Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump

Photo by mrhappy

Every Thursday is Happiness Day on Zen Habits.

Even the most motivated of us — you, me, Tony Robbins — can feel unmotivated at times. In fact, sometimes we get into such a slump that even thinking about making positive changes seems too difficult.

But it’s not hopeless: with some small steps, baby ones in fact, you can get started down the road to positive change.

Yes, I know, it seems impossible at times. You don’t feel like doing anything. I’ve been there, and in fact I still feel that way from time to time. You’re not alone. But I’ve learned a few ways to break out of a slump, and we’ll take a look at those today.

This post was inspired by reader Roy C. Carlson, who asked:

“I was wondering if you could do a piece on why it can be hard for someone to change direction and start taking control of their life. I have to say I’m in this boat and advice on getting out of my slump would be great.”

Roy is just one of many with a slump like that. Again, I feel that way sometimes myself, and in fact sometimes I struggle to motivate myself to exercise — and I’ll use that as an example of how to break out of the slump.

When I fall out of exercise, due to illness or injury or disruption from things going on in my life, it’s hard to get started again. I don’t even feel like thinking about it, sometimes. But I’ve always found a way to break out of that slump, and here are some things I’ve learned that have helped:

One Goal. Whenever I’ve been in a slump, I’ve discovered that it’s often because I have too much going on in my life. I’m trying to do too much. And it saps my energy and motivation. It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible — I’ve tried it many times. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. I know, that’s hard. Still, I speak from experience. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal.
Find inspiration. Inspiration, for me, comes from others who have achieved what I want to achieve, or who are currently doing it. I read other blogs, books, magazines. I Google my goal, and read success stories. Zen Habits is just one place for inspiration, not only from me but from many readers who have achieved amazing things.
Get excited. This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal. But how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that excitement and build on it. For me, I’ve learned that by talking to my wife about it, and to others, and reading as much about it as possible, and visualizing what it would be like to be successful (seeing the benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. Once I’ve done that, it’s just a matter of carrying that energy forward and keeping it going.
Build anticipation. This will sound hard, and many people will skip this tip. But it really works. It helped me quit smoking after many failed attempts. If you find inspiration and want to do a goal, don’t start right away. Many of us will get excited and want to start today. That’s a mistake. Set a date in the future — a week or two, or even a month — and make that your Start Date. Mark it on the calendar. Get excited about that date. Make it the most important date in your life. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. And do some of the steps below. Because by delaying your start, you are building anticipation, and increasing your focus and energy for your goal.
Post your goal. Print out your goal in big words. Make your goal just a few words long, like a mantra (”Exercise 15 mins. Daily”), and post it up on your wall or refrigerator. Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal (like a model with sexy abs, for example) also helps.
Commit publicly. None of us likes to look bad in front of others. We will go the extra mile to do something we’ve said publicly. For example, when I wanted to run my first marathon, I started writing a column about it in my local daily newspaper. The entire island of Guam (pop. 160K) knew about my goal. I couldn’t back down, and even though my motivation came and went, I stuck with it and completed it. Now, you don’t have to commit to your goal in your daily newspaper, but you can do it with friends and family and co-workers, and you can do it on your blog if you have one. And hold yourself accountable — don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone every week or so.
Think about it daily. If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true. To this end, posting the goal on your wall or computer desktop (as mentioned above) helps a lot. Sending yourself daily reminders also helps. And if you can commit to doing one small thing to further your goal (even just 5 minutes) every single day, your goal will almost certainly come true.
Get support. It’s hard to accomplish something alone. When I decided to run my marathon, I had the help of friends and family, and I had a great running community on Guam who encouraged me at 5K races and did long runs with me. When I decided to quit smoking, I joined an online forum and that helped tremendously. And of course, my wife Eva helped every step of the way. I couldn’t have done these goals without her, or without the others who supported me. Find your support network, either in the real world or online, or both.
Realize that there’s an ebb and flow. Motivation is not a constant thing that is always there for you. It comes and goes, and comes and goes again, like the tide. But realize that while it may go away, it doesn’t do so permanently. It will come back. Just stick it out and wait for that motivation to come back. In the meantime, read about your goal (see below), ask for help (see below), and do some of the other things listed here until your motivation comes back.
Stick with it. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Even if you aren’t feeling any motivation today, or this week, don’t give up. Again, that motivation will come back. Think of your goal as a long journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. You can’t give up with every little bump. Stay with it for the long term, ride out the ebbs and surf on the flows, and you’ll get there.
Start small. Really small. If you are having a hard time getting started, it may be because you’re thinking too big. If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week. No — instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. Just do 2 minutes of exercise. I know, that sounds wimpy. But it works. Commit to 2 minutes of exercise for one week. You may want to do more, but just stick to 2 minutes. It’s so easy, you can’t fail. Do it at the same time, every day. Just some crunches, 2 pushups, and some jogging in place. Once you’ve done 2 minutes a day for a week, increase it to 5, and stick with that for a week. In a month, you’ll be doing 15-20. Want to wake up early? Don’t think about waking at 5 a.m. Instead, think about waking 10 minutes earlier for a week. That’s all. Once you’ve done that, wake 10 minutes earlier than that. Baby steps.
Build on small successes. Again, if you start small for a week, you’re going to be successful. You can’t fail if you start with something ridiculously easy. Who can’t exercise for 2 minutes? (If that’s you, I apologize.) And you’ll feel successful, and good about yourself. Take that successful feeling and build on it, with another baby step. Add 2-3 minutes to your exercise routine, for example. With each step (and each step should last about a week), you will feel even more successful. Make each step really, really small, and you won’t fail. After a couple of months, your tiny steps will add up to a lot of progress and a lot of success.
Read about it daily. When I lose motivation, I just read a book or blog about my goal. It inspires me and reinvigorates me. For some reason, reading helps motivate and focus you on whatever you’re reading about. So read about your goal every day, if you can, especially when you’re not feeling motivated.
Call for help when your motivation ebbs. Having trouble? Ask for help. Email me. Join an online forum. Get a partner to join you. Call your mom. It doesn’t matter who, just tell them your problems, and talking about it will help. Ask them for advice. Ask them to help you overcome your slump. It works.
Think about the benefits, not the difficulties. One common problem is that we think about how hard something is. Exercise sounds so hard! Just thinking about it makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think about what you will get out of it. For example, instead of thinking about how tiring exercise can be, focus on how good you’ll feel when you’re done, and how you’ll be healthier and slimmer over the long run. The benefits of something will help energize you.
Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones. Along those lines, it’s important to start monitoring your thoughts. Recognize negative self-talk, which is really what’s causing your slump. Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought. Squash, “This is too hard!” and replace it with, “I can do this! If that wimp Leo can do it, so can I!” It sounds corny, but it works. Really.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. Thanks!

