How to Maintain Motivation

The basic key to motivation is to enjoy what you are doing. Sounds simple doesn’t it? One of the major issues, however, is that we have so many options with how to spend our time that it is easy to find something that we will enjoy doing. The challenge is that it is very tempting to go for the instant enjoyment at the expense of the task that will lead to long term enjoyment and happiness. For example it is easy to watch that great show on TV rather than do that home budget. Or it is easy to play on the play station for another half hour rather than read that book that will help complete the assignment that is due at the end of the month.

These decisions to go for short term enjoyment are easier if there is uncertainty about what we want to do in the long term. Further to the above examples there is not much motivation to do a budget if there is not a plan on how to use the cash that is saved. Also the motivation to do an assignment will be missing if the assignment is not viewed as a tool to help get what is really wanted.

So the first step in the motivation check list is:

Step 1: Have a purpose, vision, goal of what you want to achieve. Once your purpose, vision or goal has been defined move to step 2, otherwise go to step 1.5

As Les Brown says above there is a need to have a real hunger for the vision, not just simply want it. Young kids show this hunger so well. The two year old throwing a tantrum in the shopping aisle of the grocery store is showing a real hunger to get what they want. (I received feedback from one reader last month that I should have more shopping analogies and less sporting analogies. I appreciate that this is probably not the kind of shopping analogy you were after, but I tried). Imagine if we could capture that hunger and passion of the two year old and channel it in more productive ways to achieve our own goals.

What you might find is that the tasks that you originally viewed as mundane suddenly become fun if they are viewed as an important part of the journey to achieving your vision. For example, you are likely to feel more motivated to do the family budget if it is not seen as the end in itself but as a stepping stone in the journey to going on the dream holiday. The motivation for the assignment is likely to be higher if it is seen as a tool to get that mark which will keep the options open as to what you will do next year.

Note, in this assignment example there was no defined vision but the motivation was to keep options open until a vision is defined. This is a useful tool for people who are struggling with working out what they want to do. In this case the motivation is to keep all options open or to explore the options until the vision is defined.

Step 1.5: Remember that you are keeping all options open until you define your purpose, vision or goal.

Steps 2 and 3 are moving into action and establishing a team and structure to support you during the time it takes to achieve your vision.

Step 2: Design and implement your action plan and enjoy it!

Step 2 says “enjoy it”. You are now on the path to achieving your vision life, enjoy the ride. The key here is not to get too distressed about achieving the vision but enjoy the journey you have chosen to get you there. Move into vision focussed action as soon as you can and celebrate your achievements along the way.

Step 3: Establish and use your support team and support structure

It will be your inner drive that you achieves your vision but you can help your self by establishing a support team and support structure. The support team will be anyone or a combination of a:

Friend

Coach

Loved One

Accountant

Lawyer

That is anyone who can emotionally or technically help you achieve your vision.

The structure will depend on what works best for you but could include such things as:

Writing a journal

Making a collage of your vision

Having dinner with a friend to talk about your progress once a month

Spending five minutes when you wake up confirming what you are going to day today to achieve your vision.

Enjoy the journey and stop and smell the roses along the way.

How to Maintain Motivation - To learn more about this author, visit Gerry Maguire's Website.

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