Motivation isn't simply deciding on doing something and then starting it. The right motivation is something that doesn't harm anyone and something that drives you from start to finish and a long time after it.



Everyone has their share of slumps and bad days, and these are normal, however hard it is to get properly motivated after a failure, it is still the only way to get back o track. So what is motivation? It is a series of steps that you take so that you'll get back your old drive and maybe something even more.

Start!

As the song said, ?Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.? First you've got to realize that you do lack motivation, and you should take action. Stop thinking and start moving, either get yourself prepped or get yourself pumped. The fact that you're reading this probably means that you've already started the action, and that's very good.

Learn to Act

A lesson in one of the Dale Carnegie Training plans state that if you ?act enthusiastic? [you'll] be enthusiastic.? Tell yourself you're excited, be pumped, even if its just in your mind. If jumping for joy, eve if your not very happy, about a new tasks gets your blood pumped then do it.

It doesn't matter how big as long as you get it done

Start with something small, something easily achievable and then build up confidence. Its just like those computer games where you start at low levels with small rewards, and as you go up every level, you get bigger rewards and bigger challenges. Build up your confidence and then proceed to more challenging activities.

Try to beat the game

When you start a game, you enter with the goal to finish it, you don't play a game thinking, ok, if I get to level 11 then I'm satisfied, no you aim to beat the game. That's how it should be in life, you start small but think big, knowing where you want to go will serve as your guide.

Set your Goals and your limitations

Thinking big is good, but thinking too big will be suicidal. Going back to the game example, its good to want to beat the game in easy level but wanting to beat the game using a difficult setting when you haven't event done the easy setting yet would be very difficult indeed. Goals are good when they are achievable.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

Remember the game super Mario Brothers? It's a really hard game, but then when you get a friend to play with you using the two player setting, it a lot easier to dodge the bullets and to beat Koopa. This should be the same with getting motivated. You'll also need motivators to help you. There will be times when you'd want to just give up, and its good to have a few back ups to get you back on track when you do.

Have a Plan set

Have a timeline, a set of short term goals, like finish level 2 by the end of day two or get this equipment before the third trimester. Put your effort into every day of work, be consistent and follow your schedule.

Give yourself a reward once in a while

It all boils down to what you get when you finish. And basically, the reward system has worked for animals in training and naughty children, so why shouldn't it work for you? Reward yourself for a job well done so that you'll get motivated to be motivated each day. And if worse comes to worst, make the reward your motivation to be motivated.

Basically, once you do these steps, your slump should be but a distant memory, all you need to do is to make it a habit. When you trip and fall, your feet don't fall off, they stay, a little bruised and scratched but still usable, all it needs is a little effort to stand back up again.