See also:

Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump

Photo by mrhappy

Every Thursday is Happiness Day on Zen Habits.

But it’s not hopeless: with some small steps, baby ones in fact, you can get started down the road to positive change.

This post was inspired by reader Roy C. Carlson, who asked:

“I was wondering if you could do a piece on why it can be hard for someone to change direction and start taking control of their life. I have to say I’m in this boat and advice on getting out of my slump would be great.”

One Goal. Whenever I’ve been in a slump, I’ve discovered that it’s often because I have too much going on in my life. I’m trying to do too much. And it saps my energy and motivation. It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible — I’ve tried it many times. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. I know, that’s hard. Still, I speak from experience. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal.
Find inspiration. Inspiration, for me, comes from others who have achieved what I want to achieve, or who are currently doing it. I read other blogs, books, magazines. I Google my goal, and read success stories. Zen Habits is just one place for inspiration, not only from me but from many readers who have achieved amazing things.
Get excited. This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal. But how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that excitement and build on it. For me, I’ve learned that by talking to my wife about it, and to others, and reading as much about it as possible, and visualizing what it would be like to be successful (seeing the benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. Once I’ve done that, it’s just a matter of carrying that energy forward and keeping it going.
Build anticipation. This will sound hard, and many people will skip this tip. But it really works. It helped me quit smoking after many failed attempts. If you find inspiration and want to do a goal, don’t start right away. Many of us will get excited and want to start today. That’s a mistake. Set a date in the future — a week or two, or even a month — and make that your Start Date. Mark it on the calendar. Get excited about that date. Make it the most important date in your life. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. And do some of the steps below. Because by delaying your start, you are building anticipation, and increasing your focus and energy for your goal.
Post your goal. Print out your goal in big words. Make your goal just a few words long, like a mantra (”Exercise 15 mins. Daily”), and post it up on your wall or refrigerator. Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal (like a model with sexy abs, for example) also helps.
Commit publicly. None of us likes to look bad in front of others. We will go the extra mile to do something we’ve said publicly. For example, when I wanted to run my first marathon, I started writing a column about it in my local daily newspaper. The entire island of Guam (pop. 160K) knew about my goal. I couldn’t back down, and even though my motivation came and went, I stuck with it and completed it. Now, you don’t have to commit to your goal in your daily newspaper, but you can do it with friends and family and co-workers, and you can do it on your blog if you have one. And hold yourself accountable — don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone every week or so.
Think about it daily. If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true. To this end, posting the goal on your wall or computer desktop (as mentioned above) helps a lot. Sending yourself daily reminders also helps. And if you can commit to doing one small thing to further your goal (even just 5 minutes) every single day, your goal will almost certainly come true.
Get support. It’s hard to accomplish something alone. When I decided to run my marathon, I had the help of friends and family, and I had a great running community on Guam who encouraged me at 5K races and did long runs with me. When I decided to quit smoking, I joined an online forum and that helped tremendously. And of course, my wife Eva helped every step of the way. I couldn’t have done these goals without her, or without the others who supported me. Find your support network, either in the real world or online, or both.
Realize that there’s an ebb and flow. Motivation is not a constant thing that is always there for you. It comes and goes, and comes and goes again, like the tide. But realize that while it may go away, it doesn’t do so permanently. It will come back. Just stick it out and wait for that motivation to come back. In the meantime, read about your goal (see below), ask for help (see below), and do some of the other things listed here until your motivation comes back.
Stick with it. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Even if you aren’t feeling any motivation today, or this week, don’t give up. Again, that motivation will come back. Think of your goal as a long journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. You can’t give up with every little bump. Stay with it for the long term, ride out the ebbs and surf on the flows, and you’ll get there.
Start small. Really small. If you are having a hard time getting started, it may be because you’re thinking too big. If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week. No — instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. Just do 2 minutes of exercise. I know, that sounds wimpy. But it works. Commit to 2 minutes of exercise for one week. You may want to do more, but just stick to 2 minutes. It’s so easy, you can’t fail. Do it at the same time, every day. Just some crunches, 2 pushups, and some jogging in place. Once you’ve done 2 minutes a day for a week, increase it to 5, and stick with that for a week. In a month, you’ll be doing 15-20. Want to wake up early? Don’t think about waking at 5 a.m. Instead, think about waking 10 minutes earlier for a week. That’s all. Once you’ve done that, wake 10 minutes earlier than that. Baby steps.
Build on small successes. Again, if you start small for a week, you’re going to be successful. You can’t fail if you start with something ridiculously easy. Who can’t exercise for 2 minutes? (If that’s you, I apologize.) And you’ll feel successful, and good about yourself. Take that successful feeling and build on it, with another baby step. Add 2-3 minutes to your exercise routine, for example. With each step (and each step should last about a week), you will feel even more successful. Make each step really, really small, and you won’t fail. After a couple of months, your tiny steps will add up to a lot of progress and a lot of success.
Read about it daily. When I lose motivation, I just read a book or blog about my goal. It inspires me and reinvigorates me. For some reason, reading helps motivate and focus you on whatever you’re reading about. So read about your goal every day, if you can, especially when you’re not feeling motivated.
Call for help when your motivation ebbs. Having trouble? Ask for help. Email me. Join an online forum. Get a partner to join you. Call your mom. It doesn’t matter who, just tell them your problems, and talking about it will help. Ask them for advice. Ask them to help you overcome your slump. It works.
Think about the benefits, not the difficulties. One common problem is that we think about how hard something is. Exercise sounds so hard! Just thinking about it makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think about what you will get out of it. For example, instead of thinking about how tiring exercise can be, focus on how good you’ll feel when you’re done, and how you’ll be healthier and slimmer over the long run. The benefits of something will help energize you.
Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones. Along those lines, it’s important to start monitoring your thoughts. Recognize negative self-talk, which is really what’s causing your slump. Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought. Squash, “This is too hard!” and replace it with, “I can do this! If that wimp Leo can do it, so can I!” It sounds corny, but it works. Really.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it in del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. Thanks!

