How to Motivate Yourself: 4 Timeless Thoughts

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”
Mark Victor Hansen

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain

Motivation can be a huge help for you to achieve what you want in life. But how can you find all that motivation you need?

Here are four timeless thoughts on motivation. I hope you find something useful.

1. Make a conscious choice.

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.”
Wayne Dyer

“I was thinking one day and I realized that if I just had somebody behind me all the way to motivate me I could make a big difference. Nobody came along like that so I just became that person for myself.”
Unknown

Help and motivation from others is always good. But in the end you to be able to rely on yourself. And there is really no escaping it, because as Dyer says, it’s always your choice what to do.

So you have to consciously choose to motivate yourself. You can do that by:

• Doing what you really, really like to do. When you really like doing something then the motivation do it comes automatically (most of the time). And when you really want something then it simply becomes easier to push through any inner resistance you feel. You are so motivated to achieve whatever it is you want that the risks you may encounter may be scary but smaller than your desire.
• Make a list. Write down all the benefits you will get from achieving something, like for example getting into better shape or making more money. Save it and pull that list out of the drawer whenever your motivation is lacking and review it. Or put it somewhere where you will see it every day. This is a powerful way to reconnect with your motivation and reasons for taking action.
• Find what works for you. There are many ways to motivate yourself. You can for example find a list of 25 ways here. Try different ways and find one or a few that work well for you. And then apply them consistently in your own life.

The most important thing is to take responsibility for your own motivation and feelings and not wait around for someone else to do it. When you do that you will most often find a way to get yourself to start moving towards what you want.

2. Walk your talk.

“Walking your talk is a great way to motivate yourself. No one likes to live a lie. Be honest with yourself, and you will find the motivation to do what you advise others to do.”
Vince Poscente

This is great tip. Whenever you don’t follow your own talk or just your inner rules of how you want to behave your tend to feel bad. Your esteem of yourself sinks and your motivation to get going does too.

So you have to be honest with yourself when you feel like you are out of alignment. You have to get up and get started again. When your talk and inner standards you have set for yourself align with what you do then you your self esteem goes up. You feel great because you are living like you want to deep down. And you are getting all these important things done and can enjoy the results. And then you want more of that good stuff, you sometimes feel so motivated that you can’t wait to get going.

This is not always easy. In the short run it’s often easier and less uncomfortable and scary to lie to yourself a bit and hold yourself back. But the rewards for walking your talk are big. Both on the outside and the inside.

3. Set goals that really inspires you.

“Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive.”
Robert H. Schuller

Without inspiring goals you tend wander around aimlessly in a confused funk.

I think the most important thing about setting goals is to find goals that really inspire and motivate you.

What are your goals? As much as possible, you have to set the goals for yourself. Should and ought to-goals aren’t good enough. Or goals that other people have set for you.

Think about your goals. Think about who has set them. Then think about what you really want in life. Then set your own goals. Write them down.

I also don’t think one should be afraid of setting big goals. Set a big goal that inspires you even if it may seem a tad unrealistic at the moment. If you have too easily achievable goals then you may find that they don’t give you that motivational spark and drive. When you start to think a bit bigger then you get motivated and your mind starts looking for the how that will help you achieve that goal. Thinking too small and can leave you with a “meh…” feeling or make you feel like you can do it later.

And a benefit of this is – even if you don’t quite achieve your big, big goal or it takes a while longer than you may have hoped for – can be found in a quote from Les Brown:

“Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars.”

4. Don’t get too hung up on being motivated to get started.

“The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that’s when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it.”
John C. Maxwell

Here’s another view on motivation. Maybe you don’t need it to get started? Maybe you can create it along the way?

Many times I have found it better to just do it and start working instead of trying to motivate myself to get going. At first what you do may suck quite a bit and it’s hard going. But after a while inspiration and motivation seems to catch up with you. Things start to flow easier and your work is of a higher quality.

And after you have kept going for a while you become more and more motivated. Because you start to feel like you can actually do this and you can keep going to achieve your goal. And now you are also walking your talk which boosts your motivation.

On some days you may not seem to be able motivate yourself into action. Even if you review your goals or reasons to achieve something.

That’s ok. You can still make a conscious choice based on what you know deep down is right and just start moving your hands and feet anyway. No matter how you feel inside, no matter what negative thoughts may be circling around in your head.

Try both to get yourself motivated before you begin and to just do it and find the motivation along the way. Try both ways and see what works best for you.

How To Motivate Myself: Create A Successful Day, Everyday

Do you ever lie in bed and contemplate your upcoming workday? You think, "I'm going to call that new customer after I have my first cup of coffee." Then you decide the call can wait, and you hit the snooze button a few more times.

We all want to be more productive and achieve success. But at times, we find it difficult to motivate ourselves to take action--especially first thing in the morning.Some people view motivation as something of a conundrum--they don't understand how people can always be energized. Getting started has less to do with whether you have the energy and more to do with your desire and willingness to accomplish any given task. As an entrepreneur, you are passionate about your business. Once you dig in, start a project and see the results of your labor, you become even more galvanized. Stop delaying your success, and begin your day with enthusiasm by taking action.

