When we want to accomplish something important, we need to find an effective way to get motivated. Very often motivation is the defining difference between success and wishful thinking.

Granted, nobody likes to be under too much pressure. But a manageable level of pressure can provide the motivation we need to accomplish incredible things.

Used correctly a timetable will provide that extra motivational horsepower that leads to success.

Never, never, never, never give up. ~Winston Churchill

The energy multiplier

Having a precise time to begin taking focused action is one of the most important elements of a well thought out goal strategy.  It’s what I like to call a multiplier because it allows you to harness a huge amount of energy and to multiply the effectiveness of all your efforts.

Once you have a clearly defined goal, a well thought out plan of action and a precise time and date to launch into action, amazing things begin to happen.  Your world begins to rearrange itself in a very focused way. As a result, energy in the form of motivation begins to be generated at ever-increasing levels as that starting date approaches.

Something to keep you focused

You don’t have to be great to get started, but
you have to get started to be great. ~Les Brown

Having a precise time to start will help you get focused in the right direction. Equally as powerful is establishing a set length of time to accomplish your goals. Having a point of completion is like having a finish line in front of you.  It provides massive motivation because it gives you something specific to aim for.  The closer you get to the finish line the greater your focus and determination become.  Focus and determination generate energy and create continued motivation.

People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither
does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. ~Zig Ziglar

The finish line represents success.  It is the point of transition from reaching for your goal, to actually reaching your goal.  Completion is where effort becomes accomplished.  It’s the point where you accept success into your life and acknowledge a job well done.  Reaching the finish line is a legitimate reason to celebrate and to feel really good about yourself. It’s also a perfect opportunity to give yourself some approval.

Create a personal countdown challenge

You can use a timeline to create a personal countdown challenge. This strategy will help motivate you to accomplish a specific goal within a given time frame. As the time remaining to complete your goal grows shorter, your focus and determination will increase.

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached,
don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. ~Confucius

Start by setting a goal that you want to accomplish within a certain time frame. Write your goal down along with the date for completion. Next, make your intention known to the world. Making it public creates accountability, which is also a powerful motivator. I use this strategy regularly to generate motivation and it really works well, so go ahead, challenge yourself and see how amazing you really are!

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible. ~Walt Disney

How do you get motivated to accomplish your important goals?
How do you stay motivated during the process?
The lines are open!

If you enjoyed this article, consider email or RSS updates!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” -Lao-tzu

Editor’s Note: his is a guest post by
Kristi Hines, the creator of Kikolani

Sometimes it is easier to set goals than to actually do something to work towards them.  Large projects can seem overwhelming, and if you feel like you are always busy with the day to day things, it can feel like you will never have the time to do something grander.

Childhood Wisdom

There is a song that I remember from elementary school that went something like this.

“Little by little, inch by inch
By the yard it’s hard, by the inch, what a cinch.
Never stare up the stairs, just step up the steps
Little by little, inch by inch.”

It was always just a cute little rhyme we sang during class, but looking back, what a great piece of advice.  Instead of letting yourself become consumed into thinking about how to get everything done in the entire scope of the project, just take it one step at a time.

Why This Works

Whenever you actually get started doing something, it tends to feel less daunting.  You might even find that it will be easier than you thought it would be during the planning phase.  Plus, once you begin to see any amount of progress, you will become more motivated to push into the project further and continue to get more things accomplished.

Breaking Your Big Idea Into Smaller Portions

So how do you break things down into simpler to tackle parts?  Here are just a few examples…

Imagine that your goal is to write a book.  Instead of thinking about the daunting task of what may feel like never-ending writing, why not just sit down and write a short summary of your story, a first paragraph, a list of characters, or a description of the main character?

Imagine that your goal is to start a blog.  Instead of thinking about setting the platform up, choosing the theme, writing the content, and marketing, why not just purchase the domain name and hosting?

Imagine that your goal is to do some spring cleaning?  Instead of thinking about how long it is going to take to go through all five rooms in your house, why not just look into one room, pick one closet, and throw some items you no longer want in a bag to be donated?

Imagine that your goal is to start exercising.  Instead of thinking about how tough it will be to commit waking up an hour earlier and starting a regular routine, why not just take five minutes and go out for a walk?

How Do You Tackle Your Projects?

Do you find it difficult to begin large projects?  Have you ever tried just starting with something simple to motivate yourself to get a project going?

Want to know more about Kristi? be sure to visit her at Kikolani for all the latest tips and pointers on blogging and social media. Her popular series Fetching Friday is something I look forward to every week.

If you enjoyed this article, consider email or RSS updates!

Do not fear failure, failure is just a learning experience. There is really no such thing as failure; there are only results. It is on record that the inventor Edison, on being told that his fiftieth experiment to produce an electric light bulb had failed said, “No we didn’t fail, we just found another way of not doing it”.

You have the power to hurt or benefit yourself. If you do not choose to be motivated, no one can really motivate you. However if you do choose to be motivated, then you don’t need anyone else’s help. Mind is the creator of everything. You simply need to guide it.

Get motivated and release the fear simultaneously

If you cling to a motivating thought without fear and with enough dynamic power, it will form a tangible form. Whenever you choose to employ your imagination for constructive purposes you become the controller of your destiny. The mind is like an elastic band. The more you pull, the more it stretches.

If you find being motivated over a particular idea overwhelming, then the best first step is to break it down into smaller sizes. You may remember the old joke about “how do you eat an elephant?” The answer is “one bite at a time”. Begin by seeing the task in its finished state and then notice only the smaller steps that are needed to complete the task.

Accept responsibility for everything including the fear

Successful people believe that everything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves us. All successful people focus on what is possible in a situation, what positive results can come from it. They believe that every adversity contains the seed of a greater benefit.

Whatever occurs in your life it is vital that you take responsibility. Achievers believe that no matter what happens, they created it. Taking responsibility is a measure of a person’s maturity and power. If you don’t believe in failure then you have nothing to lose. If you are in control, you will succeed. Most successful people don’t believe they have to know everything. They don’t get bogged down with worrying about small details. Entrepreneurs have a working knowledge about a lot of things but little knowledge of each and every minor detail.

Get motivated by making a commitment

Mark Twain, the great American philosopher said, “the secret of motivation is in making your vocation your vacation”. In other words, work should be play. You enrich your life by bringing the same motivation used when at play, to your work.

There certainly is no success without commitment. If you look at motivated people they are always the ones with the most commitment. They follow their main aim without fear. If there is something you always wanted to do, then do it. Remember, the truest five words are ‘whatever you think, you create’ and you can create whatever you want.

Source: Excerpt from Michael Cambry’s book ‘Solutions with Pearls of Wisdom’

Michael Cambray is a retired naturopath and has accumulated specialised knowledge of many alternative health subjects over the past thirty years. Michael has diplomas in many alternative subjects and has published 13 books on various topics plus a popular Australian monthly newsletter.