5 Steps to New Motivation and Productivity
Will today be the day that everything changes for you? The day that everything just goes your way and nothing can stop you? Is today that day? Probably not.
That is, probably not unless you have worked many, many productive days and nights before this one and it is finally paying off. Effecting great change in your life takes great effort and passion. If you stop for even a minute to catch your breath, you may miss your opportunity. If you don’t truly believe in what you are doing, and I mean right down to the core of your being, then how do you think that today will be the day that all of your dreams come true?
This is what I think sometimes. My friendly, recurring, evil, internal mono-log (I don’t talk back – what would be the point?). It is also at about this point of this thought that I begin to lose my motivation. So, what can you do to motivate yourself to stay motivated, and more important, productive?
Set Big Goals
Yup, this one is obvious. Of course, once you have set big goals, you need to make them smaller. Well, you need to break them down into manageable goals, and don’t expect to get them all done at once. That is just a recipe for feeling overwhelmed.
Find a Mentor
Sounds a bit like what they told you in school? They were right. What they did not say is that this could be the most important thing you ever do. A relationship with someone with experience and who is willing to help you can provide you with an ability to overcome some serious obstacles, including things like self-doubt.
If you cannot find a mentor, then likely the next best thing is a supportive, honest family member. Really, anyone who is willing to tell you ‘no’ and support you at the same time will be helpful in your efforts to not give up.
Get a New Tool
This is a real American problem solver. We seem to be born consumers, and getting new stuff seems to be used by parents everywhere to keep their children calm in stores. If you are writing a book or studying for a test, get a new computer. If you are working on a patio, by a new drill. It could be just the thing you need.
Chart Your Progress
Business people like to look at statistics, so why should you just hope that your time has been well spent? Start keeping track of your time and the success you have had. Take a look at what your true hourly wage is. Can you improve it? Challenge yourself.
Make Another Change
If you have really lost your motivation, do this. Make another change in your life while you are trying to get back on with you work. To be clearer, I will give an example. If you are a writer working from home and you find yourself spending a lot of time on the couch playing video games (I recommend Oblivion) while eating Cheetos that have melted cheese and canned guacamole on them, it may be time for you to get it together and start writing again.
In a case like this, it may be beneficial to start a project that you can do a couple of hours a day which will help you to spend the rest of the day on your job. A writer can do something like redecorate (or at least reorganize) their writing space. If you do it in sections, you will see progress over time. And, because you associate it with your writing, it may help to motivate you to get back into writing full swing.
Your Turn
There are obviously many more ways to motivate yourself and no technique is likely to work for everyone. But, motivation is essential to success of any kind.
- What are your BIG goals & how will you break them down?
- Who will be your mentor?
- What are you going to do to stay motivated today?
- What are you going to do to stay motivated today?
- What other change could you make to help you to become motivated again?
- What else are you going to do to stay motivated today?
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Twitter: sellingmanager
said:
Very true. You need to break down your goals and make them managable small goals. Reward your self, whenever you reach a milestone.
I motivate myself, by constantly reminding myself the big picture (main goal). When I feel like not doing anything, I keep telling myself “If you do this today, you will be one step closer to your goal”.
That keeps me going
.-= Adam @ Selling Manager Ebay´s last blog ..10 Most Effective Ways to Sell Your EBook =-.
Great point Adam – one small goal completed is one step closer to meeting an overall goal. That helps me to stay motivated too.
Twitter: jeansarauer
said:
I’ve been getting into doing “focus blasts” where I set a timer for 20 minutes or so and work like crazy on a particular task. This has a fun, challenging, “game” sort of feel to it and keeps me motivated. Otherwise, I’m the type where if I have all day to do something it will take me two days to do it
Those cheesy Cheetos with guac sound pretty good by the way . . .
.-= Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..7 Steps to Banish the Blogging Blues =-.
Hi Jean – That is a great contribution!
I have found that sometimes I need to place limits on myself or I will go on tangents. I like the idea of the ‘game’ feel too – it would come in handy on those occasions when it just feels like work.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!
Twitter: NicksTraffic
said:
My biggest failure starting out with not having a mentor to guide me with my online business. Because of this it’s taking me several times longer to figure everything out. I am a software engineer by trade and have little formal business education. Everything I know I’ve gotten from books and blogs like this one. Thanks for posting this. I stumbled it too.
.-= Nick Stewart´s last blog ..Video: Quick’n’Dirty PPC Ad Creation =-.
Thanks Nick! You make a great point there. Even with a fairly high level of training, it is hard to succeed without the drive to keep learning.
I have have a couple of degrees, but they have really only served as the groundwork for me to learn more.
I stopped by you blog and I noticed that it seems that you have been putting in some extra effort and really gaining a ton of understanding. I will be stopping by there again!
Thanks for your point of view!
Have a good day!
Twitter: AlisonMSmith
said:
I like your advice to make another change. That’s a good interim approach when you seem stuck.
.-= Alison Moore Smith´s last blog ..Custom Front Doors – Exterior Door Specifications =-.
Hi Alison –
Yeah, sometimes people concentrate so much that they end up with writer’s block, or whatever the equivalent is in their field.
Finding a way to distract yourself just enough that you can come back with a fresh outlook is really important.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
One of the best ways to accomplish your goals in life is to motivate yourself to take action. Useful habits can increase your effectiveness immensely. One of the best traits to develop is the Do It Now habit. This can get you started on a task even when you don’t feel like working.
You probably should start with small, everyday tasks. After you have developed this habit using easy tasks, you can gradually increase the difficulty of these tasks. But remember, after giving the Do It Now command, you must always carry through with immediate action.
Chris@Voltmeter Gauge´s last [type] ..Sunpro CP8215 StyleLine Voltmeter
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the addition! I really like the “do it now” idea.