Motivation
3 Rules To Kill Procrastination and Give Life To Action
Motivation is the ability to act to achieve your goal.
Successful people have the ability to motivate themselves, but why can they motivate themselves in one area of their life, but can’t motivate themselves in other areas?
Is there a secret set of rules for motivation?
I was recently working with a client who was highly motivated and successful in his career; he would happily sell himself during a job interview, he was motivated to meet deadlines and enthused to make everything he did count, but unmotivated when it came to his health. He wouldn’t exercise, diet or drink enough water, even though his goal was to lose weight!!
What is the secret to motivation? How do you motivate yourself to take action, to be more successful and to keep going when the going gets tough?
These 3 rules for motivation will change the way you approach task and goals, creating instant motivation that will kill Mr. Procrastination and bring alive Mr. Action:
Rule #1: Win the fight – Mr. Procrastination vs Mr. Action
We live each day with 2 invisible buddies, Mr. Procrastination and Mr. Action. These twin brothers have the power to motivate or demotivate you, but with great power comes great reasonability. The only weakness Mr. Procrastination and Mr. Action both possess is that only one can be in the room at the same time. The room of course is in your head! In the fight to get into the brain-room, how is the winner chosen? The winner is chosen by what you focus on
“I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become”. – Oprah Winfrey
In work, my client would focus on the challenge of the task, the enjoyment of the outcome of his project, the ability to use his skills and knowledge to make a difference to the business. He would also focus on building his career reputation as a professional problem solver
Rarely did he think about potential mistakes, getting it wrong or what others may say about his work. This is Mr. Action at his best – think positive and create action
When thinking about dieting the clients focus changed. Instead of thinking about the challenge of dieting, the enjoyment of the outcome of his new health regime, his health, fitness and longer life, he would instead think about the negatives.
Mr Procrastination relishes the negative thoughts. My client couldn’t take action as his focus was on the pain of dieting; being hungry, not enjoying soggy old lettuce and the bland boring taste from a cold weltering salad dish.
Rule 1: Change Your Focus To Win The Motivational Fight
Rule #2: Make Mr. procrastination work for you
Mr. Procrastination isn’t evil. He is a superhero or protector, keeping you away from danger. He can predict future problems, potential pain and hard work. This foresight stops you taking action on something that you wouldn’t, in the short term, enjoy. Procrastinations kryptonite is his attention to detail. Once focused, Mr. Procrastination can’t let go. One problem leads to another. Pain equals more pain. Once caught in Procrastinations trap, it’s hard to escape.
“Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is nightmare”. – Japanese Proverb
All superheroes carry out their duties for the better good. Whisper in Procrastinations ear and he will work for you. When you want to diet, focus on what problems you will have if you don’t diet and allow Mr. Procrastination to get carried away with himself; bad diet = bad health, bad health= clogged arteries, clogged arteries = heart attack…
Rule 2: Focus on The Pain of Not Taking Action To take Action
Rule #3: Mr. Action always chases the carrot
Procrastination gets your engines running. We are highly motivated to get away from pain. Imagine this scenario; You have recently been diagnosed with a curable illness, you simply need to choose which medication to take. The doctor explains that medicine one has a 65% success rate with few side effects and medicine two has a 35% failure rate with few side effects. Which would you choose?
Most people would choose medicine one with a 65% success rate, even though the odds for both of the medicines success rate are the same, because we are more motivated to move away from pain.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”. – Mahatma Gandhi
Pleasure is also motivational – the donkey will chase the carrot. Mr. action thrives when chasing his carrot, creating lots of motivation for you to take action.
Mr. action will motivate you by getting you to focus on the outcome(s) of taking action. My Clients Mr. Action told him “When you eat salad and exercise you will feel good about yourself; your own self worth will increase, you will perceive that others will find you more attractive and research shows that attractiveness plays on unconscious part in the success of a job interview outcome, which can only help your career…”
Rule 3: The More Pleasure You Associate to Your Goal The More Mr. action Will Kick In
My client already had a strategy for success. He simply needed to use his career success formula – focusing on the pleasure of completing task and the pain of not taking action, with dieting by focusing on the positives of exercise and good food (becoming more healthy, living longer) and the pain of eating takeaways (being unhealthy and dying at an early age).
When you feel stuck, change your focus and follow the 3 rules for motivation. Think of the pain of not completing the steps towards your goal and pleasure of achieving your outcomes and let Mr. Procrastination and Mr. Action work for you, rather than against you.
Thank you for reading my article! I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!
Whether you are trying to lead a team of employees, teach a child, or even get through your own workday, staying motivated is key. Nonetheless, this isn’t always as easy as waking up and deciding to be motivated.
There’s a lot to know about motivation and what it can offer you – whether you are trying to motivate yourself or others, thus below are 5 points that are the most important to know:
1. Goals are Crucial
This one might sound like a cliche but you should make sure to set smaller goals on the way to the bigger one. A large project can be intimidating to work on – whether this is a job at work, weight loss goals, or anything else. The best way to keep motivation high is to take these jobs one bite at a time.
Rather than looking at a massive job, break it down into smaller goals or milestones. Focusing on completing these will be much less stressful than looking at an entire project all at once.
2. Give a Reason Why
If someone is working without purpose rather than working toward something, they are bound to lose motivation. After all, why shouldn’t they? On the other hand though, a purpose will make any task easier to accomplish. Think about being given a boring task; it would be easier to suffer through this if it was part of a bigger, more interesting project instead of just a meaningless task.