See also:

Spewed into the world on 30 August 2007 in Goals & Motivation, Happiness |
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Brilliant comments (137)

Spike Says:

August 30th, 2007, 6:35 am

Ah! I was going to write a few tips on this topic. I personally call it a downer when I am feeling unmotivated and just generally not on top form. I definitely agree that it ebbs and flows, in fact I compare it to recharging your batteries (I wrote about it here). Admittedly it’s not always practical but sometimes it can be best to just take a day or two off from being active and productive and recharge yourself.

SpiKe
Organize IT

Graham Lutz, The Young Capitalist Says:

August 30th, 2007, 8:13 am

This came at a great time! I need it! It’s better than most “rah rah” posts about motivation! Thanks!

Keith Says:

August 30th, 2007, 8:30 am

Body builder Dave Draper in Brother Iron,Sister Steel mentions that when he is in an exercise slump he would start with an exercise he liked to do. Usually by the time he finished he was much more motivated to do the next in the routine. I know that I have to switch up my weight routine every 4-6 weeks. Sometimes heavy, sometimes light, sometimes different objectives. When it gets onerous it’s often time to change and come up with a new routine, try new things.

Cardio is particularly distasteful, but has to be done. Variety has been the key. No one says you have to do the same thing all the time. Running or sprinting with the dog, bike, elliptical, heavy bag work, jump rope, rebounder. Just so you get in the time. Sometimes you just have to rest and recharge.

Frankly, the same applies to personal and professional life. GTD/ZTD has been one of those changes to revitalize.

Bubs Says:

August 30th, 2007, 8:45 am

I’ve been in a bad slump daytrading lately and this article will be a great help. I agree with Graham that this post is much better then most I have read about motivation.

Bubs

disconnect Says:

August 30th, 2007, 9:03 am

If you’re looking to change your strength training up a bit, crossfit.com has a good array of “different” workouts. I race triathlons, and whenever my motivation goes south, I’ll see what they have for the workout of the day. My favorite was “fight gone bad”: do 1 minute of each of the following:

wall ball
box jump
sumo deadlift high pull
something else
rower
rest

and repeat 3x. It’s easy for me to do, because I know that it’s over in 18 minutes, and I know that no matter how dead I feel at the start, by the second round I’m pushing as hard as I can.

gwinne Says:

August 30th, 2007, 9:37 am

I’ve never been clear how it’s possible to have only one goal at a time. While I agree that taking on too much at once is likely to end in failure, if I only had ONE GOAL in a really strict sense, the rest of my life would be problematically on hold. Usually, I have three goals at once: one for my relationships (fixing a problem with my daughter’s bedtime), one for my personal life (getting rid of headaches by natural methods), one for work (working on a book-length project daily).

Roy Says:

August 30th, 2007, 10:28 am

Thank you so much for this post! It’s a great article and one that I’m going to read over and over to let it all sink in. This is just the article I needed =)

Thanks again for all the inspiration you provide for all of us readers.

