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MESSAGE #1259 HOW TO SUSTAIN MOTIVATION

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to Nate Kunnen and Dan Beedle in Michigan.

How soon ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’.
-MARTIN LUTHER, German priest

By request, I was asked to blog about how to sustain motivation and how to persist and have inner strength. Two separate requests which are actually related.

It’s that time of year where people are looking to become more fit, get better grades, be a better romantic partner or save more money. I don’t know if I am a fan of New Year’s Resolutions, but I do know that most people don’t stick with them.

Do you want to be like most people?

Today, one of my students told me that in school they were making New Year’s Resolutions. The teacher said that most people don’t stick with their resolutions, so this year they were going to make resolutions they definitely couldn’t break, like:

1. Ice skate with the Queen of England.
2. Eat a live frog.
3. Date a Sports Illustrated model.

When I heard this assignment, I said to myself, “NO! This teacher doesn’t get it.”

It’s not about just keeping your resolution, is it?

To me, resolutions are made to better yourself, to kick-start a new you. And to lead by example so that everyone around you wants to become better as well.

It’s January 3rd…Everyone is motivated right now. But by the last week of January, most resolutions will be broken.

So how do you sustain motivation?

How do you persist and gain inner strength?

1. Understand that motivation is not a feeling, it is an ACTION. Do what you need to do, when you need to do it, whether you feel like it or not.

2. Understand that you already have inner strength, but you have to make your goals important enough. Think of it this way, if someone knew that if they smoked a cigarette today, they would get lung cancer tomorrow, would they still do it? Of course not. So we have the will-power, we just have to exercise it.

3. Use my 15-minute rule when you don’t “feel” like persisting. Whatever it is you have to do (work out, study, make calls, clean the house), just do it for 15 minutes and then you can stop. But you won’t. Once you start you get into it and you will keep going. But most people don’t even begin.

I planned on going to the gym tonight after work at 9pm, but I didn’t feel like it.

I did it anyway.

Why?

Because anyone can do something when they feel like it. I like doing things when I DON’T feel like it.

So tonight, I not only worked out my body, I worked out my mind.

You can too.

Final words:
Don’t quit, can’t fail.

MESSAGE #1257 HOW TO KEEP YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

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Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.
-BONO, rock star

Does anything really change on New Year’s Day?

I suppose change is possible, but is it lasting change?

Doing something once is not impressive.

Doing something consistently is impressive.

Don’t make resolutions, set goals and make lifestyle changes.

I’ve working out in gyms for most of my life and it amazes me how so many people start the new year off with amazing INTENTIONS by joining a gym and deciding to work out like they never worked out before, but don’t stick with it.

Their good intentions usually last only a few weeks.

By the end of January, those “motivated” people fall by the wayside.

Why does this phenomenon occur?

Because most people don’t know how to set goals.

Here’s what most people are doing wrong:

1. They don’t set specific goals; they said “I want to get in shape” versus “I am going to lose 10 pounds by March 1, 2011 at 8am.”

2. They let their goals too low. Michelangelo said, “It’s not that we set our sights too high and we don’t reach them; it’s that we set our sights too low and we DO reach them.” Set your sights high!

3. They think they can do it on their own. Get a trainer. Get coach. Get an accountability partner. Tell everyone about your goals. THEN you will be more likely to stick with it.

4. They don’t make their goals important enough. If something is important enough, you will stick with it.

5. They try their best, instead of DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES. There will be days you don’t “feel like” sticking to your goals. But those are the days you HAVE TO. Winners and losers feel the same feelings, but winners take the right action.

What are YOUR New Year’s Goals?

Leave your comments below.

Want a jump-start to a new you? Email to schedule a free 10-minute mental toughness consultation, or to request information on one-on-one mental toughness coaching via telephone/skype.

MESSAGE #1227 WHY THIS IS “THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR”

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Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
-BUDDHA

For many, this is the most wonderful time of the year. I concur.

Even though I feel like this all year ’round, I particularly enjoy the holidays for one main reason.

People GIVE.

Don’t get me wrong, people giving is not so I can get “stuff.”

People giving is actually people GETTING.

Let me explain…

When you give to someone, you GET much more in return. It feels better when you GIVE than when you receive. That’s a big reason why I blog every day and donate my time, services and products throughout the year. It makes ME happy.

When you give, you feel good.

The best way to make yourself happy is to make someone else happy.

The best way to get motivated is to get someone else motivated.

The best way to become successful is to make someone else successful.

