Archive for the 'Motivation' Category
Wednesday, September 5th, 2007
Do you ever find yourself being held back by excuses? Here’s how it usually goes:
You decide you want something, but then your mind starts spitting out all the reasons why you can’t have it or achieve it.
I don’t have enough time.
I don’t have enough money.
I’m not talented enough.
I don’t know how to proceed.
What if I fail?
I’m crazy for even considering this goal.
On and on it goes. Perhaps you can think of a few goals that you never even got started on because excuses kept you from trying?
Another problem that many people face is obstacles. If you manage to overcome your initial excuses and start moving toward your goal, you will inevitably face obstacles. They are a part of life and there is no avoiding them.
The important thing to consider is what you DO when you hit obstacles. Do you give up? Do you sigh and say that it wasn’t meant to be? Do you decide to wait until conditions are better to try again?
Those, my friend, are still excuses. 
The truth is, if you want something badly enough, there is ALWAYS A WAY to get it.
I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m not saying you won’t run into obstacles. I’m not saying you’ll have what it takes to overcome those obstacles.
But how do you know until you try?
If you’ve given up on your goals in the past, take another look at them today. Ask yourself if they are worth the effort of trying again.
Then FIND a way to achieve them. Look your obstacles square in the eye and refuse to let them hold you back any longer.
The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse. - Author Unknown
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Happy Thoughts, Motivation | No Comments »
Monday, August 27th, 2007
If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today. - Author Unknown
As you can probably tell from my recent burst of activity, I’ve got some new goals in mind. They’re not even “new” goals really, just re-defined, re-clarified, and jumpstarted again.
If you’ve never done this before, it is a POWERFUL, INVIGORATING process.
It’s easy to forget that our goals should be growing and evolving just as we do. Just like we are a work in progress, so are the dreams we carry in our hearts!
When was the last time you re-evaluated your goals?
Are you still working toward goals you set years ago?
Are you struggling to feel motivated about your goals?
Or are you still basking in the glow of past achievements?
As wonderful as previous accomplishments may make you feel, they cannot compare to what you are capable of TODAY.
Instead of looking back and saying, “I did that,” look forward and ask, “What will I do next?”
Let your goals grow and evolve along with you. Let every achievement fill you with more confidence and motivation so you can accomplish even greater things.
Here is your mission for today, should you choose to accept it:
Grab a notebook and pen and jot down your immediate and long-term goals. What would you like to achieve in the near future? Where do you see yourself a few years from now?
Be specific! Don’t just write, “I’d like to have more money.” How much money? How? When? Doing what?
Get as clear as you can about what you REALLY want (not just what you’re willing to settle for), and then write it down.
You can do this for any and all areas of your life, but start with the ones that matter most to you, the ones that would get you most excited.
Then, for each specific goal on your list, come up with a few clear action steps that you can take right now to get you moving in that direction. They don’t have to be massive action steps, just clear and focused. Don’t worry about forming a full-blown plan - just focus on your next step, and the next one after that.
Immerse yourself in the process of growth and evolvement, and make sure you take time to enjoy the journey.
Go through this evaulation process every few months. Are you still on track? Have your objectives changed? Re-define, re-clarify, and jumpstart your goals frequently.
It’s one sure way to stay motivated and focused as you turn your life into a dream come true.
Go to it! 
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
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Monday, August 6th, 2007
No matter what goals you are working toward in life, you must have a strong investment in achieving them. If your goals aren’t important to you and you’ve got nothing to lose by quitting, you probably won’t summon enough motivation to get it done.
Occasionally it is possible to push yourself to do something even if it’s not that important to you, but most often that’s because you’re trying to avoid a negative consequence, not because you feel inspired about taking action.
However, when we’re talking about powerful motivation to change your life, if you don’t have a strong vested interest in the end result, you just WON’T do it - period!
Think about the last time you set a goal, like losing weight or quitting smoking. If you were not absolutely 100% committed when you got started, you likely didn’t stay with it very long.
You may have been fired up at the beginning, like most people are when they set a goal. But as time went on you either encountered obstacles that slowed your momentum, or you just lost the passion and fire for the end result, so you quit.
Making positive changes in your life is no different. No matter how hard you work at the beginning, if the changes you’re trying to make aren’t crucially important to you, you just won’t have the determination to see them all the way through.
