Setting Goals - Why Motivation Doesn't Last

How many times have you read a motivational book or attended a seminar and been really fired-up and excited only to have your enthusiasm wane a few weeks later? Why is that?

From an early age our brains are programmed in a negative way, which can restrict our potential. Who can remember as a youngster the word 'no' regularly coming out of our parents mouths!

So if we have limiting beliefs or expectations we will perform accordingly in our life. In order to move forward we would need to change the picture we hold of ourselves in our minds.

The key to successful goal setting is your ability to motivate yourself and stay motivated until you have achieved your goals.

Firstly, let's look at what motivation really is -

• Motivation is not a product of outside influence; it is a natural product of your desire to achieve something and your belief that you are capable of doing it

• Positive goals that are geared toward your pleasure are much more powerful motivators than negative ones that are based on fear. The right combination of both is the most powerful and motivating mix.

Now let's look at what you can actually do to motivate yourself and stay that way.

1. Start with visualizing your future success and model the feelings you'll experience when you achieve it

2. Mentally walk the path towards this success and base your feelings at different milestones on the way

3. Assign a high priority to each task that you must achieve which will give each task a priority in your mind

4. Set a target for the amount of work you will do each day toward your goals

5. Visualize the desired outcome: Create a picture of what the desired outcome will look like, and have this vision in your mind at all times

6. Set milestones of the things you like to do and the things that you are good at

7. Use visual indicators to monitor progress and complete the task

8. Give yourself affirmations to remind yourself of how capable you are at reaching your goals

9. Watch movies that motivate you

10. Listen to music that motivates you

Getting and staying motivated is not as difficult as it may seem. It just takes discipline.

Amanda Jamieson