Any big goal or project can make us quake in our boots simply because it seems like such a massive undertaking. Rather than allowing yourself to feel intimidated by something you have to do, learn to love the challenge of facing your fears! Immerse yourself in the joy of pushing your limits and bringing sweat to your brow. Eventually you’ll come to truly love the challenge of doing things you’d never have dreamed of doing before.
Choose a role model.
Is there a famous person you’d like to emulate, or perhaps a successful person in your own life that you admire? Let them be your role model! Ask if you can interview them if it’s someone you know, or collect stories and published interviews about celebrity role models. Read through this material every day and especially if you need a motivational boost.
Watch your language.
If you’re in the habit of putting yourself down or belittling your abilities (even in a joking manner), stop it! You may not think it matters, and in fact you may think it’s funny to make fun of yourself – but these messages get embedded into your subconscious and they WILL have an effect on you eventually. Instead, start building yourself up with positive talk, even if it feels strange at first. Keep affirming that you are capable of accomplishing anything you wish, even if you aren’t yet great at it.
Do some research.
You may be feeling bored with your goal simply because there’s nothing new to experience. To renew your interest, take a few minutes to do some research, either online or at your local library. See if you can come up with some new information that might prove helpful, or a new technique to incorporate into your plans. If not, simply revisiting information you already know might help you feel more motivated again.
Call in some fresh air.
It may seem deceptively simple, but try opening a window in your office or home, wherever you happen to be working at the moment. Even better, try working outside via laptop computer or take an hour to brainstorm with a legal pad and pen while you let fresh air clear the cobwebs from your mind.
Eliminate excessive obligations.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too much to do, you’ll end up feeling uninspired to do more than you absolutely have to. Take a peek at your usual weekly schedule. Are there obligations that you’d rather not do? Is there a way to delegate them to others or eliminate them from your life altogether? If you get rid of the “should’s” you’ll make more room for the “want to’s.”
Be grateful.
Start or end your day by listing 5 things you are
grateful for. Try to go beyond the typical blessings like, “my family, my health, the roof over my head . . .” and instead focus on things that happened that day, forward strides you made, unexpected opportunities, and so on. Before long you’ll be feeling so good that you’ll automatically want to create more great things to be grateful for.
Ask for help.
if you’ve got too much to do and you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask for help! This might include getting your family more involved in household chores or bartering errands and chores with a neighbor. Don’t feel that you have to do everything yourself, especially if you’re also working toward a big goal. Cut yourself some slack and acknowledge that it takes strength to admit you can’t do it all on your own.
Make it important.
If you’re faced with less-than-interesting tasks that must be done, raise your motivation level by making them the most important things you will do today! It’s a simple matter of choosing to devote yourself to the tasks as completely and as loyally as possible, and then working aggressively at them until they are done. Think about the last time you faced a firm deadline and had to really push yourself to finish the work on time. The only reason you were successful was because you knew you didn’t have a choice. You can apply this same concept to any task, regardless of how insignificant it may seem at first.
Explore your resistance.
Let’s face it; you wouldn’t be procrastinating if you didn’t have a good reason for doing so. A “good” reason isn’t necessarily a plausible one, however. If you can’t seem to motivate yourself no matter what you do, grab a notebook and pen and take a few minutes to figure out WHY you don’t feel like doing what you should be doing. Start with a few prompts to get your thoughts flowing: “I feel bored because . . .” or “I would rather be doing _____________ because . . .” or “I wish I didn’t have to ____________ because . . .” Try not to edit or censor yourself as you write; just let the thoughts flow freely. Based on what appears on the page, you should receive some good ideas about why you’re holding back, and therefore be able to work through any feelings of resistance.
Give yourself an out.
Where you trick yourself to begin by setting a timer for 15 or 30 minutes, you can also make a promise that you will stop after a certain time period if you’re not feeling more motivated. Try working steadily for at least an hour and then if you’re not feeling the love, give yourself permission to set the project aside temporarily. Then you can try one of the other tips in this book, or simply relax for awhile and see if it helps. If not, take
heart; sometimes we’re just not in the mood no matter how badly we wish we were! Remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day and you’ll try harder to build up your motivation then.
Release the “how”.
Trying to figure out how to accomplish a large goal or work through difficult obstacles can stall even the most determined person. Instead of trying to figure out the entire process ahead of time, write a statement detailing what you’re trying to accomplish, and then make a list of action steps that will bring you closer to the goal. Then let go of the rest! Don’t worry about how this will happen or that will happen. Much of it is probably out of your hands anyway! Simply commit to giving your best and taking one step at a time and your motivated mind-set will have greater longevity.
Make it about the money.
If your chosen goals relate to money in any way, you can instantly create a greater sense of urgency by focusing on the ways your financial situation will be impacted by your success . . . or failure. While monetary gains are rarely an effective motivator over the long term, they can certainly be powerful if your current financial resources are less than adequate. Few things can get a person moving as quickly and effectively as an empty bank account and overdue bills!
Make a new start.
Have you been struggling with a certain goal or objective since its conception? If you haven’t made significant progress and you feel
like you’re bumping up against dead ends no matter what you do, consider tearing down what you’ve built so far and starting fresh again. However, this time, try a different approach. Either cut out activities that have proven to be ineffective, or come up with some daring new ideas to put into action.
Give yourself a “present.”
No, not a gift – a focus on mindfulness! Mindfulness means giving your full attention to the present moment and not allowing your focus to be eroded by distractions, worries about the future or regrets about the past. No matter what task you are working on, give it 100% of your focus. Blot out all other thoughts from your mind and focus ONLY on what you’re doing right NOW. It definitely takes practice to master this technique but once you do, you will develop a whole new appreciation for the power of a focused mind . . . and life.
Give your brain a workout.
Puzzles are a great way to get your analytical and creative thought processes warmed up. Buy a book of challenging puzzles and keep it near your work space (or visit http://www.rinkworks.com/brainfood/ for a few free puzzles). When you need to tackle an intimidating task, first do a short puzzle and give your brain time to wake up. The more often you exercise your brain, the better able you’ll be able to focus when it counts!
Make a decision.
Indecision is also a common de-motivator. Consider whether you’re holding back because you have some important decisions to make and you feel uncertain about which is the best course of action. If you find this is true for you, pick one thing you feel indecisive about and consult your gut about which is the right choice. Don’t overanalyze it and don’t try to figure it out logically. What FEELS right to you? Don’t even worry about WHY it feels right, just acknowledge that it does and go with that hunch. Unless there are millions of dollars attached to your decision, or people’s lives hang in the balance, you may be making a mountain out of a molehill by allowing indecision to hold you back. Don’t be afraid to make a wrong decision; just make one!
Comments :
Post a Comment