Staying Motivated Through Today’s Trying Times-6 Key Behaviors for Doing So
There are a plethora of books and papers written on the art of motivating people. And eversince November 5th 2008, there have been at least double that amount written on the subject, as the world anticipates change that should make life better for us all. Now, pause for a moment and ask yourself, “what if there was no President Barack Obama, or any other leader you can think of, to motivate me to GET OFF MY BEHIND?” The answer is, you’d have to do it yourself. Here are 6 essential behaviors for keeping yourself motivated.
1) The first and most important key behavior to staying motivated is watching what you say to yourself. Negative thoughts bring negative results. Those that have been a part of a fraternity, or other organization focused on unity amongst its members, have experienced positive self-talks that help fufill the organization’s goals.
“Through my brothers, I can accomplish all things,” and, “My sisters are my backbone and together we conquer all obstacles,” are examples of statements meant to positively influence the mind to accomplish goals.
“I am too fat,” and “I will never meet the kind of connections needed to be an actor,” are examples of statements made to yourself that hinder success. The next time you find yourself talking/thinking to…huh, yourself, replace the negative thoughts with statements such as, “today I will accomplish all that I set out to,” or, “I am the best dentist in town.” Whatever your profession or passion, tell yourself that you are what you want to be, and over time, you will become that person.
2) The second behavior you must practice is to visualize accomplishing your goal easily. Don’t stop at talking to yourself; visualize doing the activities that lead to accomplishing your goal. In all honesty, I go to the batting cages more frequently than my close friends do, however, not as frequent as someone trying to make a team. My reason for going is purely exercise. But without fail, every time I go, someone young or old asks me about my background and skill level. I have never in my life taken an official batting lesson, nor have I played on an organized baseball team, yet I visualize myself hitting the ball and I connect. Admittedly, the net and lack of outfielders keep you from seeing exactly the outcome of said hit; as well, you know the pitch speed coming at you. But it is through this knowledge that I am able to step up to the plate, confidently, and swing for a home run.
3) Stay educated in your field. I read an entrepreneur somewhere print the phrase “mind your own business” as a mantra to live by. Meaning to continually keep up to date with the happenings of your business sector. I love it, and I use it to this day to drive home a point. Education takes time and the more time you spend on other peoples activities (given that they aren’t congruent with your own: ie, gossip) the less your chances of succeeding in your venture. You must dedicate your time to what matters most! Education should be at the top of your list, always.
4) Procrastinate, however, creatively. How many motivational speakers have you heard tell you to procrastinate? If not, let me be the first. However, in explanation, creative procrastination involves you doing minor tasks revolved around the major tasks that you may have mental blocks on. Doing this keeps your cause moving forward while not wasting too much valuable time. The key is to always have an end goal in sight. As you come across obstacles, you can maintain momentum with lesser tasks while you mentally figure out your way around them.
5) Strive to be different from those around you. I’m sure you have heard the phrase “opposites attract.” Whether you believe it or not, it’s TRUE! If there was multiple same personalities in one group or organization, they would fight for voice and eventually one would decimate. A couple contrasting voices headed towards the same goal will accomplish more than a multitude of voices all in agreement of the next step, and having a plan full of fallacies which no one has contemplated. Learn from the mistakes of others and dare to be different. It will pay off eventually.
6) The final behavior, but no less important than ‘watching what you say to yourself’ is tell others what you are working on. Seriously, I know some that have moderate success with their business by keeping their dealings secret until execution. However, I always find myself staying motivated when others ask me about the venture that I told them I was working on week’s prior. I have to give an answer and I hate sounding like I gave up. The best thing to do is keep pushing. In addition, the person you tell may be the one with that piece of wisdom needed to overcome your obstacles.
These 6 behaviors are not negotiable; they must be practiced in order for you to succeed on the level needed to compete in today’s global economy. Don’t hesitate any longer.
Anthony Everette
Plato’s Razor Coaching Institute
Anthony@PlatosCoach.com
Life Coach