“When you feel like quitting think about why you started.”
3. Positive Reinforcement is Better Than Fear
It can sometimes seem that threatening to fail a difficult student or fire a lazy employee can be the best way to get them to work. However, while this may work for a bit, these employees and students fall back into old habits quickly.
What is more lasting, though, is positive reinforcement and incentives. Instead of threatening to fire an employee, it may work better if you promise employees the chance to grow. The concept of reward vs. punishment has been studied many times and the general consensus is that someone is far more likely to be motivated to correct and improve their behavior when they are promised a reward for improvement instead of a punishment for stagnancy.
4. Motivated People are More Engaged
This fact just makes sense; if you are motivated about what you are doing, you are going to be more engaged. If you aren’t motivated, you won’t be nearly as engrossed in your work and won’t pay as close of an eye to it. There are two main ways this is crucial. For repetitive work or tasks, this means that you will be more attentive to detail, making you more detail-oriented and thoughtful of the task at hand.
In addition though, this makes more motivated people safer as well. If you are working in dangerous conditions, those people who are paying more attention to their jobs are bound to be safer on the job than those who aren’t. For example, imagine a doctor not being interested in or paying attention to his job; the results could very easily turn catastrophic.
“Throw yourself into some work you believe in with all you heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.” – Dale Carnegie
5. Creative Tasks are Easier to Get Motivated For
No matter how motivated you are naturally, if you are doing a simple, mind-numbing task constantly, you are bound to lose that motivation eventually. However, this can be combated with the use of more creative tasks.
Obviously, you aren’t always going to have a creative task available. There will also be a need to fill out a spreadsheet or do a mundane, repetitive task. When you can though, it is much easier to get excited and motivated about a task that gives you room to think.
This is a technique that can be used in any setting, not just the workplace. Take a classroom full of children for example. If a teacher announces that the class is going to do a worksheet, you won’t hear any excitement. On the other hand, if a teacher tells a class that they are to do an experiment, you are likely to see more children get excited.
While adults may not jump up and down in their seats like an elementary school student would, creative tasks still help to keep them engaged in what they are doing and make them feel like their ideas matter just as much as their labor.
How do you maintain your motivation from day to day? Let us know in the comments below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
Yes, we do feel motivated by reading quotes and watching movies like The Pursuit of Happiness and Soul Surfer. The protagonist makes you feel you are the hero as psychology would call this Experience-taking. However, sometimes these things are not enough to drive you to accomplish your goals and dreams.
Our mind and body wants peace, yet a lack of inspiration shouldn’t slow us down. We wait to be inspired and get no work done because of it.
Is inspiration important to make us successful in our lives? Yes, because it acts as a trigger for the shotgun as it initiates the very vital ‘Beginning Process’ of which we are frightened to jump upon.
What exactly should you do when you lack the inspiration? Read the 5 points below:
1. Meditation Matters
You don’t need to do deep meditation wherein you train your mind to attain the desired state of consciousness. Meditation involves analyzing all kinds of emotions like anger, hatred, compassion, and love. According to many psychological studies, it is revealed meditation drastically minimizes anxiety and stabilizes cognitive ability.
It not only allows you to become inspired but keeps your body physically fit. Today, people are suffering from mental illness like depression. Even when someone is stressed, it is hard to get inspired. If you are a beginner in meditation, you can still experience results. It eradicates all the hindrances that come in the way by calming us down. It is no revelation you perform better when you are relaxed and mindful.
If you are new to meditation check out the iOS app Calm and Android app Headspace. Using proven meditation and mindfulness techniques, these mobile applications train your mind for a healthier, and happier life.
“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.” – Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati
2. Pausing Social Media
From your smartphone to your computer, shut everything off and give yourself a needed and short break. Remember, there were no mobile devices 100 years ago so people had to find different ways of entertainment. Perhaps, talk to an old friend or ask the cute girl out in your class.
The psychology today surveyed 100 individuals of which 50 were given all the digital facilities and 50 were provided only the required devices. After the experiment, it was proved that the later group did 85% more effective work than the former. Digital Media is becoming crowded and constrained, so do not forget to stop and pause from time to time.
3. Take a Chill-pill
In our current culture, people seem to be rushing and hustling to get things done, andthey don’t take the time to give their body and brain much-needed rest. According to Phyllis Korkki, a writer for the NY Times, “Employees generally need to detach from their workspace to recharge their internal resources that provide cognitive recharging.”
According to Beth W. Orenstein of Everyday Fitness, “It is easy to get frustrated when we feel uninspired. When these moments come, it is often a good idea to take a break for a few days. Sometimes your mind just needs a break from all the noise and hustle.” We must realize if we don’t rest, our bodies and minds will have no time to recharge, and our inspiration levels will lower down.
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” – Jim Goodwin
4. Miracles of Music
This is a head and heart combo, because scientifically, when you listen to your favorite music the soothing effect connects your brain and conscience emphatically. Maybe all you need is a soft jazz (it’s okay if your genre is a heavy metal) to get you out of your creative funk. Music does have a large influence on your emotions. Maybe you’re having a bad day and it is affecting your working ability. Listening to your favorite song might lift your mood and thus allow you to be more productive, innovative and creative in what you will do.
5. Shout out loud
Scientists bring this factor out frequently because people today don’t share their stuff. Their mind becomes a locker room where junk is stored, yet this garbage has to be removed. This negativity can and strain can be abolished when you shout loudly (at a place far which is calm and quiet).
