The Top Five Self Motivation Tips

Self motivation is so crucial for success. You can have all the goals and imagination you want, but without the drive or ambition to take action to achieve those goals you will end up like a lot of people; sitting on the couch filling the void by eating and drinking.

Self Motivation Tip Number One: Involve Others

This self motivation tip deals with pride and making yourself accountable. If you don't have enough motivation to get yourself going everyday tell your co-workers, friends, and family about the tasks that you are setting out to do. Tell them your time frame for achieving those goals. This will make you accountable. Sometimes the sheer will of not failing in front of others is the push you need.

Motivation Tip Number Two: Strive on Time Limits

Procrastination is a huge motivation killer. Put time limits on the project you are doing. Always be very specific with your time limits.

The feeling that there is a time crunch will motivate you to get your project done. Use this self motivation tip on anything you need to get done, whether it is a small or large project. Be careful though and make your time frame realistic, it is not healthy to create unnecessary stress from a goal you set for yourself.

For example, if you need to clean the house, give yourself a reason why it has to be done at a certain time, like: "I have to clean the house before the kids get home from school because it is good for them to have a clean home." Then start as soon as possible, don't wait until 30 minutes before they get home to start, that will create stress and anxiety.

Self Motivating Tip Number Three: Treat Yourself

Just like Pavlov's dog, you need to be rewarded when you finish a goal so that you get satisfaction from it and so you have something to look forward to as a reward for finishing. This self motivation tip is pretty easy.

Just don't wallow in your own pride forever. Always set new goals when one is accomplished. Successful people are always looking for new ways to improve themselves and their lives.

Motivating Tip Number Four: Create a Positive Mindset

Of all the tips this is probably the most important. It's hard to stay motivated when you are giving yourself a hard time. Try to stay positive, even when you really don't want to finish the task or things aren't working out as planned.

For example, instead of thinking of all the reasons why you don't want to exercise think of how great you will feel and how good you will continue to look if you stick to your workout routine. Associate positive feelings with exercising and negative ones to not exercising.

Tip Number Five: Give Yourself a Break And Stay Healthy

You may have problems implementing the other four self motivation tips if you are just trying to hoist too many goals and objectives upon yourself. Your lack of motivation may be due to burnout. If this is the case, then just take a break. You probably deserve it.

Learn to relax and be able to take your mind off of your goal for a while to refresh your mind and body. Work on staying healthy and fit. You will have a hard time thinking of and achieving noteworthy goals if your mind and body aren't healthy. I am not saying you have to push around weights all day, but do the proper amount of exercise that is right for you to feel healthy, fit, and full of vitality.

Also follow a healthy diet to ensure your body is getting the nutrition it needs. You will be surprised at how much your diet and exercise play a role in your overall motivation.

How to Self Motivated

Running a business is tiring, stressful and challenging. Small business owners are required to wear many hats, often at the same time, while executives of large organizations often have more problems and politics to manage on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for the business to drain our energy and motivation, regardless of how much we enjoy the business. If you do not take time to recharge your batteries and refresh your perspective it is easy to find yourself frustrated with your business.

That is why it is imperative to have a personal motivation plan in place. This means taking advantage of opportunities that will help you maintain your motivation. Here are few suggestions to help get you started.

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 doesn't 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 doesn't last. We have to renew it each and every day. That is okay. It doesn't 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 to ourselves each and every day.

Attend a personal development workshop. Identify an area in your business or personal live that you would like to improve. At the beginning of each year, I determine what types of programs I want to attend and begin looking for them. I find that these sessions give me a short break from the daily grind of my business and help me see things from a different perspective. Training programs, night courses, or weekend seminars that focus on a specific topic can give you a much needed boost in your energy.

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 $50,000 a year, it isn't going to motivate you to set your goal at $52,000 a year. You just won't get motivated for that because the reward isn't enough. Maybe $70,000 a year would work for you. Set out a vision and a strategy for getting there. Have a plan and work the plan.

Join a Master Mind group. Meeting with other like-minded people can help you see your business from a different perspective. An effective group will have between six and eight members from a variety of industries and will usually meet several times a year. If you have the right chemistry between members, these meetings will not only help you improve your business, they will also motivate you to try new approaches and market your business differently.

Exercise. I am an avid runner and have completed two marathons and several half marathons. I occasionally find myself in a position when I cannot run for a period of time due to illness, injury, or the demands of work. Without fail, I notice a decrease in my personal motivation during these times. Regular exercise helps your body work more effectively and efficiently. Although I usually catch myself thinking about work related issues during my runs, I often notice that I develop more creative solutions when I am exercising.

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. 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!

Take time off. It is not a badge of honor to state, "I'm too busy to take time off." In today's fast-paced business world, it is critical to take time off for vacation and rest and relaxation. Even a long weekend away from your business can be restful. A true vacation also means completely avoiding email and voicemail. Yes, you will have hundreds of messages to deal with when you return, but you will have a renewed focus and energy to do this.

Lastly, associate with positive people. I have made it a point in the latter part of my career to distance myself from negative individuals. They drain your energy, will not support your goals and desires, and do little to motivate you. On the other hand, positive and optimistic people will uplift your spirits and help you through challenging times.