Ms. M&P Says:

August 30th, 2007, 10:29 am

I always try to do too much at once–including right now! This is really helpful. I do have a question, though. It seems like everything is interconnected–clean house, exercise, strong finances, work, etc–how do you separate your goals? I feel like it would be impossible for me to just focus on getting out of debt, for instance, without also working out and keeping a better house.

mills Says:

August 30th, 2007, 10:30 am

i love reading these posts, they definately help me with whining about my quitting smoking!

i have to say though, i had attempted to quit in the past with a date in the future, and for me, having that specific date made the quit seem too stressful. it magnified the day, it was this big looming number on my calendar. usually i spent the days leading up to it coming up with all kinds of motivation why i SHOULDN’T quit and why i was too cowardly to face it. it all comes down to whether you work well under pressure or not.

while many people are motivated well by this kind of pressure, if you aren’t one of those people, i suggest making a date for two weeks in the future. but start now! maybe the first two weeks is a grace period, “trying on” quitting before you fully commit. take one day without cigarettes if that day you feel confident in it. you may find that once you start quitting, you’ll feel confident in that day’s success and want to continue, because it is a much more manageable goal than you had anticipated.

so if letting a goal stew in your head for a few weeks is likely to make you think negatively about your goal, get past that negative thinking with action and that in turn might create the motivation you need! of course, it’s good to have that last day in mind in case your quitting experiments don’t work out for the best! that way you can treat yourself gently while you build up the confidence, and then really have no exceptions to your goal after your “last day”. just my two cents. keep up the good work here!

Julie Says:

August 30th, 2007, 11:15 am

Hi Leo!

Great article today! I’ve enjoyed your tips and stories of success. And what a small world we live in! I’m Julie Irish, Totsuma’s wife. I love connecting with others who grew up on Guam.

Jean Says:

August 30th, 2007, 12:34 pm

Another great post, Leo! I felt energized after reading this.
You are from Guam - so is Dan Ho! More great inspiration -
http://health.discovery.com/fansites/danho_fansite/danho_fansite.html

Thanks for the daily motivation,
Jean

Logan Says:

August 30th, 2007, 13:48 pm

Wow! This is a great article at the right time. I’ve just recently begun a workout routine that I’m taking seriously, and sometimes motivation can begin to wane. I think I’ll print this off and put it somewhere where I can look at it daily. Thanks!

Leo Says:

August 30th, 2007, 14:22 pm

Thanks for all the comments, everyone.

Hi Julie! That’s so cool … Totsuma, Julie’s husband, was one of my closest friends from childhood, and a genuinely good person. Glad you like the site!

@gwinne: Regarding only having one goal: Well, perhaps I should change that to one main goal. There are always other things you want to do in your life, but only one of them will be able to receive your full focus and energy. If you split focus and energy among three goals equally, they will be diluted (only a third as strong). It’s not as precise and scientific as that, but I’m using those numbers as illustration.

Now, can you achieve three goals with only 1/3 of your focus and energy devoted to each goal? Yes, it’s possible. However, if the goal is sufficiently challenging, you may find relapses (for example, you might do it for a couple of weeks, and then drop out of it), especially when motivation is low. You might not, if you’re good at achieving goals already.

If you’re not having any problems with your goal system, don’t change it. This article is for people who are having problems. If that’s you, I would suggest you focus on one goal at a time.

Hope that clarifies things!

Leo Says:

August 30th, 2007, 14:27 pm

@Jean: Yes, I know of Dan … actually, I believe his real name is Dan Drillon, and he used to write a weekly column for the Pacific Daily News, the local newspaper here on Guam (as did I). Dan Ho is a stage name. :)

Kristin Says:

August 30th, 2007, 14:30 pm

Normally, I find these types of articles trite. Writers act like finding motivation is as simple as finding lost keys. But your advice really hit the mark for me.

I fail because I try to commit to a complete life makeover. As you said, that is setting up for failure. Or I say I’m going to start running 30 minutes a day when I can barely walk that long.

Thank you for the excellent advice… I’m motivated!

Marc Says:

August 30th, 2007, 15:03 pm

Timely post again Leo. THANKS! It’s almost as if you read our minds as to what kind of motivation we need! :)

Re: #7: While thinking about something daily can help you keep focussed, too much thinking about just one goal can become an obsession. I have that problem right now with one of my goals and am trying not to think about my goal too much. There really is not much to think about; I just have to work on the goal a little bit at a time as you mentioned. But instead of working on it I tend to worry about it constantly (mainly: “will it turn out the way I want it to”, “will I ever complete it”).

For the last two nights for instance I planned to work on my goal but then decided that I was not in the mood and felt tired. When I mentioned this to my wife, she said that that’s okay, as this goal doesn’t really have a strict deadline and if I am tired from working all day then I should relax instead. I still however feel like I’m procrastinating too much with this goal so I’ll try to use some of the suggestions above. :)

ilakast Says:

August 30th, 2007, 15:31 pm

Respect!

jczubach Says:

August 30th, 2007, 15:51 pm

obviously you missed nihilism. and fail to pay attention to the news, many days….

Leo Says:

August 30th, 2007, 16:02 pm

@jczubach: I understand nihilism (to some extent), and agree with certain parts of it, but have never known anyone to use it as a practical philosophy (i.e. put it into practice). That’s because it isn’t practical, even if some parts of it are logically appealing. But if you’re giving it a shot, let us know about how it works out. :)

As for paying attention to the news, no I don’t. How is that relevant though?