Before you begin working on any goal, first ask yourself how important the end result is to you. How badly do you want it? How hard are you willing to work for it? What will happen if you don’t make it? Will you be able to accept the consequences, or are they simply unthinkable? Be honest with yourself!
Your answers to these questions are what will determine your probability of success. If you want it THAT badly, if it’s THAT important to you, you will do whatever you have to do to achieve it.
If your goal isn’t that important and you’re thinking wishy-washy thoughts like, “Well, it would be nice to achieve that goal . . .” – Stop right there because “nice” won’t cut it! Choose another goal.
You need a goal that is truly important to you - and I mean VITALLY important. Once you set a goal with that level of importance attached to it, you will ultimately realize that you can’t NOT do it. Not doing it means staying where you are. Not doing it means resigning yourself to circumstances that don’t make you happy. Not doing it will be completely unacceptable to you. You will find that you simply cannot tolerate the thought of accepting anything less than your ultimate dream coming true.
And that’s when the magic happens! That’s when you blot out distractions, put your head down and get to work. That’s when you get to see what you’re really made of. When you reach that stage of thought, you have already won - you just need to bring it forth into tangible reality.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Goals & Dreams, Motivation | No Comments »
Thursday, June 22nd, 2006
I have been struggling hard the past few days on trying to do the stuff I know I need to do. (cue whiney voice) But I don’t wanna! I feel rundown and tired, and my bed keeps calling to me. I haven’t even felt like watching TV, and you KNOW there’s something wrong when my favorite programs don’t interest me. I’ve felt achey and headachey and weak, maybe I caught a smidge of a bug or something.
But - on to the point of this post, sometimes we just HAVE TO get something done, even when we don’t feel like it. Today is that day for me. I have a truckload of work to catch up on, and I’m far behind on housecleaning and my landlord is coming up to look at a leaky toilet tonight, so I HAVE to get this place looking halfway decent. I also have to make a few phone calls, because yesterday I spaced and didn’t realize it was my brother & sis-in-law’s anniversary, AND my best friend and her husband’s anniversary too! They got married on the same day but different years. And I didn’t even call either of them to say Happy Anniversary. So I MUST do that today.
So, what do we do to motivate ourselves into action on days like this? Here’s what I’ve been doing since morning, and it’s working. Hope it works for you too, the next time you’re sitting there groaning about something you absolutely have to do, but don’t wanna!
- No excuses. Don’t let yourself contemplate putting it off longer. I’m great at that. I start thinking about the next few days and what I’ll have going on, and then thinking, “Well, if I stay up all night Saturday to do this, I can do this other stuff on Sunday morning, and then I won’t have to do it today.” NO! Don’t even go there. All it does is cause more stress later when you’re moving 100mph to catch up on what you didn’t do today. Don’t let your mind play tricks, just commit to doing what you know needs to be done.
- Dive in and start. Don’t procrastinate on getting started. Don’t say, “Oh, I’ll wait till 4:00pm, because Oprah will be on and I won’t mind cleaning while watching her show.” At 4:00, I guarantee you’ll have another excuse ready.
- Work in bursts. This one works like a charm for me! Instead of spending an hour cleaning, I’ll spend 15-20 minutes cleaning, then come back to my desk and write an article, then go back to cleaning, then go wash some dishes, then go back to cleaning, check emails, back to cleaning, etc. The job doesn’t seem so big if you do a little at a time.
- Hang a juicy carrot. You know how they put a carrot on a long pole in front of a horse to get him to move? He keeps going because he’s trying to get a tasty treat, and doesn’t notice that he’d rather be grazing somewhere. All he sees is that nice, juicy carrot, and he wants it bad, so he goes full steam ahead! We can give ourselves the same motivation by setting up rewards for when our work is done. It doesn’t have to be anything big or exciting. For example, I’ve promised myself that if I get all my work done by 6:00pm tonight, I can spend the rest of the evening curled up, reading a good book. Maybe reading wouldn’t do it for you, and you’d rather buy yourself a new purse or go out in the yard to play with the kids, or visit a local park. But choose something that you’ll really enjoy and look forward to. Keep it in mind as you do your work to keep yourself motivated.