Next time you feel uninspired, try attempting any of the above and you will be surprised how effective it works, because as psychologists say, “Human Beings came with a manual. All you need to know is how to read it.”
What are some ways you find inspiration? Let us know by commenting below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
We all start somewhere. We may not know what our dream is to begin with.
This was certainly the case for me back in 2011. I’d hit rock bottom and everything in my life had gone wrong. There was no meaning in anything I was doing and I didn’t know why I existed. I had no dream and zero goals other than to survive the day.
My anxiety and stress levels were so high at that point in my life that just getting to go to bed at night was good enough.
So how do we begin anything?
I believe the way we begin is often by accident. We don’t always know when an idea is going to hit us or our life is going to change. For me, I certainly had no clue. My life up until that fateful day was spent chasing money and things that I thought mattered.
These were not things that mattered to me; they were things that mattered to society. Getting to where I was on that day was a complete accident. I always thought I was going to be this big time businessman importing stuff from China.
I thought that because I was born in the lucky country of Australia that I was entitled to success. This fateful day would soon teach me how wrong I was.
“Being wrong is often where it starts. Being wrong is where the accident of your success journey can begin”
There is one common trigger
That trigger is a low point where you decide that enough is enough. It often all begins when your pain levels reach and extreme point. It feels like your life is going to implode and that if you died tomorrow, it wouldn’t even matter.
My low point in 2011 became the defining moment where everything changed. I was not purposeful about my new path, but I had definitely had enough. Many of us get this same trigger. What I’ve found is that too many of us don’t use it. These low points are a gift and when you come face to face with one, you need to make the most of it.
These low points are the motivation and change in mindset that you need. I took my sign that my life needed to change and became obsessed.
What does the start of the journey look like?
It doesn’t look all that flash to begin with. The start of a journey towards success never does look amazing.
Mine was so simple it almost seems make-believe. I want to describe it for you in extreme detail so you can see just how simple it was.
On that fateful day where everything collapsed, I made a very small decision. It’s probably the smallest change in my life I have ever made. This decision changed everything.
“All I did was decide to walk around the neighborhood block, where I lived, once per day”
The duration was so short that it was impossible not to do. At this stage in my life, I was not conscious of anything and knew nothing about success or psychology.
I did this walk for a few days and then my mind told me that I wasn’t maximising the time. See, I am one of those crazy people who always has to be hyper productive. In this case, my hyper-productive mind was the greatest gift I had been given.
The next part is still a bit blurry. Having had no clue what to do other than doing my daily walk, I did what all millennials do: I asked Google for answers. I’m not sure what the series of search terms was that led me to Tony Robbins, nor do I care.
Once I found a Tony Robbins video on Youtube, I became hooked. All the answers I was seeking became instantly available to me. At this point, I turned into a total freak.
I got my iPod, downloaded a whole bunch of Tony Robbins audiotapes, and went for a walk every single day. Many of these walks became longer than one hour. I walked as fast as I could and I had a look of determination on my face that made me look like I had been possessed by the devil.
So the turning point was really these walks, combined with listening to audiotapes.
What does all of this mean for you?
That’s a damn good question cowboy. What it means for you is that you may be over thinking your next move. Your next move needs to be a decision. I recommend making lots of small decisions and trying many new things.
The thing that will take you on the next journey that could lead to your life’s purpose and / or dream is probably way simpler than you think. As humans, we over think success and we look for gianormous triggers or external factors before we’re willing to make a decision.
I believe it’s the small decisions that help you begin. It’s the little things you’re dismissing like taking a walk around the neighborhood block that could potentially change your circumstances.
Finding that trigger or habit is not enough
Even if you discover something like walking, which has a major effect on you, it’s not enough. You still need to get off your ass and make a decision. What is that decision you ask?
That decision is to no longer to accept your current results. It’s a decision to cut off from everything else and become intensely focused on one pursuit. If all you do is find a new habit that keeps you in the same rut you’ve been in, you’ll never start your own journey.
I used to be so lazy, indecisive and lack discipline. These were the traits that were holding me back. On many of these walks I went on, I decided that I’d no longer settle for these loser behaviors.
See yourself for what you can become, not who you currently are
“When you begin a new road towards success, you have to think of yourself differently. You absolutely must see yourself as who you can become and not who you currently are”
During my transformation, I focused on all the potential that I had and what I would look like in the future. I thought about standing on stages in front of thousands of people and doing something that filled me with joy and passion. I saw videos of thought leaders like Eric Thomas and told myself that I could live my life at the same level.
To this day, those thoughts have never left me and I never will let them go. Until you’ve been all the way to the lowest of lows, you’ll never know what it’s like to dream big.
You have so much more within you. Yes, people will laugh at you and think you’re dumb. The only reason they think like that is because they are pissed off at their own failures and misfortunes.
Going to Mars
Let me give you an example of people not believing. I’m coaching this young kid right now and he had the idea to take his product to Mars. When he told me that, he thought I’d laugh like everyone else. What he didn’t expect was for me to encourage him.
I told him that if he truly believed that his product could be on Mars, that he should shout it from the rooftop. I told him that he should look people in the eye and tell them he was going to Mars with his product!
If he focuses on who he is right now – a young kid with no money, no work experience and no product – he would never get started.
If he believed all the critics who have never achieved any such goal as going to Mars, he’d never begin.
The way to begin is not just to make a decision, but be bold and believe in yourself. You must believe before anyone will believe in what you’re starting.
If that means you are going to take your product to Mars then so be it.