@Marc: You have a good point. There is a fine line between maintaining a laser focus and obsessing over something. That’s the topic of another article, perhaps, because this one is aimed at those who aren’t even close to obsession. :)

You, me, Tony Robins Says:

August 30th, 2007, 19:43 pm

You just made me laugh so hard with that headline “You, me Tony Robins!” Thank you.

Prabs Says:

August 30th, 2007, 20:55 pm

Someone once put it well that motivation is like taking a shower; you need to take one everyday!

Good stuff!

Rubab Says:

August 30th, 2007, 23:49 pm

Great article here you can get more info in this regard http://www.pak-times.com/2007/06/05/motivation-to-manage-stress/

Arlyn Says:

August 31st, 2007, 0:58 am

Thanks for your advice. It’s just too much to have too many goals, but I guess delegating the tasks would definitely improve productivity. Negative thoughts can really sap one’s energy and this is one area where I need to practice and practice of thinking happy thoughts.

Thanks again for sharing the list

Isobel Says:

August 31st, 2007, 2:47 am

I’ve always been a great believer in #6 as a motivational “trick”. It worked very well for me when I told people in March this year that I was going to beat my cancer. Six months on, after 8 chemotherapy treatments, I was told yesterday that there are no new lumps in the breast area. :-)). All along I’ve been giving family, friends and colleagues updates. In return, their positive responses have kept me going as I had a feeling of: “I’ll really HAVE to get through this as I can’t disappoint all these people who believe that I’m going to get better”. I noticed every time I wrote an email or made a phone call I focussed on positive rather than on the negative. That, as well as forcing myself to get outside as much as possible, even though climbing the 82 stairs when I got back to to my flat felt like climbing Mount Everest (motivation again - “I’m going to beat these stairs!” ) has helped me get this far. I can now move on to the next part of the treatment, radiotherapy, knowing that I’m well on the way to a complete recovery.
Keep up the good work, Leo! I read your blog every day.

Malki Says:

August 31st, 2007, 12:08 pm

Thanks for your inspiration!
One request though - Can you do a piece (if you haven’t already done so) on how to motivate someone else close to you? You mentioned the support you got from your wife Eva so maybe she will need to contribute!?

quench Says:

August 31st, 2007, 13:17 pm

Very helpful! But something not addressed that besets me every single time I try to go for my dreams is this. Oftentimes, I have just one goal, as you suggest, and I am focused fully on that one goal, the baby steps, etc. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, there’s some crisis in another part of my life - my boyfriend will become enormously demanding, my brother will get hospitalized with a life-threatening illness, my boss will decide there is an emergency that I have to handle overtime…. etc.! This happens will such frequency, that it’s almost predictable, every time I start really buckling down on what I need to do to accomplish my goal. Then when I thoroughly demoralized, and lying around unmotivated, everything else in my life seems to calm down, and I’m just left wondering how to pick myself up again.

Leo Says:

August 31st, 2007, 17:54 pm

@Malki and quench: Those are both great suggestions for future articles. Added to my list! Thanks guys.

KCLau Says:

September 1st, 2007, 5:49 am

My method is to go out and do some exercise. It allows me to take in more oxygen and refresh my mind. Thanks Leo for all the tips, very helpful indeed.

selki Says:

September 3rd, 2007, 8:15 am

very good and thanks a lot.
There is one thing to complete tools. it is important to solve inner conflicts. there is many forces inside each person which excited him. these forces is rised from values. everyone should prepare a meeting with himself to hear the inner voices. recognize and write them on paper, then organize in two categories: first those which are in the same direction, second in the opposite of eachother. accomplishing first group produces sinergy and second group need to make decision to choose: which one should be deleted and which one comes to goals area. if you accomplish two opposite direction activities at once (secons group) the result is nothing and you waste your energy and self-steem. for example you need your friend to help you in learning mathematics and you hate him.

Oak Says:

September 4th, 2007, 4:14 am

Who is Tony Robbins?

Leo Says:

September 4th, 2007, 4:21 am

@Oak: the magic of Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_robbins

Kim of Kim & Jason Says:

September 11th, 2007, 13:07 pm

Great reminder about motivation being an ebb and flow. It’s easy to loose some of the excitement, then let that spiral you into a slump that lasts way too long. I think your idea of committing publicly is a huge advantage. People naturally hate to look bad, so if you have told your family and friends something you are going to do, that can really be a source of motivation in the moments when lack mentality takes over.

I always enjoy reasing your lists, Leo. Thanks!

kerul Says:

September 11th, 2007, 14:26 pm

Sometimes the best way out of a slump is by doing something really radical - moving, enrolling in a really challenging course, quitting your job (first, find a new job!), getting a kick-butt coach, volunteering with people who have a lot less than you (perhaps in another country), leaving a draining relationship.

I’ve found that my clients who are in slumps they have a really hard time coming out of are usually suffering from some depressive symptoms. Go to a doctor to make sure medication isn’t what you need.

Liara Covert Says:

September 13th, 2007, 8:35 am

This article definitely offers worthwhile advice. People can choose to take it or not. Its that simple. I find it helpful to remind the self that the mind naturally focuses on past thoughts, like fear or doubt because you taught it to do that an you buy into it. This will only continue until you take steps to program yourself to think about a different future.

fossfor Says:

October 11th, 2007, 15:17 pm

this is good advice ,thank you! I ‘m in a bit of a creative slump at the moment. This has happened many times before ,and you’re right -it will end sooner or later :) It often seems to help if you stop concentrating and do something completely different.