That’s why I think this is the most wonderful time of the year.

Can you apply this to teamwork? School? Your job?

You bet.

As a matter of fact, research has shown that people who volunteer and give more of themselves, reap the health benefits (mental and physical) for up to 50 years.

It’s about OTHERS.

So as you go through this holiday season, focus less on what you might get and focus more on what you intend to GIVE. And remember, it doesn’t necessarily have to be an object, it can be your time, a compliment or just doing a little bit extra.

MESSAGE #1217 MOTIVATION

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Motivation is one of the keys to mental toughness.

But most people don’t know what motivation is.

Most people think that motivation is a feeling. They wait until they feel motivated to act motivated.

It doesn’t work that way.

The athletes I work with know that motivation is an action.

If you start acting motivated, you will begin feeling motivated.

I know a lot of marathon runners. Do you know what the hardest part of running is?

Putting on your shoes.

Think about it.

MESSAGE #1141 THIS IS WHAT STOPS MOST PEOPLE…

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I know something about you.

You want to become successful at something.

Perhaps it’s in sports.

Perhaps it’s in business.

Perhaps it’s in school.

I know something else…

The reason why most people do not become successful.

They don’t take action.

Knowledge is only good if you use it.

It’s the start that stops most people.

You know what you need to do, so don’t think about it, just do it.

With all the great athletes I have encountered, I noticed a quality that they all share.

They all do what they need to do, when they need to do it, whether they feel like it or not.

If you’re a runner, just start running.

If you’re in sales, just start making those calls.

If you’re a student, just start studying.

It’s that simple.

MESSAGE #1073 TEAMWORK

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to all the great business professionals of LEEEP.

Last night I gave a talk and team building session to LEEEP at Princeton University’s Football Stadium. We discussed success, motivation, adding value and making a difference.

I asked if anyone knew what TEAM stood for.

TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More

as long as there is a…

Total Effort from All Members.

We are all on a team. A sports team. A business team. A relationship team. An academic team.

If you focus on giving your all, no matter what, the team is better for it.

The goal is to have all members of your team go all-out. But if that is not reality, why don’t you take charge – lead by example? You may be pleasantly surprised.

Enthusiasm is contagious.

Start an epidemic.

MESSAGE #1072 A MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL JORDAN…

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MESSAGE #987 HOW WINE CAN HELP YOU

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Watch this great TED video where the great Gary Vaynerchuk (winelibrarytv.com) talks about doing what you love.

MESSAGE #980 MOTIVATION

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I feel that I am one of the most motivated people I know, but someone once said, “Motivation is like taking a shower – it feels good and it’s refreshing ,but you have to take a new one every dayp.”

Success is not doing something once, but doing something consistently.

I have a book in my library called, “Motivating Quotes For Motivated People.” Here are a couple of my favorites…

He who would leap high must take a long run. -DANISH PROVERB

Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events not of words. Trust movement. -ALFRED ADLER

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. -PLATO

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. -JOYCE BROTHERS

You will be a winner when you realize that failure is only a state of mind. -AUTHOR UNKNOWN

MESSAGE #957 AND THE THOUGHT OF THE DAY IS…

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Just do it.
-NIKE

I love creating blog messages every morning, but sometimes I don’t know what I want to say. So I go over to possibly the biggest motivational library on the planet, aka, my family room (thank you Dr. Gilbert) and I choose a book to get me started.

People talk about writer’s block, but I don’t believe in that. Just start writing – it doesn’t have to be great to start but it will start to be great.

So just write.
Just workout.
Just do the dishes.
Just make that call.

Just do it.

Here are some great quotes from today’s book of choice, STRIVE TO EXCEL, The Will and Wisdom of VINCE LOMBARDI compiled by JENNIFER BRIGGS…

Success is not a sometime thing – it is an all-time thing.

Making the effort to improve as a human being is what Coach Lombardi was all about. He was able to see the gap between where we were and what we could become – both as football players and as people. And he felt it was his God-given responsibility to close that gap.
-JERRY KRAMER

If you settle for nothing less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your life.

Second place is meaningless. You can’t always be first, but you have to believe you should have been – that you were never beaten – that time just ran out on you.

If he’d been a truck driver, he’d have given 100 percent there, too.
-LOU SPADIA, former San Francisco 49ers owner

So there you have it. I could have skipped Message #957 today, but I didn’t. I’m committed.

Exceptions shatter dreams. Besides, motivation is an action, not a feeling.

Have a great day everyone! Leave your comments or questions below.