***Final words***
Don’t let any outside force stop you from beginning any longer. You’ve wasted enough time as it is and life is too short to waste any more time. Go out there and begin. The start is always the hardest part, but it’s also the most rewarding.
Remember what I said before: the beginning will be made up of a few very small decisions and actions. Don’t look for that massive defining moment because chances are it will never come.
Get started right now and believe you were born to do something incredible. We’re all capable of greatness once we find a way to begin. Beginning the journey is where it all starts. No one knows what the end will look like and that’s half the fun.
Time to take the first step.
If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net
Today was one of the best days of my life.
The last month, in fact, has been a dream. I’ve had to pinch myself to make sure I am not fantasizing about what I am experiencing.
The last year has been full of very hard work, lots of tears, a rollercoaster of emotions, forgiveness and gratitude.
I’ve recently got the career opportunities I’ve wanted, I’ve been able to get better at public speaking, my writing has been read more than ever and I have some amazing new friends. I’m not saying this to brag because that is definitely not me; I’m saying it to inspire you to have your own best day.
To have the best day of your life, you must setup your life the way you want it.
Decide on what you want
This fantastic day didn’t happen to me by accident. I earned every minute of it through my efforts. Those emotions I spoke about are what gave me the energy to power towards this phenomenal day.
I decided what I wanted. I painted a rough picture and focused on how I wanted to feel more than anything. Trying to be too exact can often put this goal of an ideal day too far into the future that you never get to touch it with your two beautiful hands.
“You’ll know when you have made the right set of decisions because each day will get closer to being your best day”
You’ll feel a shift in your psychology, your emotions and the presence you give to other people. You’ll start noticing that people compliment you a lot on the positivity you make them feel.
Positivity is infectious and it’s how you get the courage to make the right decisions that will give you the end result which is your best day.
The best day is often the simplest
You don’t need to fly to the moon and back to experience the best day of your life. What’s crazy is that your best day is simplistic. Your best day is unique to you and no two best days are alike.
My best day was dumb as hell. I spent time with a magnificent person, ate healthy food, enjoyed the sunshine and realized that I’ve become a champion in my own eyes (in my humble opinion).
Breaking the groove is the key
Days will flow into years without you realizing unless you stop your mind in its tracks.
Breaking the groove of your boredom and habits that don’t serve you, will allow you to get closer to your best day. During your best day, you’re present and fully aware of everything that’s going on.
Your best day is not about being productive; it’s about living in the moment and being happy and grateful for everything your best day has brought you.
“Until you get out of your messed up routine that has put you into a landslide of nothingness, you’ll continually miss every opportunity to have your best day and then repeat it for the future”
Routine is not all it’s cracked up to be. Routine has got you to where you are. It may be time to break it into little, tiny pieces.
Every day can be extraordinary
I’m not at this level yet but I know people who are. What if the circumstances of your day didn’t get in the way of it being mind-blowing? What if all you had to do was develop enough of a positive mindset to see mostly good things happening?
Being inspired, like how I’ve just described, is possible. Anything is possible when you believe it is. Each day can be your best day once you get on a roll. Before you can do that, you need to know what your best day feels like. Once you get a taste of it, you should have the drug that will get you addicted.
The people who I’ve seen have the best day, every day, have four main traits:
– They practice nonreactivity
– They find happiness in the littlest things
– They write down three things they’re grateful for every 24 hours
– Their default facial expression is a smile
Try and outdo yourself
Okay, so I have had one of my best days. Do I stop here and say “Yay I won?” Hell no brothers and sisters. The goal is to make your life into something that feels like that best day, every day. Writing down your best day is crucial because you’ll be surprised how easily you forget the contents and feelings of that day.
When you reminisce on that day, try only to do one thing: remember how you felt. For me, today, I felt confident, relaxed, inspired, happy and loved all at once. It’s the best feeling in the world and almost impossible to describe fully in words.
The whole challenge of describing my best day is how I know that I’ve hit a peak in my life.
At the top of the mountain, you feel like nothing can take you down. From this position, you feel like you can help so many people to live an inspired life.
Emotion starts to drive you and you concentrate on the way you make people feel rather than trying to be cool or sound smart / funny. The world, after your best day, will never be the same again.
You’ll have a permanent high to reflect on.
You’ll know what it’s like to have truly lived.
What’s important will finally become clear to you.
You’ll have ridiculous clarity on where you are going to spend your time.
It’s your turn
You’ve heard about my best day, now I want you to have yours. I want you to hit a new record in the story of your life. Having the best day of your life is possible for all of us. It’s not a far away land that we can never reach. It’s not a land that can only be reached on a golden chariot.
Today I’ve had my best day. Today I want you to have your best day. Your best day is where you show everybody the best of you. It’s where you show us all what you’ve been up to behind closed doors.
Your best day is where you get to celebrate, knowing that you’ve become someone you can be proud of. It’s your turn to have the best day of your life.
If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net
Being Flexible Is a Requirement for Success. Here’s Why:
3 Ways You Can Create the Right Relationships for Your Business
My Thoughts On Money After Being Both Rich And Poor
Social Media Is Killing Your Success: 3 Ways You Can Use it to Your Advantage
How to Build an Unstoppable Mindset According to These 5 Popular Entrepreneurs
5 Important Facts You Need to Know About Motivation
10 Things I Have Learned from Building a Blog Worth Millions
4 Steps to Take Right Now to Snap Out of Your Funk
Social Media Is Killing Your Success: 3 Ways You Can Use it to Your Advantage
Success Has Nothing To Do With Your iPhone Model Number.
