By Dee Gallemore Whether you are want to de-clutter your house and get more organized, lose those extra pounds and get into better shape, get a specialized degree to enhance your career, or start your own home-based business to replace (or exceed) your current salary . . . the primary key to staying motivated is creating a sense of purpose.
Without a clear sense of purpose, maintaining motivation is difficult.
Let's face it, without a purpose, your goals are not clear and the end-result you're working towards will be harder to reach. Various things may motivate people, but the reason why they STAY motivated is usually because they have some sort of purpose.
A goal, the promise of reward, or even a person's character and personality make-up is usually what motivates a person to do what he or she does.
For instance, one person may be motivated to lose weight because of an upcoming event (e.g. wedding, reunion, beach vacation) and they want to look attractive, while another may want to shed those extra pounds to get their high blood pressure under control and feel better. The point is, everybody is motivated by something different.
When a person creates a clear reason, then the end-result is easier to reach.
Having clear goals and understanding why you want to motivate yourself can often be the easiest way to get motivated to do almost anything. Think about what motivates you and then you can easily find ways to help yourself along the way.
3 Tips on How to Keep Your 'Purpose' in Mind
1. . . Keep a journal of smaller or "mini" goals that will help you reach your desired end-result. Example: If you want to tighten and tone your body by exercising more, consider keeping a journal of the kind of exercises you do and how long. Your motivation and purpose could be fueled each day by looking at your exercise log and also noting small changes in your body (less soreness, increased strength, more contour to certain muscles). These small changes are your "mini-goals" that will lead to a "new you."
2. . . Create a collage of images that represents your goal. For instance, if you want to lose weight before your vacation, cut out pictures from a catalogue of the swimsuit you want to fit in and post it in key areas of your home. If you're striving to get a college degree, cut out pictures of a happy graduate with diploma in-hand along with images of what your new found status will accomplish. Or, if you you want to build an online business that allows you make a great income as you work from home, cut out pictures that represent a new "less-stress" lifestyle (spending time with family & friends, travel, volunteer opportunities) ... you get the picture.
3. . . Reward yourself for reaching your "mini-goals" along the way. After you've thought about your purpose for wanting to do something, think about what you would enjoy as a reward. Often, small rewards can motivate and help make your end-goal easier to accomplish. Rewards or incentives can range from a new DVD to a new outfit to a night out on the town.
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Bottomline, understanding your reason for what you are working for, creates a clear sense of purpose. And this sense of purpose will make it so much easier to STAY motivated to reach your goals.