Anders Says:

October 14th, 2007, 13:37 pm

I agree that committing goals publicly is efficient, but I’ve always tried to avoid this, because it can cause a great deal of stress. And that can be very distracting.

Modern Motivation Says:

November 11th, 2007, 0:44 am

Great post. I agree that making a public commitment can be an effective motivator for a goal. I think that first you have to make a genuine commitment to yourself.

http://www.ModernMotivation.com

Tami Says:

November 14th, 2007, 14:38 pm

I really need help, I have no motivation at all, to do anything. My house is a wreck because I can’t get “into” cleaning it. Please help me, I have no support system at home and have NO idea where to find one on-line. The posts make sense to me if I was climbing a mountain or running a marathon but something as simple as cleaning my house shouldn’t be a problem. Help!!!!

City Grrl Says:

November 15th, 2007, 17:20 pm

@Tami - check out flylady.net. I, too, hate housework, and will do almost anything to avoid it. Right now, I’m using Flylady’s cleaning program combined with an earlier suggestion from Leo about appreciating what you have. As I clean, I take time to think about what I’m cleaning, and to appreciate it. So far, this method seems to be working pretty well.

Lisa Says:

November 21st, 2007, 5:29 am

I have found this page really helpful. I’ve recently been in a slump myself and have found it hard to get energy to exercise.

I have looked at a few different ideas on how to get motivated as well, but I find these steps are smart and easy.

Thanks!

Syahid A. Says:

January 13th, 2008, 11:57 am

Love the tips. Just what I need now.

LiveLoaded.com Says:

January 13th, 2008, 13:03 pm

Excellent post - great to read for people who have been stuck wondering why they can’t seem to start working towards something they want to achieve.

Whether this has been previously mentioned I am unaware, but some people may need to be *extra* careful in the “Build Anticipation” phase. I say this because many people I know, including myself, have the problem of procrastination, wherein delaying a goal cultivates the “I start tomorrow” mentality and inaction replaces action and the goal never gets accomplished.

I would almost suggest that building anticipation by delaying the goal and setting a start date should only be done if you are actively doing many of the other steps recommended here as well.

Keep up the great writing ~

Jason
Intelligent Warrior Subconscious Training
http://www.liveloaded.com

Joseph Boustani Says:

January 30th, 2008, 18:04 pm

Exercise is a good thing for people at any age physically and mentally. Being Physically active not only keeps you better fit, but it improves your mood, keeps you more awake, and helps your heart pump blood more efficiently throughout the body. I suggest that everyone does some form of Physical Activity!

Elijah Palma Says:

February 4th, 2008, 19:46 pm

hey great post. im going through a hard time in my life, i needed this.

just wondering, but do you use any type of religion to get yourself motivated?

muggs Says:

February 12th, 2008, 14:55 pm

have no motivation-real easy to talk about-hard to do

Steven Roberts Says:

February 12th, 2008, 19:39 pm

I personally find that motivation is a state of mind and perception. Although it’s natural to feel emotional high’s and low’s, I’ve personally found that I can motivate myself in an instant through internal trigger’s, by thinking of times/events when I was extremely excited or motivated.

Much like meditation, closing your eyes and visualizing and creating the same feelings that I felt in the past during a time when I accomplished something that was a challenge, or thinking about a time that I was vacationing and experienced something very cool or unexpeted. I think you can also achieve motivation by stepping out of your daily routine and environment. Take a day trip, a different way to work, take a train rather than drive….

When living in L.A. years ago, I rented a Ferrari from an exotic car rental outfit and tooled around for the weekend as if I had accomplished all of my financial goals and was enjoying a life of abundance. Although it cost me $1,000, it was a very cool and motivational time that actually helped me achieve goals that I hadn’t been able to for months prior! I’d recommend this type of “breaking old habit” action step for anyone in a rut!

muggs Says:

February 13th, 2008, 13:55 pm

steven, i like your way of thinking-gonna step out and try it-what do i have to lose-absolutely nothing-sure sounds like fun-thanks

Steven Roberts Says:

February 13th, 2008, 16:36 pm

Thank you Muggs, I appreciate the kind words! It really does work, I can verify the results based on my personal experience. And to your point, what do you have to lose? Most people unfortunately subscribe to the old “definition of insanity”…they try doing the same things, the same way and expect different results….which used to include me!

I hope you are as inspired as I am when breaking through the predictable daily routine and changing habits that you’ve become accustomed to!

muggs Says:

February 14th, 2008, 17:14 pm

yes, are you sure you don’t know me-ha ha-yes, i’m in the insanity slump-looking for the fire i used to have in my gut-are you a friend of bills’-sounds like it-by the way, happy valentines day

Steven Roberts Says:

February 14th, 2008, 18:43 pm

We’re all guilty of “that slump”…more often than we care to admit Muggs! I’m not a friend of Bill, but I hope to make many friends as a member of this sight. Like minded individuals typically have common interests and goals. I’d like to leave you with a quote that I found several years ago (the group may or may not be familiar with it) and it gets me back on track whenever I’m not feeling inspired.

