Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Are You Feeling Unmotivated? Do Need A Breath of Fresh Air?

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 of your goals 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.

90 comments:

  1. Step by step. I think you are basically right when you say that people should not focus on for example "I wanna be a billionaire but I don't know how". The better solution would be "pay my debts" then "get some stocks" and so on.
    But this mantralike, everyday papersheet thing is a good idea. Thx for that buddy

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  2. I always procrastinate. I have about 100 to do lists nicely made up and designed but I can never bit the bullet and just start something..

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  3. I really needed to read this right now :) Thanks

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  4. Every your post is just getting better and better.

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  5. i just did it and guess what? im overall quite happy lol! i think ill go gaming a bit now to reach my gaming goals

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  6. procrastination is my problem

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  7. I think I may just need a breath of fresh air! lol.

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  8. I'm going to bookmark this. While I'm at a high point of motivation, I do get those low points every now and then.

    Thank you.

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  9. Thanks for this post, i will try your advice.

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  10. I used to do this all the time... As a female I like to make lists lol. The problem for me was I had goals and plans to how to achieve them but things change so often and quick in my life and chaotic... That I can never seem to follow through and end up giving up. Now I basically just do whatever for the moment... But I do have plans to start a business or something when things chill out for me.

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  11. This is a really good motivational strategy, I think I'll do this tonight! Thanks =)

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  12. i am still working on that.. but can't get anything on the paper.. cos i always forget to do it :<

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  13. Thanks for the tip, I will try to make it when I'm unmotivated!

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  14. Procrastination is like a disease...

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  15. Very nice post that helped me to get more motivation for the week, Thanks!

    Alu

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  16. You should write a book about your thoughts!
    i would read it.

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  17. This is very good advice, nice post

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  18. This is a really nice way to put your life into perspective and figure out what changes you really need to make. Keep the great posts coming, loving your work.

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  19. This has really helped with planning how i'm going to get motivated for excerise. Thanks!

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  20. great advice! i need to listen to it =)

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  21. I've done this before, really helps put everything into perspective.

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  22. I will definitely take this into consideration.

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  23. I did made a list like this one once but meh. im a care free person.

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  24. Procrastination is my biggest enemy! I like to plan things out, but then when I'm actually executing a plan, I always fall behind!

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  25. Procrastination is my biggest enemy! I like to make good plans, but then when it comes time to do them, I always fall behind.

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  26. good write up. i have had similar problems like this, and i have done the reminder thing and it seems to work better than not. will be trying the other stuff too, thanks!

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  27. great tips! I'll be sure to try this

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  28. I really thought this topic was going to end in 'Now tear up the paper because you'll never accomplish anything here.' Thank you for doing a small part and just enlightening me to get self motivated in times like now in my life.

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  29. Nice post. I was feeling unmotivated so I became a miché.

    It's not a nice thing to do, if I could back in time.

    But here in Brazil the things are tough.

    :) Also, following.

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  30. You're right, one step at a time!

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  31. Thank you, when I am in a lull I could use this!

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  32. great tip getting my hw now

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  33. I'll try to implement this in my every day routine !

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  34. Another great post from Pappa. Good stuff, I'm definitely gonna try this since I have troubles with procrastination myself. :(

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  35. thanks for the advice

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  36. Always have a plan. I've never really tried writing down a list of obstacles before though - probably give it a try.

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  37. the blank sheet tip has been useful to me

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  38. Procratination is by best friend and my worst enemy!

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  39. This just comes in so handy since I lack motivation to prepare my upcoming oral exam :/ Thank you for this awesome post!

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  40. Those are very nice tips, but it's hard to actually do it.

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  41. This reminds me of another exercise, you write the meaning of your life as you see it now, and don't stop until you cry and realize how it is.

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  42. i ve tried it before and it doesnt work for me

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  43. I like to listen to music to counter demotivation. It works!

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  44. Ah, good to get some motivational stuff in the morning!

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  45. For an example, I needed to work, so I moved to a computer without mineraft, that's my obstacle xD

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  46. Thanks for that share, i read it twice, love motivation guides

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  47. Always coming here for my daily dose of motivational guidance. Thanks mate. :)

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  48. i am definitely a procrastinator lol

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  49. Nice usefull tips. I just wrote about another way to help motivation: Self-hypnosis

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  50. good tip will try this, feeling kinda down in the last time

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  51. This is great, a lot of people's ideas never come to fruition just because they lose motivation or they start time-wasting.
    Using something like this can get you back on track very easily.
    Keep it up mate

    Following :)

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  52. I'm normally a pretty motivated person. This will be useful in those times when I am unmotivated, especially the ending procrastination tip. Thanks.

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  53. Good advice. I'd like to learn some tai chi on my own for now. Think I'll come up with a plan of attack.

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  54. very helpful i need to do this!

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  55. i'll get on it...
    even now i'm procrastinating whyyy!!!!

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  56. I actually needed a breath of fresh air, very usefull!

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  57. As always, some very useful tips. Thanks man.

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  58. I'll deal with my procrastination on a later date.

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  59. I'm going to make my list after reading this. Thanks

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  60. once again an inspiring article!

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  61. procrastination sucks so hard...
    thanks for these tips

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  62. Ahh how relevant this is to me at the moment - am meant to be revising for A2 exams as we speak!

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  63. You just motivated me my friend! :)

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  64. This is a really nice way to put your life into perspective and figure out what changes you really need to make. Keep the great posts coming, loving your work. ^_^

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  65. Wow I never thought of it like that o.O

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  66. Very well, you're a great motivational writer- Following!

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  67. Good advice, I'll be sure to try this.

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  68. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RopVIgA7wcs i need fresh air!!

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  69. procrastination is my best ennemy :)
    great blog mate!

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  70. Very positive set of reminders and strategies-- +1

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  71. Lots of interesting thoughts here, definitely going to check out more.

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