’t keep those goals sitting on a shelf in your brain. Print up colorful signs that state your targets for the day or week. Stick Post-its around your bedroom or home. You can even email yourself daily reminders or leave yourself a voicemail!
6. Make time to refuel. If you drive a car all over town, the car will eventually run out of gas. It’s the same way with people. Make time in your day to refuel yourself – both inside and out. Enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee, take a brisk walk or give a friend a quick call just to say hi. By taking regularly scheduled breaks, you give yourself time to recharge and reinvigorate. You’ll return fresh and ready to take on the world.
7. Be action-oriented. Over-thinking leads to inertia. Paralysis by analysis is a very real hazard for people who simply can’t get enough information. Learn what you need to learn, and then get moving. Keep your energy high by jumping in and getting started. As Ian Percy said, “Business needs fewer mission statements and more missions.”
8. Reward yourself for the results you create. Reward your hard work just as you reward the hard work of others. Even the most intrinsically driven among us needs the occasional ice cream cone! (After all, you’re exercising now, right?) The thought of a tangible reward can get you through a tough day. Make it something good, and keep your promise to yourself – don’t move the cheese when it’s just in reach!
9. Focus in and focus out. Remember that motivation is both internal and external. Motivation can come from both what’s inside us and what’s around us. Gold star stickers worked great when you were in grade school. Apply the same principle to a reward that’s enticing to you as a young adult. We don’t just live in our minds and hearts. We’ve got to find tangible inspiration, too.
10. Get healthier. Eat well in addition to exercising regularly. It’s hard to be motivated when you’re feeling sluggish or under the weather. No matter what your goals are, you’ll feel more powerful when you nourish your body healthfully and take time to move around each day. Take good care of yourself so that you’ll always feel ready to conquer whatever the day has in store.
About the Author: Mark SANBORN, CSP, CPAE, Monthly Mentor, is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life. Mark is an international bestselling author and noted expert on leadership, team building, customer service and change. Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. He was honored with the Cavett Award, the highest honor the NSA bestows on its members, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the speaking profession. Mark is also a member of the exclusive Speakers Roundtable, made up of 20 of the top speakers in America. He is also the author of eight books, including the bestseller The Fred Factor: How Passion In Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary which has sold more than 1.6 million copies internationally. Read More…
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