-
Success Advice4 weeks agoBeing Flexible Is a Requirement for Success. Here’s Why:
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago3 Ways You Can Create the Right Relationships for Your Business
-
Success Advice1 week agoMy Thoughts On Money After Being Both Rich And Poor
-
Life3 days agoSocial Media Is Killing Your Success: 3 Ways You Can Use it to Your Advantage
-
Entrepreneurs5 days agoHow to Build an Unstoppable Mindset According to These 5 Popular Entrepreneurs
-
Entrepreneurs3 weeks ago4 Big Mistakes Business Owners Make During Growth & Expansion
-
Life2 weeks ago8 Simple Methods to Boost Your Willpower and Self Control
-
Life2 weeks agoSelf Love – 5 Simple Ways to Love Yourself More
Motivation
5 Important Facts You Need to Know About Motivation
Whether you are trying to lead a team of employees, teach a child, or even get through your own workday, staying motivated is key. Nonetheless, this isn’t always as easy as waking up and deciding to be motivated. (more…)
-
Great analysis of Mr. Procrastination Chris – especially Rule #2! This guy often gets such a bad rap that we miss the point. Your statement “Mr. Procrastination isn’t evil” is important. In fact as you point out he’s a great diagnostic tool for the areas where our insecurities and fears lie. When we look him in the eye and say “I see you” his power to limit and disrupt is greatly diminished 🙂
-
Thanks for these powerful tips, they are very true! Another way to put it, is to look at the “Opportunity Cost” of doing or not doing. Bravo!
-
First – Thanks for the tips that you have mention, really helpful!
How I Motivate Myself? – Just think “Why you have started working on”Cheers! Nice!
-
HI Esther
Thats a great frame – often with clients I ask a similar question and get the client to write a list of what it will cost if they do not take action. This technique increases motivation
Chris
-
HI Esther
Thats a great frame – often with clients I ask a similar question and get the client to write a list of what it will cost if they do not take action. This allows them of really focus on the outcome of not taking action creating high levels of motivation
Chris
-
Hi Chris,
I love how you shift the general focus by suggesting “ focusing on the pleasure of completing task and the pain of not taking action “ It is really powerful.
Another way to put it could be “What does it cost me if I do not do it?”
Thank you,
Esther
-
-
Great tips for motivation! Your entertaining approach with superheroes really kept my attention. Nice work!
Whether you are trying to lead a team of employees, teach a child, or even get through your own workday, staying motivated is key. Nonetheless, this isn’t always as easy as waking up and deciding to be motivated.
There’s a lot to know about motivation and what it can offer you – whether you are trying to motivate yourself or others, thus below are 5 points that are the most important to know:
1. Goals are Crucial
This one might sound like a cliche but you should make sure to set smaller goals on the way to the bigger one. A large project can be intimidating to work on – whether this is a job at work, weight loss goals, or anything else. The best way to keep motivation high is to take these jobs one bite at a time.
Rather than looking at a massive job, break it down into smaller goals or milestones. Focusing on completing these will be much less stressful than looking at an entire project all at once.
2. Give a Reason Why
If someone is working without purpose rather than working toward something, they are bound to lose motivation. After all, why shouldn’t they? On the other hand though, a purpose will make any task easier to accomplish. Think about being given a boring task; it would be easier to suffer through this if it was part of a bigger, more interesting project instead of just a meaningless task.
“When you feel like quitting think about why you started.”
3. Positive Reinforcement is Better Than Fear
It can sometimes seem that threatening to fail a difficult student or fire a lazy employee can be the best way to get them to work. However, while this may work for a bit, these employees and students fall back into old habits quickly.
What is more lasting, though, is positive reinforcement and incentives. Instead of threatening to fire an employee, it may work better if you promise employees the chance to grow. The concept of reward vs. punishment has been studied many times and the general consensus is that someone is far more likely to be motivated to correct and improve their behavior when they are promised a reward for improvement instead of a punishment for stagnancy.
4. Motivated People are More Engaged
This fact just makes sense; if you are motivated about what you are doing, you are going to be more engaged. If you aren’t motivated, you won’t be nearly as engrossed in your work and won’t pay as close of an eye to it. There are two main ways this is crucial. For repetitive work or tasks, this means that you will be more attentive to detail, making you more detail-oriented and thoughtful of the task at hand.
In addition though, this makes more motivated people safer as well. If you are working in dangerous conditions, those people who are paying more attention to their jobs are bound to be safer on the job than those who aren’t. For example, imagine a doctor not being interested in or paying attention to his job; the results could very easily turn catastrophic.
“Throw yourself into some work you believe in with all you heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.” – Dale Carnegie
5. Creative Tasks are Easier to Get Motivated For
No matter how motivated you are naturally, if you are doing a simple, mind-numbing task constantly, you are bound to lose that motivation eventually. However, this can be combated with the use of more creative tasks.
Obviously, you aren’t always going to have a creative task available. There will also be a need to fill out a spreadsheet or do a mundane, repetitive task. When you can though, it is much easier to get excited and motivated about a task that gives you room to think.
This is a technique that can be used in any setting, not just the workplace. Take a classroom full of children for example. If a teacher announces that the class is going to do a worksheet, you won’t hear any excitement. On the other hand, if a teacher tells a class that they are to do an experiment, you are likely to see more children get excited.
While adults may not jump up and down in their seats like an elementary school student would, creative tasks still help to keep them engaged in what they are doing and make them feel like their ideas matter just as much as their labor.