1. START YOUR DAY THE NIGHT BEFORE. At the close of your business day, congratulate yourself on what you have accomplished. Do not judge the size of your accomplishments; appreciate that you have moved your business forward. Feeling good about what you completed during your workday sets a positive foundation for your next day. Say to yourself, "I love my business and will create even greater success tomorrow."

2. CREATE AN OUTCOME-ORIENTED TASK LIST FOR THE NEXT DAY. Goals provide focus for your workday and clarify what you are going to achieve. State the payoff associated with completing each task--recognizing the outcome of your hard work increases your motivation. After defining your goals, choose which task to work on first. E-mail your list to yourself, or put it on your desk. Then relax because you have now created a great head start on your next business day.

3. TAKE TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF before the start of your business day. As an entrepreneur, you are your business's greatest asset. You must take care of yourself. Choose a morning activity you enjoy so you can appreciate the beginning of each day. Whether it's a morning walk around your neighborhood, a quick breathing exercise or an intense physical workout, decide on something that helps you transition into your workday. Change your morning activity on a weekly basis to avoid getting bored with the same routine.

4. VISUALIZE YOUR ACHIEVEMENT. Review your action list and concentrate on the outcomes you stated. Imagine the success you will achieve with each completed task. For example, envision your customers becoming happier and/or healthier after using your product or service. It may even spark some marketing ideas. Setting your brain on positive mode allows you to stay enthusiastic throughout the day.No single day makes or breaks your business. Plateaus are a natural part of life and of growing a business. If a bad day occurs, don't despair. Become energized by your freedom to be your own boss and your ability to make changes. Your goal is to continually learn and realize that having your own business is more play than work.

A fantastic way to get started that personally helped me a lot is get some GREAT motivational posters.

Top 5 Ways How to Stay Motivated All the Time

1. Write down your goals on a piece of paper and paste it on somewhere you can see it often. This is one of the most powerful motivation strategies you can use, but this is also what most people fear to do. People always are shy about their goals and they do not dare to publicly tell their goals to the people they knew. If you do this, you will be often reminded by your goals, as a result, you will always drive into taking massive action. If you are serious in achieving what you want in your life, do this.

2. Spend at least 30 minutes everyday in reading motivational or self-improvement books or articles. If you think that it is expensive and you cannot afford to buy so many books, you can actually find most of the resources from the internet for free. Blogs, forums, eBooks, articles, and newsletters are all free motivational resources available to you. The key here is to make sure that you keep your momentum going. Once you let go of your momentum, it is hard to get it up again. So develop your momentum and keep it going.

3. Use creative visualization and imagine the results of after having what you want to achieve in your life every night before you sleep. Visualization is one of the most powerful motivation tools you can use for free in your life. You can imagine anything you want with your mind. Spend about 5 to 10 minutes and visualize what you are doing after you have achieved your goals. If your goal is to become rich, imagine what you can do with all the money you have.

4. Find and join a mastermind group. Your surrounding can affect you. Therefore, you must make use of it wisely. If you keep on staying with negative friends, you will be influenced by their negative thinking as well. I'm not asking you to leave your friends, but try to avoid being affected by their negativity. And you can also increase your positivity by joining people who share the same goals and objectives as you. You can do so by joining discussion boards, groups from the internet or form a mastermind group yourself.

5. Finally, after having so much of hard work, you will need to have some enjoyment. If you want to live a successful life, you need to be balance. After taking massive action, relax for some time and enjoy your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1410186

Gratitude for today!

It is almost Christmas and I just realized how important everything that I have learned this past year has been.  I was reading some material yesterday when it came to me that everything had just “hit”.  It is not unlike when I am teaching and I see the look in a student’s eyes that they just “got it”.  This time it is the teacher and not the student- “getting it”.

This year has certainly had it’s ups and down, it had a lot of challenges and victories.  What is interesting for me to see in myself is how I have handled all these things.  How much better, calmer and more humanly I have been able to respond to crisis and challenge- and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the response was natural.

I remember trying really hard to stay calm in the past and not show an emotional response to what was going on in my physical world.  Often times it was all I could do just to keep from screaming!   I normally could control my response (I said, normally) but, it took all my emotions to do that.

Now, something has happened this last year.  I suppose some would  say that it is not as exciting of a life as it used to be.  I don’t have as many “Crisis” opportunities coming at me- and when one does present itself, I am calmly controlling it.    It is funny, I am actually seeing some of these challenges in my dreams, then I am totally prepared to take the opportunity on when it does present itself.

So, what changed?  I think there are three factors at work here.  1.  I am thinking more positively and not having big negative things happen  as often.  2.  I am in much better harmony with my emotions and able to work with my emotions rather then letting anything get out of control.  3.  I am seeing opportunity in almost every challenge.  This coupled with my increased intuition, is really a big change.

