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Discover eight steps you can take to stay motivated during 2005 as you pursue your goals. Motivation is the key to actually reaching your goals. A monthly ezine for organizations, business owners and professionals who want to excel.JANUARY 2005 IN THIS ISSUE Greetings and welcome to all of you. We are delighted to send you another issue of KEYS TO SUCCESS. Thank you for joining us. Here we are at the beginning of 2005. We hope the New Year brings you prosperity, good health and happiness. After seeing the mass devastation from the tsunami in Asia we can all be more thankful for what we have. Our hearts reach out to all those affected by the disaster. Of course the New Year is the opportune time to talk about goals. By now you've probably been inundated with goal setting articles. Rather than giving you more of the same I decided to take a different approach. The feature article focuses on how to stay motivated as you pursue your goals in 2005. Our commitment is to give you practical information and inspirational ideas to benefit your business and personal life. We are committed to "bringing out your best"! We welcome feedback so we can improve and offer real value to you. Keys to Success is written and published by Carol Gegner. Are you ready to excel? Check out http://www.coachexecs.com. We are ready to help you. Any questions about your subscription? Check the end of the newsletter for information to subscribe or unsubscribe. If you like what you see, will you please help us grow by forwarding the ezine to your colleagues and friends? We truly appreciate your support. Here we are facing a new year and a new start. By now you've probably already jumped on the band wagon with a list of goals for the year. You want this to be your best year ever. How long will your enthusiasm and motivation last? How long did it last in 2004? Most of us have trouble keeping our motivation alive and well. A good example of this is observing the membership activity at local gyms around the country. January brings increased memberships and crowded facilities. It seems everyone wants to become healthy. By about the third week of the month those great vows "I will work out 4 times a week" begin to fall by the wayside. By mid-February the flurry subsides and only the faithful who have made exercising a part of their life remain working out. Does any of this sound familiar? We've all been guilty of this scenario at various times. It's the same scene played out on a different stage. We need goals to help us focus on what we want. The secret is finding ways to stay motivated to actually achieve those goals. Here are eight steps you can take to help you stay motivated and committed to your goals. 1. Define your goal. What is it your really want to do. Your goal needs to be a strong "want" versus a "should" that someone else wants for you. "Shoulds" are not very motivating. 2. Define your benefits. What is the personal benefit you will gain from achieving your goal. Why is that goal so important? Having a personal "why" will keep you motivated when you are tempted to give up. 3. Use your emotions. A little guilt, fear or worry can go a long way to help you stay on the goal path. Knowing what the consequences are of not taking action can inspire you to avoid instant gratification so you can focus on the results. 4. List your obstacles. You will be tested with road blocks to deter your efforts. Identifying those blocks in advance will help you get prepared to take necessary detours. Yes, there will be set backs but they don't need to become land slides. 5. Use reinforcements. Who or what will help keep you motivated as you pursue your goals? Perhaps it's a friend, a coach, an email reminder or a phone call. Success happens with the help of others. Reach out and reinforce your motivational levels. 6. Paint a mental picture. Visualize the results. What do you see, what will you be doing, who will you be with and where will you be are questions to use for painting the picture. Visualization is a powerful tool used by successful athletes as they pursue their wins. We can use the same technique for our life and business. 7. Track your progress. Keep a log of your activities so you can monitor your progress. Use charts or graphs to follow your efforts. I simply use my calendar to keep track of my exercise program. At the end of the week I know what I've done. Those entries keep me honest! 8. Celebrate your wins. Give yourself small rewards as you make progress. There's nothing more motivating that a reward system. Use it to your advantage. Motivation is both an inside and outside job. We find motivation from external factors, like looking better after losing weight. I believe the best motivating factors are internal, i.e., how we feel about ourselves as we move close to our goals. Goals are not just a destination. They become a journey. Motivation is the spirit that drives the journey. If all else fails follow the Nike motto. Just do it! "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, "Don't take anyone else's definition of success as your "One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 Donald E. Wetmore Gary Ryan Blair. Ken Blanchard, Jon Carlos, and Alan Randolph. Richard Nelson Bolles. Tamera Bryant, Pam Schiller, and Pamela Byrne Schiller. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Richard Carlson. Dale Carnegie. Stephen Covey. Michael Doyle and David Straus. Wayne Dyer. Rita Emmett. Steven Fink. Robert Fulgrum. Louise L. Hay. Napoleon Hill. Spencer Johnson. Richard Koch. Lenny Laskowski. Harry Lorayne. Harvey Mackay. Og Mandino. Philip C. McGraw. Norman Vincent Peale. M. Scott Peck. David B. Peterson. Cheryl Richardson. Mary Morgan Riley. Barbara Sher and Barbara Smith. Martha Stewart. Marci Taub. Veronique Vienne. Richard C. Whiteley. Henchie D. Weisinger. Barbara J. Winter. Laraine T. Zappery. Return to the Newsletter Index. |