“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum.”  -Tony Robbins

Have you ever hesitated to take action and ended up stuck in a rut not knowing what to do? There are some common reasons why this happens.  Sometimes we are waiting for some kind of sign to indicate that it’s okay to move forward. We might be waiting until we feel more confident because we don’t really feel up to the challenge. Or, we could be thinking that if we just wait awhile those obstacles will disappear and our goals will be easier to achieve.

Okay, I admit that in some cases it’s entirely possible that one of these strategies is legitimate, or at least it feels like it is. But how often do we use those reasons as excuses to avoid leaving our comfort zone? Let’s face it, if we are looking to justify procrastination there is no shortage of reasonable sounding excuses. If the ones I’ve mentioned don’t resonate with you check out 7 Common Procrastination Excuses by Sid Savara.

Procrastination is the equivalent of going nowhere!

The longer we wait to take action, the harder it is to get started. Circumstances will never be perfect and waiting until they are is the same as going nowhere. The truth is, it will probably never get any easier to move forward and every moment that we hold back will just make things worse.

“Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.”   -Wayne Gretzky

When we avoid taking action it’s often because we have created resistance in our own mind. We have convinced ourselves that what we want to do is exceedingly difficult. But is that really true or is it just an avoidance technique?

Create momentum, create confidence

Momentum is one of those rare, self-perpetuation phenomenon. That’s what makes it so powerful. The perfect example of momentum is a snowball rolling down a snow covered bank. What happens? It grows and picks up speed along the way, right? How does this apply to achieving our goals and living our dreams?

Instead of getting bogged down by excuses, we need to create some momentum as soon as possible. And really, this is not something that is all that difficult to do. That giant, fast moving snowball started out small and slow. The reason it grew was because it kept moving. We don’t always need to launch into action like a rocket, but we do need to start moving and to keep moving so we can build some momentum.

Taking consistent action toward your goals is the best way to build momentum. That means that taking action will get easier and easier as you go along. Eventually the actions you take will require much less effort.  You’ll begin to enjoy your activities because you’ll feel more empowered and confident and you’ll have momentum on your side.

3 Ways to build momentum

1) Commit to taking the necessary action steps first. That’s what you really need to focus on. One of the things that can prevent us from reaching our goals is making only a very limited commitment to taking the actions that will get us there. Early on, action needs to be our main concern. Obviously, we want to keep our goal in sight, but the majority of our attention should go toward taking consistent and purposeful action. That’s how we build momentum!

2) Break the process down into baby steps. Taking small, consistent steps toward a goal is generally much more effective than large, sporadic actions. Plus, it’s easier to get ourselves to act on smaller tasks. Even tiny actions will eventually begin to build momentum and produce results, as long as we are consistent.  Making it your primary mission to move forward consistently will make it much easier to overcome obstacles because with each step your confidence will grow.

3) Don’t shift your focus toward results too early.  Many a goal has been abandoned because people take an action, wait to see what the results are, and quit when they don’t see the results they expected.  Don’t get so obsessed with results that you allow yourself to get discouraged.  In other words, focus only on keeping the ball rolling, even if you’re not yet seeing the results you want just yet. If you get discouraged and quit, you’re guaranteed not to see results. Focus on building momentum.

Use momentum to overcome procrastination

Taking action leaves procrastination in the dust. If you do something every day that moves you toward your goals, you’ll be too busy to think about making excuses. Dale Carnegie made this point nicely when he said:

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Do you ever struggle with procrastination?
What helps you to keep taking action toward your goals?
The lines are open!

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When you’re feeling unmotivated about your goals or any other endeavor, it can be difficult to keep the bigger picture in mind and remember what you’re working so hard for.  When the initial excitement for your goal or project begins to wear off and you find yourself losing focus and determination, it can be helpful to engage in a comprehensive review – not just of your current goals, but all aspects of your life.

This process may seem like a lot of work at first, but it can serve as a powerful breath of fresh air that clears away stagnation and ushers in renewed clarity and motivation.

Start by using a blank sheet of paper to represent each area of your life, like financial, career, relationships, home, health and fitness, spiritual and so on.  Write a general overview of your status in each area.  Are you satisfied with the things you’ve accomplished in these areas of your life?  Would you like to make further changes?

Then, based on that information, come up with some clear goals that you can set for each area of your life.  They don’t have to be massive goals, just objectives you’d like to begin working toward gradually.

Once you’ve got some goals set, come up with a few simple action steps you can take in each area on a regular basis.  These action steps might include things like reducing your consumption of junk food, exercising for 30 minutes daily, spending more quality time with your family, enrolling in night classes to get your degree, or starting a home business on the side to boost your income.

When you’ve completed this process for each part of your life, write all of those action steps on one sheet of paper, separated into sections.  By the time you’re finished you should have a clear idea of exactly what you want to accomplish in each area of your life.

But you’re not done yet!

Now, take a look at the goals and action steps you’ve written down, and consider any possible obstacles you might face that would threaten your motivation.  What types of problems usually come up that prevent you from doing the things you want to do?  And how can you set up strategies to overcome them in the future?

For example, one obstacle you might face is procrastination brought on by a shortage of time.  Rather than spending a few minutes at a time working on your goals, you tend to put it off until you have more time, which never happens.  One possible strategy you could put in place is a written reminder that you must use the time you do have wisely, because small actions taken consistently will still help you reach your goals!

Once you have these strategies written down, be sure to keep them nearby and re-read them as often as necessary.  If you do find that you’re losing steam again at a later time, simply start this entire process over again and allow it to usher in a welcome dose of clarity, focus and motivation.

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