How do you maintain your motivation from day to day? Let us know in the comments below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
Yes, we do feel motivated by reading quotes and watching movies like The Pursuit of Happiness and Soul Surfer. The protagonist makes you feel you are the hero as psychology would call this Experience-taking. However, sometimes these things are not enough to drive you to accomplish your goals and dreams.
Our mind and body wants peace, yet a lack of inspiration shouldn’t slow us down. We wait to be inspired and get no work done because of it.
Is inspiration important to make us successful in our lives? Yes, because it acts as a trigger for the shotgun as it initiates the very vital ‘Beginning Process’ of which we are frightened to jump upon.
What exactly should you do when you lack the inspiration? Read the 5 points below:
1. Meditation Matters
You don’t need to do deep meditation wherein you train your mind to attain the desired state of consciousness. Meditation involves analyzing all kinds of emotions like anger, hatred, compassion, and love. According to many psychological studies, it is revealed meditation drastically minimizes anxiety and stabilizes cognitive ability.
It not only allows you to become inspired but keeps your body physically fit. Today, people are suffering from mental illness like depression. Even when someone is stressed, it is hard to get inspired. If you are a beginner in meditation, you can still experience results. It eradicates all the hindrances that come in the way by calming us down. It is no revelation you perform better when you are relaxed and mindful.
If you are new to meditation check out the iOS app Calm and Android app Headspace. Using proven meditation and mindfulness techniques, these mobile applications train your mind for a healthier, and happier life.
“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.” – Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati
2. Pausing Social Media
From your smartphone to your computer, shut everything off and give yourself a needed and short break. Remember, there were no mobile devices 100 years ago so people had to find different ways of entertainment. Perhaps, talk to an old friend or ask the cute girl out in your class.
The psychology today surveyed 100 individuals of which 50 were given all the digital facilities and 50 were provided only the required devices. After the experiment, it was proved that the later group did 85% more effective work than the former. Digital Media is becoming crowded and constrained, so do not forget to stop and pause from time to time.
3. Take a Chill-pill
In our current culture, people seem to be rushing and hustling to get things done, andthey don’t take the time to give their body and brain much-needed rest. According to Phyllis Korkki, a writer for the NY Times, “Employees generally need to detach from their workspace to recharge their internal resources that provide cognitive recharging.”
According to Beth W. Orenstein of Everyday Fitness, “It is easy to get frustrated when we feel uninspired. When these moments come, it is often a good idea to take a break for a few days. Sometimes your mind just needs a break from all the noise and hustle.” We must realize if we don’t rest, our bodies and minds will have no time to recharge, and our inspiration levels will lower down.
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.” – Jim Goodwin
4. Miracles of Music
This is a head and heart combo, because scientifically, when you listen to your favorite music the soothing effect connects your brain and conscience emphatically. Maybe all you need is a soft jazz (it’s okay if your genre is a heavy metal) to get you out of your creative funk. Music does have a large influence on your emotions. Maybe you’re having a bad day and it is affecting your working ability. Listening to your favorite song might lift your mood and thus allow you to be more productive, innovative and creative in what you will do.
5. Shout out loud
Scientists bring this factor out frequently because people today don’t share their stuff. Their mind becomes a locker room where junk is stored, yet this garbage has to be removed. This negativity can and strain can be abolished when you shout loudly (at a place far which is calm and quiet).
Next time you feel uninspired, try attempting any of the above and you will be surprised how effective it works, because as psychologists say, “Human Beings came with a manual. All you need to know is how to read it.”
What are some ways you find inspiration? Let us know by commenting below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
We all start somewhere. We may not know what our dream is to begin with.
This was certainly the case for me back in 2011. I’d hit rock bottom and everything in my life had gone wrong. There was no meaning in anything I was doing and I didn’t know why I existed. I had no dream and zero goals other than to survive the day.
My anxiety and stress levels were so high at that point in my life that just getting to go to bed at night was good enough.
So how do we begin anything?
I believe the way we begin is often by accident. We don’t always know when an idea is going to hit us or our life is going to change. For me, I certainly had no clue. My life up until that fateful day was spent chasing money and things that I thought mattered.
These were not things that mattered to me; they were things that mattered to society. Getting to where I was on that day was a complete accident. I always thought I was going to be this big time businessman importing stuff from China.
I thought that because I was born in the lucky country of Australia that I was entitled to success. This fateful day would soon teach me how wrong I was.
“Being wrong is often where it starts. Being wrong is where the accident of your success journey can begin”
There is one common trigger
That trigger is a low point where you decide that enough is enough. It often all begins when your pain levels reach and extreme point. It feels like your life is going to implode and that if you died tomorrow, it wouldn’t even matter.
My low point in 2011 became the defining moment where everything changed. I was not purposeful about my new path, but I had definitely had enough. Many of us get this same trigger. What I’ve found is that too many of us don’t use it. These low points are a gift and when you come face to face with one, you need to make the most of it.
These low points are the motivation and change in mindset that you need. I took my sign that my life needed to change and became obsessed.
What does the start of the journey look like?
It doesn’t look all that flash to begin with. The start of a journey towards success never does look amazing.
Mine was so simple it almost seems make-believe. I want to describe it for you in extreme detail so you can see just how simple it was.
On that fateful day where everything collapsed, I made a very small decision. It’s probably the smallest change in my life I have ever made. This decision changed everything.
