Different things motivate people. Some are driven by internal or intrinsic motivation. Others need extrinsic motivation, or outside forces, to help them stay on track. One easy way to help you achieve your goals is to make a contract with yourself and work hard to stick to it. Sign it, date it and keep track of it.
The first step in making a contract with your self to stay motivated is to make an outline. When you make an outline in your contract, you will list long-term goals, short-term goals, payoffs and benefits, rewards and a detailed action plan. By having everything you need to know about achieving your goals, you will stay motivated. Before making this outline, take some time and think about what exactly you want to accomplish. Maybe you want to reorganize your home, or maybe you want to try out a new fitness plan. Perhaps you want to go back to school and finish a degree. Whatever it is, you will need to do some research and understand each step you will need to accomplish.
When you list your long-term goals, you will make a list of the things you want to achieve within one to three years. Try to be very specific so you will know exactly what you are working towards. If you want to lose thirty pounds, your long-term goals will be to lose the weight through diet and exercise. Your long-term goals will be your final end result that you are working towards. This works for almost any goal and will help you in staying focused and motivated to reach your goals.
Short-term goals will be things that you want to accomplish within weeks or months. If you are working on going back to school, your short-term goals may be to request school applications and catalogs or to talk to a financial aid office about your payment options. Your short-term goals should be specific and should be something that you can accomplish in a short amount of time. Short-term goals are also important because once you finish one goal; you will feel motivated by knowing you are one step closer in reaching that long-term goal.
Your next step in making a contract with yourself is to list payoffs and benefits of your goals and achievements. While losing weight is a benefit, you will want to list the reason why you want to lose weight. Maybe the payoff is fitting into a certain size jeans again or looking great for an upcoming reunion. Maybe it is because you want to better your health by losing weight. Again, you should be specific when you set these benefits in your contract because it will help you stay motivated.
Now you can think about rewards. Rewards are important when you are setting goals for yourself. When you think about rewards, think about the fun things that you will accomplish by reaching your goals. Lose that weight and buy a new dress. Reorganize you house and get a new couch. Whatever you think it the best part about reaching your goals, use that as a reward to help stay motivated.
The last part in setting a contract with your self is to have a specific action plan. An action plan will tell you what steps you need to take to reach your final goal. It is here that you will list what you need to change, do, or accomplish in a day, a week, a month or a year. This action plan will help keep you motivated to reach your end goal. List your action plan and keep it in mind everyday you are working towards your goal.
When you take the time to make an official contract with yourself, you will stay motivated and ready to reach your goals. It will be easier when you can see your long and short-term goals in writing and know what rewards and benefits are waiting for you along the way. Your action plan will help you stay on track when you are working hard to accomplish your goals and dreams.
Knowing the difference & keeping a reasonable expectation of the time it takes to achieve short term & long term goals is a big part of success. However, so few self-help gurus actually discuss that!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with this. Every time I try to set goals just in my head, (ok, Im gonna work out every other day at 4pm) I can always push it aside or forget it. A framed contract by my door would really help.
ReplyDeleteGood info
ReplyDeleteYup, definitely a good idea. I always set a goal that is obtainable and tell myself not to stop until I reach it.
ReplyDeleteJust talkng to my friend about short term goals last night. The best is to focus on the acheivable.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Are these insights from a book, or from your own personal perspective?
ReplyDeleteGreat advice as per usual. :)
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, Papa!
ReplyDeletei need lawyers to make myself a contract
ReplyDeletemaking a contract with yourself is the key !
ReplyDeleteThis actually helps me in the life.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this one! Thanks for the text.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Thank you for this blog, truly thank you. I needed this blog to motivate myself to study a bit harder! I can't wait to read your future posts!
ReplyDeleteIt's really hard to stay motivated if something fails.
ReplyDeleteThese days are a real pain. Too much change in too little time.
Very Insightful information, thank you good sir. Very useful in the real world :)
ReplyDeleteA very good article.Seems long but when you start reading, it becomes shorter!
ReplyDeletereally insightful. but the problem is i make contracts with myself all the time and never sign them
ReplyDeleteMotivation is everything to get something accomplished!
ReplyDeleteawesome tips! i'll take some of these to heart
ReplyDeletegonna try your advices, thanks.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people have been talking to me about motivation recently. The results are certain things should be enough motivation, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteMotivation is the key to success in anything. It drives someone who normally wouldnt be able to do something to do it better than a talented, unmotivated person
ReplyDeletenaprawde świetny artykuł!
ReplyDeletereally great article!
ReplyDeleteI wanna learn a Tai Chi form from a book by summer's end. That's one of my goals I'm working on at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThanks for those helpful and motivating tips
ReplyDeleteMan this is really helpful, i'm in some hard stuff these days and indeed, I need a contract with myself. I really appreciate the info, take care!
ReplyDeletegreat pos Pappa
ReplyDeletethis is definitely true with any goal, it will help with my weight loss, definitely subscribing
ReplyDeleteThis is really good advice. I've never tried this before but it certainly is worth the try. Might actually even get some work done!
ReplyDeleteMotivation is something that greatly effects everyone's lives. I for one know that if I myself was more motivated, I could of achieved much more by now. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't even motivated to read this text :D
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, will try and follow them!
ReplyDeleteYou can visit my blog here.
So inspiring, great read :)
ReplyDeleteNice read again, you super self-aware bastard.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletenice read
you should become a preacher ;)
ReplyDeleteSo true about the action plan. If you don't have one, your chances of succeeding are much lower.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, has made me think differently about my personal goals. ... I just don't like the idea of making a contract with myself, i hope i don't end up taking myself to court. (joke) great thanks again.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, I love posts like this.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I really like the way you break motivation down into manageable ideas.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! Very interesting(:
ReplyDeleteVery nice read, you certainly have a way with words.
ReplyDeleteYes, motivation and commitment get things done. It's kind of hard to do either when the other is missing though.
ReplyDeleteDamn, thats quite interesting..
ReplyDeleteGonna follow you for future articles like this.. :)
nice tips, appreciated
ReplyDeleteIt is true motivation!
ReplyDeleteGood read, yeah I lack in the motivation department. I think my main problem is that I want instant gratification.
ReplyDeleteGotta stay positive!
ReplyDeleteNice, its really food for your thoughts..
ReplyDeleteCant wait for your next post.. :)
Wise words. Thats what made me the man i am today. And i'm proud of myself.
ReplyDeletelove the blog mmmm
ReplyDeleteGood tip, who would cheat on himself?
ReplyDeleteThat's deep... lol
ReplyDeletewow! real interesting!
ReplyDeleteI believe in this method, and I'm also doing it!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, followed!
ReplyDeleteThis will never work. I get angry and past and future me.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post. Thanks for the advice!
ReplyDeleteThis really does help. Just writing it down helps make it "real."
ReplyDeleteGood, sound advice dood
ReplyDeleteGood idea, I might be more motivated with this.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. Thanks for being for inspiring. :)
ReplyDeleteMental strengh is your key to all
ReplyDeleteI've actually been doing this for a couple months already ^-^ I guess great minds think alike.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I agree.
ReplyDeleteThis is really good advice keep it up!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice, I'm going to make a contract with myself. Without goals we just stumble through life. Followed.
ReplyDeletehttp://hairypalmer.blogspot.com/
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great post, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteNice post, but I would recommended changing the font color, because the words aren't visible.
ReplyDelete