Baskadia

MOTIVATE YOURSELF LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

Do you find yourself having a worthwhile goal, work on it for a while, and then see no change? Do you try again and still see no real results? Have you contemplated giving up or simply settling? If you're heading in that direction, there may be some hope for you.

You don't have to lose your motivation and abandon your goals even though you think you've failed, because you actually didn't fail yet. Failure comes when you decide not to do anything about that goal. Failure is not being stuck in your current situation, but giving up any attempt to make visible progress to hold on to.

Did you know that, according to Forbes, only 8% of those who make New Year's resolutions achieve their goals? That's part of the reason so many studies have been done on how the human brain functions. Why the brain? What does it have to do with reaching our goals?

Having the feeling of being stuck is a mind problem. It's not a physical disability issue, it's not the lack of talent or competence -- it's your mind's interpretation of events. It's the mind telling the body that it should not go somewhere or do something new, as it won't work anyway. It's the captain commanding his crew not to make any significant changes because it would be a waste of time.

Do these thoughts sound familiar? Imagine John and Linda both being motivated to take action on something they wanted to change, but then they stop working towards their goal. Linda wants to start a new business, and John wants to lose weight, but they started focusing their thoughts on their current reality and concluded that what they were doing wouldn’t work. They lost motivation. As such, they feel stuck.

What they missed is that they could have dedicated their time, effort and resources to find a solution to their problems. They can make a decision to fix what isn't working, if they know from the start that they have the POWER to change their situation.

They are only feeling stuck because in their minds, they forgot about their true power to make decisions. They feel that the lack of results paralyzes them from taking the next action. The truth is, nothing can stop them. Nothing can keep them from moving forward. They CAN try again.

Sometimes, goals take more time than expected before you see some results. That's why you need to have a good process for motivating yourself, especially if you're pursuing life-changing goals. Motivation is not only about putting the right thoughts in your mind. It's also about a series of actions you can do so that the right thoughts will stay in your mind.

It means, there will be times when you have to do some things even if you don't feel like it. If you're anybody like John or Linda, here's an action plan that you could put into practice to get unstuck:

1. Make a deliberate choice to do whatever it takes to reach the goal.

Have a commitment that you won't settle for less. This is a mind activity. You need to be convinced that you will go for that goal. To make this decision really sink in, you can make a contract on paper. Put your specific goal and timeline on it. Sign it and ask somebody close to you to sign as a witness. This is optional, however it could help you in a powerful way if you ever get stuck again. Reading a written note refreshes our memory to the commitments we have. The contract should encourage you to get back on track.

2. Create a clear plan on the steps that you need to do.

Linda may need to firmly decide on the business she wants to create, then she needs to list down all the steps necessary to start it. She must be consistent to implement his plan and take action everyday. Likewise for John, he needs to be consistent with his workout program and make it a part of his regular routine. He needs to stick with it every day, and he needs to have a plan for a healthy diet as well. It might be useful to make a specific list of everything that you need to do. Check your list regularly. Make sure that you follow the list.

3. Find an accountability partner.

Make yourself accountable to your goals with someone you respect and trust. It could be your family member, friend, mentor, classmate or co-worker. By letting them know about what you want to achieve, they can check in with you from time to time. If you're stuck, they can be your confidant. They can be a source of motivation where you can draw fresh inspirations to move forward.

4. Just do what you say you will do.

Even if you don't feel like it, let your body work on that goal. Take action on your list, without the feelings. Keep on keeping on. If you don't focus too much only on your feelings, but instead keep moving you will get results. Soon you'll be back to making real progress.

5. Focus on success.

Learn how to focus aggressively! Reduce or totally remove your distractions. If you find yourself thinking negatively about your situation, do something to change how you think. Try things like listening to motivating podcasts, or reading encouraging articles. Linda could find success stories about people who started a business online. John could join groups who talk about success. Put yourself in an environment full of optimism. Soon enough, the goal is yours.

The famous motivational speaker, Brendon Burchard once said “Nothing in life, including our circumstances or potential, is fixed. Reality is bendable to our will.”

You can pull yourself out and get unstuck wherever you are right now. In your mind, let your motivation be bigger than your current situation. Keep on moving forward. Keep refreshing yourself with your intentions.