So you got your motivation mojo working, good for you. Perhaps you were encouraged by the words of a motivational speaker or got a blunt dose of truth from a friend or family member.
Like the quote goes “Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working”, half hearted attempts equals half hearted results. Lets turn those motivational attempts into full time rewards with these 6 tips.
1. Remember the pain points.
In sales jargon, pain points are problems that come about when the solution being offered is not taken. Try to keep in mind all the things that could or will happen if you don’t stay the course. For example, if you were once motivated to go running three times a week, think about what will happen if you don’t give your heart the exercise it needs.
2. Don’t play leapfrog.
Feelings of motivation can sometimes slip into the category of finding the next high. Instead of bouncing from goal to goal, make sure you finish what you start before getting motivated about something else. For example, if you really like language and made a goal for yourself to learn French, learn it before you switch to learning German, and then Italian, or whatever else.
3. Know Thyself.
When you try to accomplish goals that other people set for you, your motivation can wane. Take a look at your goals and make sure they’re goals you have for yourself…not goals that other people want you to achieve. If they’re not, you may want to set them aside and reassess where you’re going.
4. Visualize.
Picturing the end result of your goal can go a long way towards continuing your motivation to succeed, and it has some seriously awesome side effects. The positive energy you build around that imagery will affect you at a subconscious level, while the mental affirmation that you can achieve it will do loads for your self confidence, which will also help you stay the course.
5. Let go of stuff beyond your control.
When it comes to motivation, it can be easy to give up because things don’t’ go according to plan. Learn to let go of things beyond your control, otherwise they’ll reduce your motivation to succeed.
6. Get organized.
If you want to stay motivated, you need to work a little bit to keep the motivation alive, otherwise it will just slip into the traffic stream of life’s feelings that inevitably comes over everyone—just like happiness, sadness, or anger, motivation will just be another feeling unless you concretize it. Put your goals on the calendar and make an action plan.
8 Mental Habits That Will Make You Miserable
The world doesn’t make you miserable. You make yourself miserable. Your physique, bank account, and happiness are all the direct result of your daily habits. It’s not easy to be miserable unless you consistently do things to create misery.Fortunately, you can identify and change the habits that are making you unhappy.
Avoid these mental habits and create joy, instead:
1. Making assumptions.
It’s too easy to assume you already know something you don’t. Assumptions destroy relationships and prevent you from taking action. Why assume you won’t get that great job? Go after it with everything you’ve got and prove it to yourself. Get all the information you need and do your best. Assumptions are frequently wrong.
2. Seeking approval from others.
No matter what you do, some people will think you’re a hero and others will think you’re a bum. A healthy adult makes choices and takes actions that they believe are correct.* It doesn’t matter if your neighbours, brother-in-law, or your mom approve. Making others happy only leads to misery.
3. Comparing yourself to others.
There’s always someone with a nicer car, a more attractive spouse, a better body, or a bigger pay check. Only compare yourself to yourself. If you’re making progress overtime, you’re winning the game of life. If you’re losing ground, that’s a sign that a few adjustments are in order.
4. Procrastination.
Time is the great equalizer. You might not have been born into a wealthy family, possess a 150 IQ, or look like a movie star. But everyone has 24 hours available each day. How you use that time determines your outcomes. Wasting time creates stress and drama that no one needs. If you procrastinate frequently, your life is less than it could be.
5. Indecisiveness.
Indecisiveness is the ultimate form of procrastination. Choosing nothing is making a choice. It’s a choice to remain stuck and allow life to pass you by. If you’re stuck between a couple of options, just choose. One choice will prove to be as good as another.
* If you’ve done the work to narrow your options, the worst remaining option is much better than failing to make a choice.
6. Only being satisfied with perfection.
When you’re a perfectionist, nothing is ever good enough. It’s the perfect recipe for misery. Give yourself plenty of ways to be happy, not just one. The need for perfection also creates indecisiveness and leads to procrastination. Determine how well something needs to be done and make it happen.
7. Underestimating yourself.
After a negative outcome, it’s easy to believe you’re less capable than you really are. The natural result is the lowering of your expectations in the future. When you expect less of yourself, you live a life that’s less than it could be.
* Focus on your past successes and remind yourself of how capable you can be. Learning to walk and talk are more challenging than anything else you’ll ever accomplish. The hard part is over.
8. Beating yourself up.
Mistakes are part of the game. Learn from them and apply the information you’ve gained. How would your life be if you never made the same mistake twice? You might think you deserved to be punished, but how is that helpful?
There’s good news if you’re miserable. You can blame yourself, which means that you can fix it. Poor mental habits lead to misery. A few simple changes can positively affect your happiness and mental health. Determine how your mental habits are impacting your mood and success. Make the necessary changes and enjoy a higher level of happiness.
