Self Improvement - Motivating Yourself

Motivating yourself when you are working on your self-improvement goals can be a challenge. There is no one method that works for motivating everyone. And everyone has times when they begin to lack motivation to move towards their goal. When you first begin working towards your goal you are usually motivated by excitement and anticipation. But as time goes on your enthusiasm may wane and you may have a harder time motivating yourself to keep going.

If you are having trouble keeping motivated towards your goal, try some of these methods to help you get back on track.
Small goals - Always break down your specific goal into smaller, more easily obtained goals. These, put together, will bring you to your main goal. Smaller goals will help you feel a sense of achievement and renew your motivation towards your major goal. Celebrate each achievement.

Calendar - Keep a calendar specifically for the purpose of your self-improvement goal. Mark all important dates in your calendar, such as any milestone dates towards your goal. Use a pocket-sized calendar that you can carry with so you will always be able to look at it. Refer to it every chance you get, such as when you are waiting in line, when you are waiting for a doctor's appointment or when you are taking public transportation.

Rewards - Think of a reward that you will give yourself once you complete your goal. For instance, if there is a particular clothing or accessory item you want make it a reward. Once you reach your goal you can reward yourself with the item. The reward can be anything that you want. It may be a trip, a book, a day at the spa or anything else you deem as a reward. Research has shown that rewards work much better than punishments, even on ourselves.

Affirmations - Give yourself plenty of positive reinforcements in the way of affirmations. Tell yourself that you can do it. Nothing goes further towards helping up achieve our goals than positive thinking.
Reminders - Make sure to leave yourself plenty of positive reminders about your goals. These should help keep you motivated, especially during times of stress. A reminder can be as simple as a sticky note left in a strategic place or a pop-up calendar reminder on your computer. Keep the message simple and positive.

Coach - A coach may give those who need it that extra push. Coaches are available for all types of goals. If you have specific diet goals a nutritionist can be your coach. For exercise goals you may use a personal trainer. A life coach is available to help with all sorts of personal improvement goals.

Support Team - You can create your own support team for your specific goal. Use family members or friends to help you stay on track towards your goals. Let them give you reminders and encouragement towards your personal goal. Make sure you choose positive people to help you. If you have negative people on the team they won't be any help in you reaching your goal and may actually hinder you.

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