And then - most importantly about the reward, keep your word! Don’t cheat yourself out of it because it seems too frivolous or expensive or selfish. You deserve it, so be kind to yourself.
There. I hope that will give you some good ideas to keep in mind for when you’re having a day of procrastination because you just don’t feel like doing anything else.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
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Tuesday, October 18th, 2005
From time to time, each of us will find ourselves in a rut of boredom and disinterest. We seem to lose our zest for life and feel tired, irritable and unmotivated. We want to hide under the covers rather than face the day. Perhaps you’re feeling overwhelmed by work, or sad about the pain and suffering in the world, or just bored with the routine of your daily life.
You are not alone. We all go through periods like this at some point. The good news is that we can do something about it. Here are some tips to help break out of the rut and feel excited about life again:
1) Take a “Time Out” - Prolonged stress can wear us down and zap any enthusiasm we once had. Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to breathe and just BE. Empty your mind of all stress and worry. This takes practice, but don’t give up! As thoughts come into your mind, gently push them back out and continue to keep your mind empty and calm. Take slow, deep breaths and let all of your muscles relax. Sit quietly and recharge your batteries. Try to do this daily, or even twice daily (morning and night). We need quiet time as much as we need anything else in life. Give yourself the gift of inner peace.
2) Get Inspired - Read something motivational, inspirational or uplifting. Look at some beautiful nature photos, or read something humorous. Consciously move your thoughts to a more positive place. Focusing on nothing but work and our daily tasks in life can leave us feeling pretty uninspired. It’s easy to turn it around if we want to. We just have to seek out things that will lift our spirits and our moods. Make it a point to laugh, be happy, joyful and lighthearted each day. Don’t wait for inspiration to come knocking on your door, go out and find it, or create it. Conjure up some funny or touching memories. Write them in a journal so you can go back and read them when you’re feeling down.
3) Get Excited - Think about the things you have planned for the day, and rekindle the enthusiasm you once felt for them. When we first begin a new project, or start a new job, we are excited about the possibilities and eager to get moving! Over time, we can lose that enthusiasm for a variety of reasons. Travel back in time for a moment, and think about what got you so excited at the beginning. What made your heart beat a little faster? Recapture that feeling and hang onto it! Even if your tasks aren’t anything to be really excited about, at least think of some positive benefits to doing them. For example, list the ways they will benefit your children, your spouse, yourself, your job or your home. Identify the payoff, and focus on that. Even mundane tasks have some benefits. Sometimes it’s just a matter of switching our mindset to see the positive side.
4) Baby Steps - Sometimes the hardest part is actually getting started. A project seems so monstrous that we cringe at the thought of all that time and energy we’ll have to expend. Instead of overwhelming yourself, start small. Set a timer for 15 minutes and just start working on it. Allow yourself to stop after 15 minutes if you really want to. But most often, once we actually start working on something, we won’t want to stop. Don’t focus on the big picture, look at the smaller details and take them on one at a time. Any large task seems manageable once we break it down into smaller steps.
5) Care of the Body - Sometimes our feelings of fatigue are caused by physical deficiencies, not mental. Be sure you are getting enough rest, eating food that nourishes your body, drinking enough water, getting enough exercise, etc. Especially when we’re very busy, we tend to grab the quickest, easiest meals, which aren’t always the best choice for our bodies. Eating a lot of highly processed foods and sugar is like putting watered-down gasoline into our cars. In order for our cars to run smoothly, we need to maintain them properly, and so it is with our bodies also. Remember, the body is the vehicle for the mind and soul!
Finally, remember to reward yourself from time to time, and be gentle with yourself! There will always be things that “need” to be done. But some of us take on way more than we can handle, and our lives turn into a pit of drudgery because of it. Try to eliminate the things that truly don’t bring you joy, or at least minimize the time you spend on them. Do what you can, and let the rest go. Or ask for help. Don’t feel you have to do everything yourself.
Remember that motivation, just like happiness, is something we CHOOSE. We may need to give ourselves a little push at the beginning, but once we get into the right mindset, it’s simple to stay there if we choose to.
Wendy
CreationThoughts.com
WingsfortheHeart.com
VisualizeProsperityBook.com
Posted in Motivation, Passion & Purpose | No Comments »
