by Todd Goldfarb
Here are 31 of the most powerful motivation hacks you can use to increase productivity and attain greater fulfillment in life. I have picked some of the most useful tips from quality blogs and classic texts (so some may sound familiar) and added a few We The Change nuggets. Enjoy!
31. Make it FUN
You will never be motivated to do something that makes you feel sad, scared, depressed or bored. So find a way to make the project exciting. If you can not, consider a way to achieve the top-line objective in a different manner, one that does not entail such drudgery!
30. Make a habit of visualization
One of the most powerful motivation tools which most people simply do not employ. Set aside 5 minutes each day and practice seeing yourself achieve your loftiest goals. This will be hard at first, but will eventually the mind will de-clutter and lead you down a much clearer path.
29. Get a buddy with similar goals
Can you do it alone? Absolutely! But, goals are easier to accomplish when you work in tandem with a partner who has synergistic objectives. And they are out there; all you have to do is look and ask!
28. Cultivate patience
No matter how motivated you are, things do not always happen immediately or when you want them. Therefore it is absolutely imperative to develop great patience, and allow your goals to manifest naturally.
27. Get a life coach or business mentor
Life coaching and business counseling is taking off, and for good reason! These individuals are trained to listen and help you take productive action. From my experience, attaining a good life coach is motivation in its purest form.
26. Create smaller, manageable tasks
It is so easy to get lost in a sea of inactivity when we are constantly thinking about the big, massive goals we set for ourselves. It is certainly OK to create long-term goals, but make sure you constantly bring your attention to the smaller, actionable tasks that move you forward.
25. Get into nature, frequently
Spend 10 minutes looking up at the stars on a very clear night. OR, take a ½ hour and lie by the beach listening to the waves roll in. OR, go for a walk in the woods. When doing this, be there fully and soak in the natural beauty that is all around you. Is there anything more motivating than this?
24. Take a class
People lose motivation because they are bored. Taking a class in something that interests you is a wonderful way to “un-bore” yourself.
23. Be conscious of your urges to STOP, expect them
No matter how motivated you are, there will be moments when you will lose it. That’s OK—in fact, the most productive people expect these down cycles and learn from them. When this happens to you, be patient and figure out what activity can snap you out of it.
22. Ask for the honest advice of people you respect!
Another nugget of wisdom that most people forget about—TAKE ADVICE, especially from people that you respect. You will come away with a different perspective of your mission, and feel freshly motivated!
21. When you take time off, do not even think about it
You need to take breaks in order to manifest fresh ideas. When resting, REALLY rest and train your brain not to think about your larger ambitions. This will also be hard to do at first, but can benefit you greatly in the long-term.
20. Make a big public commitment. Be fully committed
I got this one from my friend Leo at Zen Habits, and I love it! He says “this will do the trick every time. Create a blog and announce to the world that you are going to achieve a certain goal by a certain date. Commit yourself to the hilt”. Thanks Leo, you have certainly motivated me
19. Repeat positive affirmations
Create 2 or 3 sentences that state your objectives and repeat them out loud sometime during the day (preferably in the morning). Introducing your intentions to the subconscious mind is a powerful motivation tool. Click here for more on affirmations.
18. Limit your intake of “world” and “local” news
Why? Because for the most part it is totally DE-motivating. AND, you may be surprised to hear this, but you do not need to know everything that’s going on in the world, all the time. Take a break from it.
17. Stretch first thing in the morning
Stretching for 5 minutes upon waking can shift your outlook in an often surprising way (brings your attention inward), so get the blood flowing in the a.m.!
16. Surround yourself with positive quotes
Tape some positive quotations on your computer monitor, put them in your pocket, slap them on your steering wheel etc…This is a simple method for keeping the positive and motivating vibes going.
15. Put yourself in a situation to get “small wins”
Attaining a consistent sense of accomplishment is crucial to staying motivated. Checking things off a to-do list (and knowing you don’t have to go back to it) should make you feel good, and motivate you to be more productive.
When achieving these small wins…reward yourself with something meaningful. It is not really a “win” until you feel good about it, right? This is something most people simply do not do, and they go from one task to the next in a perfunctory fashion with little enjoyment. Treat yourself, you’re worth it!
13. Have a clear, clutter-free work environment
Clutter in your physical space translates to clutter in the mind. Have a clean, fresh space to work in and your thoughts and actions will follow-suit.
12. Do the most important task, or tasks, right away!
Right after a good stretch, take care of two of the most vital tasks you have for the day. This will give you a nice sense of accomplishment and motivate you for the remaining work hours.
11. Pick The Brain of someone who has achieved a similar goal
No matter how outlandish your goals are, chances are someone has achieved something similar. Better yet—chances are this person was less qualified, less intelligent, and in all had less “going” for him/her. Find out how they did it…
10. Keep a journal of your progress
You don’t need to do this every day (you can if you want, but sometimes this gets too time consuming…and it’s not good to journal just because you feel pressured to do so). Alternatively, write whenever you feel like it, and feel proud of your progress.
9. Get stuck in it!
This is another way to say, “just do it”. You’ll often find that whatever you’ve been putting off isn’t as bad as you thought, and doesn’t take that long.
8. Write Your own Eulogy
A very powerful (and not much talked about) exercise for motivation. Although morbidly sounding, this practice can be a transcending experience. For more info, read What Is Your Legacy (and you can see what I want said about me when its all over)!
7. Set AWESOME goals for yourself
I say “awesome” because writing out goals should be a fun and inspiring experience! If goal writing stresses you out, then you should not be doing it (or change your mindset, as it should excite you to envision the life you want to lead). You can see my goals for 2008 here!
6. Try using different types of music to fire you up
Music has the unique ability to generate feelings within us that mere words sometimes can not do. Find music that is right for your mood, and use it smartly! Here are 5 Great Albums to listen to in the morning.
5. Believe that you can do whatever you are planning to do
You don’t have to know HOW you are going to achieve your goals, but you do need to have an unyielding inner belief that you will accomplish them. Just KNOW that you are going to do it, and you will find yourself constantly stimulated.
4. Set a short-term EXERCISE goal, and achieve it!
Tell yourself you will successfully jog 2 miles within the next two weeks without a rest. OR, do ten straight push-ups. OR, complete a full Bikram Yoga class. The point is to set a realistic goal for your body, achieve it, and set the stage for the mind!
3. Be OK not knowing everything
How is this motivating? Because once you realize that you will NOT always know exactly what to do each and every moment, you can relax and allow the best solution surface naturally (which it has a tendency to do in a relaxed state).
2. Watch thoughts like “I can’t do that” or “I can never pull that off”
I say watch them because there really is no getting rid of them, as they exist for every human. But you can become an observer to your negativity, and start realizing that it is a mind-created tool that only limits you. Once you get a different perspective, you can by-pass the negative thoughts and allow pure action to transpire.
1. Every day, commit to doing at least two things proactively
It is critical to be “moving forward” every day. No matter what happens, make sure you are doing at least two daily actions that put you closer to your ultimate goals. Most of us spend 99.9% of our time in reactionary mode, and this is ultra-un-motivating.
There you have it, a pretty complete list. As always, would love to hear your thoughts and comments. Thanks…
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