How to Keep Motivated.. Long Term?
I receive many emails from people that basically ask the same question: How can I keep myself motivated long term? The biggest reason people quit their business projects is because they are not MOTIVATED! This seems to be quite a common dilemma for many people, so I want to address it because it can be done.
Get Motivated Every Day
Zig Ziglar was once confronted about being a “motivational speaker.” The guy said to him, “You guys come and get people hyped up and then you leave and the motivation goes away. It does not last, and then you have to get motivated again.” Zig reminded the gentleman that baths are the same way, but we think it is a good idea to take a bath every day! It is true that motivation does not last. We have to renew it each and every day. That is okay. It does not make motivation a bad thing. We simply have to realize that if we want to stay motivated over the long term, it is something we will have to apply ourselves to each and every day.
Have a Vision for Your Life
The root word of motivation is “motive.” The definition of motive is, “A reason to act.” This is the cognitive or rational side of motivation. It is your vision. You have to have a vision that is big enough to motivate you. If you are making $40,000 a year, it is not going to motivate you to set your goal at $44,000 a year. You will not get motivated for that because the reward is not big enough. Maybe $400,000 a year would work for you? Set out a vision and a strategy for getting there. Have a plan and work the plan.
Fuel Your Passion
Much of motivation is emotional. I do not know quite how it works, but I do know THAT it works. Emotion is a powerful force in getting us going. Passion is an emotion, so fuel your passion. “Well, I like to work on logic,” you may say. Great, now work on your passion. Set yourself on a course to have a consuming desire for your goal, whatever it is. Do whatever you can to feel the emotion and use it to your advantage.
Work Hard Enough to Get Results
You can build on your motivation by getting results. The harder you work, the more results you will get, and the more results you get, the more you will be motivated to get more. These things all build on one another and compound creating more energy to get you to your goal. If you want to lose weight, then lose the first few pounds. When the belt moves to the next notch, you will get fired up to get it to the notch beyond that.
Put Good Materials into Your Mind
I cannot say this enough, listen to cd’s or mp3’s and read books. I am always listening to something. I buy cd’s from motivational speakers and I listen to others about how they reached their success, and I learn and grow. I read books that teach me new ideas and skills. Books that tell the stories of successful people and that are in line with my goals. Their successes motivate me to find success in my own life.
Uplifting music is fantastic also. I know guys who have run marathons having ‘Eye of The Tiger’ from the Rocky movies on repeat on their mp3 player. For me personally, nothing gets me going more than dance music. What is your thing? The bottom line is that good music gets you going and MOTIVATES YOU!
Ride the Momentum When it Comes
Sometimes things will just be clicking and sometimes they will not. That is okay. It is the cycle of life. When you are not clicking, plug away. When you are, pour it on because momentum will help you get larger gains in a shorter period of time with less energy. When you are feeling good about how your work is going, ride the momentum and get as much out of it as you can.
These are simple principles, but when you put them to work regularly, they will change your life. Get going! Remember, quitters never win and winners never quit!