“It is something to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and
medium through which we look, which morally we can do.
To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of the arts.”
-Henry David Thoreau-

Have a great evening!

muggs Says:

February 14th, 2008, 19:41 pm

boy, you sure know how to get the message across-don’t know what else to say right now-one of my strenghths, been told is creativity-can’t believe you zeroed in on that-kind of freaky, anyway keep telling me what you think, if you don’t mind-muggs

Steven Roberts Says:

February 15th, 2008, 13:24 pm

Will do Muggs….community and network support are very important in today’s age of technology! I’ll stay in touch!

All the Best,

Steven

muggs Says:

February 15th, 2008, 15:08 pm

i agree about the technology,which i hate-yes, i’m a computer virgin-therefore, i usually cannot find anything i’m looking for–but my problem is truly getting off my butt-i’m very spiritual-i feel like religous people fear hell and spiritual people have already been there, you know?so, how can you just make up your mind, and do it-like nike says just do it-easier said then done-i used to be a wildcat now only a purr-i want that fire back-can’t seem to get it and don’t know why-muggs

tal galili Says:

February 27th, 2008, 13:44 pm

Great article. I am just having difficulties on studying for an exam - and you’re writing was just the thing I needed.
Thanks !

Tal.

Lost Says:

March 10th, 2008, 1:10 am

Leo,

just stumbled upon your blog today after entering “finding happiness” in a popular search engine (won’t name the engine as I don’t want to endorse product placement when you have made your position on that pretty clear in some past articles).

I found this article very encouraging and have a renewed hope that things in my life will improve. I recently left a 6 figure job, sold my house and posessions so that i could move closer to my family, in particular my mother who is aging and also to seek out intrinsic hapiness. I have lived very far away from them for the past 7 years while I focused on my career and during that time lost my father. To make a long story short, I have been looking for a job in my profession for a couple of months now with no luck and was feeling hopeless and unmotivated.

The article with its tools on its own was very helpful however, what was more helpful was the inspiration that I felt when reading this and other articles of yours-the tone, the sincerity, the authentic genuineness, the personal and humble approach- putting yourself out there to help your fellow human beings without any desire for monetary compensation.

The whole job predicament seems small and conquerable- especially in contrast with the the positive energy and things you are doing to help people.

Thanks, kudos, and keep up the great work!

Ashley Says:

April 8th, 2008, 15:39 pm

I am really glad that I read this article. I have been really feeling like I have recently entered a “slump” right now. I just feel like I have a lot going on with studying for exams, getting school work done, and although I work also, (and really just on the weekends at my part-time job) I also feel like having all of these things going on at the same time is making is difficult to make social commitments with my friends. I would love to learn how to become 100% motivated, so that I can learn how to complete all of my work at a good time of each day, so that I can be once again social with my peers. I would love to hear as much feedback as possible, so please help me with advice if you are able to! :) Thank you.

Cricket Says:

April 15th, 2008, 18:45 pm

Thank you for this post. I stumbled onto ZenHabits the other day for another reason, and when I did a google search on this topic today and saw it again, I figured I should check it out. I’m glad I did — I’m thinking about starting a blog now to help me with getting motivated. My mom is always trying to get me to read these motivational things, but I never really believed they’d actually make me think. So thanks!

NeedThis now Says:

May 7th, 2008, 20:29 pm

Short and crisp…love this article..

I am sure everyone will agree that this articles great tips will definitely help us in keeping motivated leading to ultimately achieve what we want to ..

4cused Says:

June 6th, 2008, 14:15 pm

On this post, I was motivated to say this:
Whenever you find yourself in a slump:

Be your best friend
Be your best motivator
Be your best cheer
Be your best admirer
Be your best coach

I won’t lie, keeping up with these five things when you are least capable is NOT easy. However, mastering the ability to through practice will take you longer stretches in goal achievement.

Why?

Because when we are least discouraged, most people:
Do not know you better than you do
Do not understand the situation better than you do
Will want to avoid you because of your negative status.

Therefore, being your own: friend,motivator,cheer,admirer and coach will guarantee forward motion even when NO ONE else is there with you.

Gabe Says:

June 16th, 2008, 19:02 pm

I found your suggestions pretty good. Those of us that suffer from these syndromes do have a tough time facing the world.
Bummer that we need to give so much effort just to feel good about ourselves…and thats only part of the battle. Hats off to all that succeed.

Vern at AimforAwesome Says:

July 14th, 2008, 23:40 pm

Tony Robbins has this interesting technique where he associates some physical action - snapping the fingers or saying something a few times to get himself fired up about something. You know? IT WORKS. I’ve used it over and over to get myself into a good mood, motivated to work and accomplish things.

My present method, and I’ll do a video about this soon on the site - it should prove quite funny and ridiculous but this is what I do… I start walking back and forth in my apartment. I go faster and faster I start hopping a little bit… swinging my arms and shaking them out like I’m a swimmer getting ready to jump off the platform.

I start jumping… I start saying things to myself - “Ok, now you’re feeling better… what do you need to do? And? And? Ok, so you’re going to whip through those 175 pages you need to edit on ThaiPulse and then shoot the photos for Aim. Then you’re going to… ”

And so on. Sometimes I talk to myself to really pump myself up by challenging me to do odd things and things I’ve been putting off. Maybe I’ll make myself drive right now to the park and run at the hottest time of the day. Or, write that email I’ve been putting off getting started on. Answer my comments on Aim. Etc.