“All I did was decide to walk around the neighborhood block, where I lived, once per day”
The duration was so short that it was impossible not to do. At this stage in my life, I was not conscious of anything and knew nothing about success or psychology.
I did this walk for a few days and then my mind told me that I wasn’t maximising the time. See, I am one of those crazy people who always has to be hyper productive. In this case, my hyper-productive mind was the greatest gift I had been given.
The next part is still a bit blurry. Having had no clue what to do other than doing my daily walk, I did what all millennials do: I asked Google for answers. I’m not sure what the series of search terms was that led me to Tony Robbins, nor do I care.
Once I found a Tony Robbins video on Youtube, I became hooked. All the answers I was seeking became instantly available to me. At this point, I turned into a total freak.
I got my iPod, downloaded a whole bunch of Tony Robbins audiotapes, and went for a walk every single day. Many of these walks became longer than one hour. I walked as fast as I could and I had a look of determination on my face that made me look like I had been possessed by the devil.
So the turning point was really these walks, combined with listening to audiotapes.
What does all of this mean for you?
That’s a damn good question cowboy. What it means for you is that you may be over thinking your next move. Your next move needs to be a decision. I recommend making lots of small decisions and trying many new things.
The thing that will take you on the next journey that could lead to your life’s purpose and / or dream is probably way simpler than you think. As humans, we over think success and we look for gianormous triggers or external factors before we’re willing to make a decision.
I believe it’s the small decisions that help you begin. It’s the little things you’re dismissing like taking a walk around the neighborhood block that could potentially change your circumstances.
Finding that trigger or habit is not enough
Even if you discover something like walking, which has a major effect on you, it’s not enough. You still need to get off your ass and make a decision. What is that decision you ask?
That decision is to no longer to accept your current results. It’s a decision to cut off from everything else and become intensely focused on one pursuit. If all you do is find a new habit that keeps you in the same rut you’ve been in, you’ll never start your own journey.
I used to be so lazy, indecisive and lack discipline. These were the traits that were holding me back. On many of these walks I went on, I decided that I’d no longer settle for these loser behaviors.
See yourself for what you can become, not who you currently are
“When you begin a new road towards success, you have to think of yourself differently. You absolutely must see yourself as who you can become and not who you currently are”
During my transformation, I focused on all the potential that I had and what I would look like in the future. I thought about standing on stages in front of thousands of people and doing something that filled me with joy and passion. I saw videos of thought leaders like Eric Thomas and told myself that I could live my life at the same level.
To this day, those thoughts have never left me and I never will let them go. Until you’ve been all the way to the lowest of lows, you’ll never know what it’s like to dream big.
You have so much more within you. Yes, people will laugh at you and think you’re dumb. The only reason they think like that is because they are pissed off at their own failures and misfortunes.
Going to Mars
Let me give you an example of people not believing. I’m coaching this young kid right now and he had the idea to take his product to Mars. When he told me that, he thought I’d laugh like everyone else. What he didn’t expect was for me to encourage him.
I told him that if he truly believed that his product could be on Mars, that he should shout it from the rooftop. I told him that he should look people in the eye and tell them he was going to Mars with his product!
If he focuses on who he is right now – a young kid with no money, no work experience and no product – he would never get started.
If he believed all the critics who have never achieved any such goal as going to Mars, he’d never begin.
The way to begin is not just to make a decision, but be bold and believe in yourself. You must believe before anyone will believe in what you’re starting.
If that means you are going to take your product to Mars then so be it.
***Final words***
Don’t let any outside force stop you from beginning any longer. You’ve wasted enough time as it is and life is too short to waste any more time. Go out there and begin. The start is always the hardest part, but it’s also the most rewarding.
Remember what I said before: the beginning will be made up of a few very small decisions and actions. Don’t look for that massive defining moment because chances are it will never come.
Get started right now and believe you were born to do something incredible. We’re all capable of greatness once we find a way to begin. Beginning the journey is where it all starts. No one knows what the end will look like and that’s half the fun.
Time to take the first step.
If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net
Today was one of the best days of my life.
The last month, in fact, has been a dream. I’ve had to pinch myself to make sure I am not fantasizing about what I am experiencing.
The last year has been full of very hard work, lots of tears, a rollercoaster of emotions, forgiveness and gratitude.
I’ve recently got the career opportunities I’ve wanted, I’ve been able to get better at public speaking, my writing has been read more than ever and I have some amazing new friends. I’m not saying this to brag because that is definitely not me; I’m saying it to inspire you to have your own best day.
To have the best day of your life, you must setup your life the way you want it.
Decide on what you want
This fantastic day didn’t happen to me by accident. I earned every minute of it through my efforts. Those emotions I spoke about are what gave me the energy to power towards this phenomenal day.
I decided what I wanted. I painted a rough picture and focused on how I wanted to feel more than anything. Trying to be too exact can often put this goal of an ideal day too far into the future that you never get to touch it with your two beautiful hands.
“You’ll know when you have made the right set of decisions because each day will get closer to being your best day”
You’ll feel a shift in your psychology, your emotions and the presence you give to other people. You’ll start noticing that people compliment you a lot on the positivity you make them feel.
Positivity is infectious and it’s how you get the courage to make the right decisions that will give you the end result which is your best day.
The best day is often the simplest
You don’t need to fly to the moon and back to experience the best day of your life. What’s crazy is that your best day is simplistic. Your best day is unique to you and no two best days are alike.
My best day was dumb as hell. I spent time with a magnificent person, ate healthy food, enjoyed the sunshine and realized that I’ve become a champion in my own eyes (in my humble opinion).