Now, I have to tell you, this change did not just happen.  I had to make a decision about a year ago that “I wanted to change” and in then start working towards the change.  It was obvious early on that I needed a guide or mentor to help me on the path and that person, Bob Proctor, was presented to me.  I have also met some wonderful people who work with Bob and LifeSuccess and they have played a great part in my change.

You know when I look back, the most important thing that happened this year really was that I made a decision to change and improve myself…. are you ready to make that decision?   Are you ready to change your results?   If you are, when you are, join me on the journey… I will introduce you to my mentors and help you on your path…

I am so happy and grateful to be typing this blog and grateful for you reading these words… Namaste’

6 Painless Ways to Boost Your Productivity as a Freelancer

Ask any freelancer around, and you'll get the same response: Maintaining a strong level of productivity is an absolute must for success. Ed Gandia, co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer and co-founder of International Freelancers Day (Sept. 24-25) brings 6 great ways to make you a more efficient and productive freelancer.

I love working from home. The flexibility to take my lunch break whenever I want, visit the gym when it’s not crowded or walk my dog when I need to clear my mind...

You just can’t put a price on that!

But with that flexibility comes temptation. The temptation to watch a bit of TV (which turns into a two-hour break). Eat a snack and call a friend about last night’s football game. Take a nap. Go shopping. Name your weakness.

That’s not good. Because as a freelancer, your most precious nonrenewable resource (besides your knowledge, talents and experience) is your time. Using it wisely is one of the quickest ways to boost your income and get more free time.

How can you become more productive? Here are six simple and easy-to-implement tips that have helped me boost my productivity by more than 30 percent over the last two years. I guarantee that you’ll get similar (or even better) results if you apply them.

#1: Start by developing a productive attitude. Treat your craft as a business, not a hobby. And treat your time as a business owner would treat her most valuable inventory: with great care. After all, time is part of your own “inventory.”

This doesn’t mean you should work more hours. You could be working full-time, part-time or half-time. It doesn’t matter. But when you’re at work… work! Which leads me to the next point…

#2: Set working hours every day. And stick to them. For instance, I’m at my desk every day by 7:00 a.m. I find that the early morning hours are the most productive for me. My mind is clearer and my creative energies sharper.

End time is 6:00 p.m. That sounds like a long day, but I take an hour to go to the gym every day. I also pick up my son from school four days a week. Some days I take him to school in the mornings. And when we get home, we usually spend an hour doing homework and playing. I also often have meetings, lunches or coffee with friends and personal appointments. So it’s not all work time.

#3: Schedule your day. The night before or first thing in the morning, look at your overall project schedule and determine how you’ll allocate your time that day, hour by hour. Include personal time in that schedule. Above all, stick to it. Be disciplined. This tip alone will boost your productivity by 10 or 20 percent almost immediately.

#4: Always work on the task at hand. If you’ve allocated 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. to Project XYZ, work on that project for the whole two hours. It’s OK to take a break halfway through (more on that in a minute). But then get back to work on time. Don’t turn on the TV. Don’t check Facebook. You’re at work!

#5: Turn your phone’s ringer off if you’re easily distracted. Let calls go to voice mail and return calls during two or three designated times during the day. Similarly, turn your email program off if you don’t have the discipline to stay away from it. And at a minimum, turn off the chime or indicators your email program uses to notify you of incoming emails. Not only is it distracting, it also keeps you from building momentum on the task at hand.

#6: Use the “50-minute focus” technique. Developed by marketing whiz Dean Jackson, this technique is like strapping a jet engine to the back of a Ferrari! (OK, maybe not that fast, but still!). It’s amazingly simple and equally as effective. Here's how it works: 

• Get a timer with an alarm. I use an online egg timer, but you can use a wristwatch or a kitchen timer.
   
• Select the project you want to work on, preferably one where you really need to make some serious progress.
   
• Set the timer for 50 minutes.
   
• During those 50 minutes, be totally focused on that project, just as you would be at an important client meeting. Don't check email. Don't take a break. Don't let your mind wander to the plans you have for the weekend. Be totally immersed.
   
• When the timer goes off, stop working. Completely unplug from the project for 20 minutes (yes, 20 full minutes!). During that time, you can take a break or get a few non-project tasks done. (I like to read.)
   
• After 20 minutes, assuming you still plan on working, do another 50-minute focus.
   

Fifty-minute focus sessions are like blocks of super-productive time you can squeeze in anywhere, anytime. I find this technique particularly helpful when I'm tired, under deadline pressure, or just feel unmotivated for some reason. Once I get absorbed in the project, my lack of motivation often disappears. Plus, I love the built-in incentive — that 20-minute break!

What about you? What techniques have helped you stay focused and boosted your productivity? What has NOT worked for you? Share with us in the comments below.

About the Author:
Ed Gandia is co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle. He’s also a co-founder of International Freelancers Day — the biggest-ever FREE online conference exclusively for solo professionals, which will be held on Sept. 24 and 25. To learn more, visit www.InternationalFreelancersDay.com.