1. Focus on the benefits. Remind yourself of what you stand to gain. If you are trying to work out and/or eat healthier food, it helps to focus on how much better you are going to look and feel. If you are trying to find ways to earn more money, focus on how proud you will be to finally give your family everything they deserve or even just get your creditors off your back.
2.One step at a time. Sometimes if you think of how far you need to go it can be easy to be overwhelmed by everything you need to do and not do anything at all! Break your bigger goals in to several steps with each one leading you closer and closer to what you want. Decide on the single most important thing that you can do to make progress toward your goal right now.
3. Get some leverage. Think about the negative impact of not doing what you have chosen as your goal. What will it cost you if you don’t follow through? Will you lose money? Will it hurt the quality or length of your life? How will you feel about yourself if you don’t get this done?
4. Make yourself accountable. People are more prone to keep agreements with others than they are with themselves. Tell people what your goals are and what you plan to do. If you want to get promoted, tell your boss of your intentions and ask for their advice. If you have trouble getting your weekend chores done tell your spouse, friends and children what you are planning to do. It is no fun to tell the people you care about that you didn’t follow through. Avoiding that pain is a great motivator.
5. Reward yourself. Use the power of anticipation. When you have something to look forward to, you can get through almost anything. Choose rewards that correspond to your goals. If you are trying to lose weight a great reward would be some new clothes that compliment your improved figure. If you are trying to find ways to increase your income decide to spend a percentage of your extra earnings on something you love. Set a series of milestones and rewards that will lead you to your goal.