Breaking the groove is the key
Days will flow into years without you realizing unless you stop your mind in its tracks.
Breaking the groove of your boredom and habits that don’t serve you, will allow you to get closer to your best day. During your best day, you’re present and fully aware of everything that’s going on.
Your best day is not about being productive; it’s about living in the moment and being happy and grateful for everything your best day has brought you.
“Until you get out of your messed up routine that has put you into a landslide of nothingness, you’ll continually miss every opportunity to have your best day and then repeat it for the future”
Routine is not all it’s cracked up to be. Routine has got you to where you are. It may be time to break it into little, tiny pieces.
Every day can be extraordinary
I’m not at this level yet but I know people who are. What if the circumstances of your day didn’t get in the way of it being mind-blowing? What if all you had to do was develop enough of a positive mindset to see mostly good things happening?
Being inspired, like how I’ve just described, is possible. Anything is possible when you believe it is. Each day can be your best day once you get on a roll. Before you can do that, you need to know what your best day feels like. Once you get a taste of it, you should have the drug that will get you addicted.
The people who I’ve seen have the best day, every day, have four main traits:
– They practice nonreactivity
– They find happiness in the littlest things
– They write down three things they’re grateful for every 24 hours
– Their default facial expression is a smile
Try and outdo yourself
Okay, so I have had one of my best days. Do I stop here and say “Yay I won?” Hell no brothers and sisters. The goal is to make your life into something that feels like that best day, every day. Writing down your best day is crucial because you’ll be surprised how easily you forget the contents and feelings of that day.
When you reminisce on that day, try only to do one thing: remember how you felt. For me, today, I felt confident, relaxed, inspired, happy and loved all at once. It’s the best feeling in the world and almost impossible to describe fully in words.
The whole challenge of describing my best day is how I know that I’ve hit a peak in my life.
At the top of the mountain, you feel like nothing can take you down. From this position, you feel like you can help so many people to live an inspired life.
Emotion starts to drive you and you concentrate on the way you make people feel rather than trying to be cool or sound smart / funny. The world, after your best day, will never be the same again.
You’ll have a permanent high to reflect on.
You’ll know what it’s like to have truly lived.
What’s important will finally become clear to you.
You’ll have ridiculous clarity on where you are going to spend your time.
It’s your turn
You’ve heard about my best day, now I want you to have yours. I want you to hit a new record in the story of your life. Having the best day of your life is possible for all of us. It’s not a far away land that we can never reach. It’s not a land that can only be reached on a golden chariot.
Today I’ve had my best day. Today I want you to have your best day. Your best day is where you show everybody the best of you. It’s where you show us all what you’ve been up to behind closed doors.
Your best day is where you get to celebrate, knowing that you’ve become someone you can be proud of. It’s your turn to have the best day of your life.
If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net
-
Success Advice4 weeks ago
Being Flexible Is a Requirement for Success. Here’s Why:
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago
3 Ways You Can Create the Right Relationships for Your Business
-
Success Advice1 week ago
My Thoughts On Money After Being Both Rich And Poor
-
Life3 days ago
Social Media Is Killing Your Success: 3 Ways You Can Use it to Your Advantage
-
Entrepreneurs5 days ago
How to Build an Unstoppable Mindset According to These 5 Popular Entrepreneurs
-
Entrepreneurs3 weeks ago
4 Big Mistakes Business Owners Make During Growth & Expansion
-
Life2 weeks ago
8 Simple Methods to Boost Your Willpower and Self Control
-
Life2 weeks ago
Self Love – 5 Simple Ways to Love Yourself More
Pamina Mullins
Aug 4, 2015 at 9:22 am
Great analysis of Mr. Procrastination Chris – especially Rule #2! This guy often gets such a bad rap that we miss the point. Your statement “Mr. Procrastination isn’t evil” is important. In fact as you point out he’s a great diagnostic tool for the areas where our insecurities and fears lie. When we look him in the eye and say “I see you” his power to limit and disrupt is greatly diminished 🙂
Joseph Harris
Aug 1, 2015 at 8:05 pm
Thanks for these powerful tips, they are very true! Another way to put it, is to look at the “Opportunity Cost” of doing or not doing. Bravo!
Jagdish Kashyap
Jul 30, 2015 at 10:06 pm
First – Thanks for the tips that you have mention, really helpful!
How I Motivate Myself? – Just think “Why you have started working on”
Cheers! Nice!
Chris Delaney
Jul 27, 2015 at 8:31 pm
HI Esther
Thats a great frame – often with clients I ask a similar question and get the client to write a list of what it will cost if they do not take action. This technique increases motivation
Chris
Chris Delaney
Jul 27, 2015 at 8:30 pm
HI Esther
Thats a great frame – often with clients I ask a similar question and get the client to write a list of what it will cost if they do not take action. This allows them of really focus on the outcome of not taking action creating high levels of motivation
Chris
Esther Mellar
Jul 26, 2015 at 1:53 pm
Hi Chris,
I love how you shift the general focus by suggesting “ focusing on the pleasure of completing task and the pain of not taking action “ It is really powerful.
Another way to put it could be “What does it cost me if I do not do it?”
Thank you,
Esther
Chris Delaney
Jul 23, 2015 at 12:00 pm
Hi Wanda
Thanks for the feedback really appreciated
Chris
Wanda
Jul 22, 2015 at 1:22 pm
Great tips for motivation! Your entertaining approach with superheroes really kept my attention. Nice work!