Walking, stretching out, hopping, jumping - you can’t help but start to get motivated. My whole physiology changes - my mind changes. I can’t be in a slack mood when my body is jumping around the room - it’s impossible. So, make your body do something active… motivation, happiness, follows.

Stacy Says:

July 16th, 2008, 13:37 pm

Thank you for this post, I have been having a hell of a time getting going on my masters in architecture project. I am going to use your tips to get the work done and graduate in December!

camelia Says:

July 21st, 2008, 7:05 am

Thanks for such interesting posts, I will try to use this 16 ways, may be it will make me better and more interesting person.

ferd Says:

July 21st, 2008, 12:22 pm

Hey,

For some reason, I received an email today from this blog. And when read this post, I took a big sigh of relief because I was right in a slump. This is just what I needed at this particular point in my life. It directly hit the target and am so thankful to who wrote this post.

You see, I am now thinking of the benefits, not the difficulties…and now I have dumped my pessimism I had previously and in return I now feel like “my future is so bright it burns my eyes”

ferd.

arash Says:

July 23rd, 2008, 10:08 am

I tried to use these steps in order to get what I wanted, and you know I have got. I think the whole meaning of thought in force.

what is going on, blog Says:

July 31st, 2008, 15:34 pm

These are helpful tips to get a person out of a rut.

cortney Says:

August 18th, 2008, 13:22 pm

thanks im a cross country runner and for the last few months i havent been running because i havent been able to drag myself out of bed to do i felt so discouraged but this article gave me some great tips to get back on my feet and start running again!

Jackie Says:

August 21st, 2008, 14:52 pm

Am in slump. Would rather put off/make excuses than get on with the job in hand, whether it be a spring clean indoors or starting to exercise. I find something to do like watching telly or playing computer games and then a few hours down the line, seriously put myself down by telling myself how useless I am for wasting a day, being lazy etc etc. A no win situation!

ms hopeful Says:

September 8th, 2008, 0:50 am

hi leo,
thanks for your writings, you are a blessing,to me, i am startng my journey to financial freedom, but am having difficulty setting a goal. am overwhelmed by my huge credit card debts. maybe you can help me how to start.

Kat Says:

September 22nd, 2008, 22:52 pm

Wow! I have been trying to accomplish so much in the last few months and I was not as successful as I would have liked to be at any of them. I got into a big slump and spent a few weeks sitting around thinking “why am I even bothering?”
Then I found this article and had a “lightbulb moment” when I read the first point.

I am about to finish my Masters degree so my One Goal is to Graduate - I have put up little signs around my desk at work and all over my home and I tell you it has kept me motivated to study.

Also, being the timetable oriented person that I am I have made up a little spreadsheet of every week of the rest of the semester with one goal on each of them (eg, start research for this essay), so at the end of the week I go over my goal and put a big tick next to it. I have also scheduled study time and I find this enormously helpful. Eg, a friend of mine said to me once, timetable just two hours on a saturday and a sunday - that way at the end of the weekend you have done 4 hours worth of work and it hasn’t taken up your whole weekend.

If you are a mad scheduler like me I recommend a similar approach.

Just my two bits, and thank you for helping me find my mojo again, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Miss Gisele B | myBeautyMatch.com Says:

November 4th, 2008, 8:04 am

Excellent post as usual. Bookmarked this post.

Valeria | TimelessLessons Says:

November 7th, 2008, 9:55 am

Definitely some worthwhile advice! People can choose to take it or not. Its that simple.

I find it helpful to remind yourself that the mind naturally focuses on past thoughts, like fear or doubt because you taught it to do that an you buy into it.

This will only continue until you take steps to program yourself to think about a different future.

Vani Says:

November 13th, 2008, 21:20 pm

Dear Leo,

this entry is more than great! I would very much like to quote it on my blog of course with a link to its origin. Would you allow me to do that?

Best, Van

Ron Towns Says:

November 17th, 2008, 14:52 pm

I feel that the key to achieving goals is to start the process of transforming counter-productive habits into more positive, goal-oriented ones. The subconscious mind is much more powerful than most give it credit for! You may not realize, but your subconscious thoughts translate into habits- your conscious mind will actually try to execute your subconscious thoughts. So, in essence, changing your thoughts into more positive ones will create more productive habits. This way, you can better achieve your goals.

I use visualization every single day to calm my nerves and create focus around my goals and desired outcomes in life.

Another method I use on top of this is the use of a vision boards. Have you ever heard of them? They are images pasted on a board that represent your hopes, dreams, and goals. Studying these boards every days plants seeds of these goals within your subconscious mind.

John Assaraf does a better job of explaining this and showing you how to do it in his new book “The Complete Vision Board Kit.” I downloaded the free chapter here at http://www.TheVisionBoardKit.com.

Miss Gisele B | myBeautyMatch.com Says:

November 20th, 2008, 3:10 am

Excellent and timely post Leo. I have a given a digg to your post.

Arjun Says:

November 22nd, 2008, 0:10 am

I don’t agree with the one goal policy. I am a student and I want to do good in school and get healthier at the same time. I cannot leave my exercising goals behind and keep studying. I need to balance my routines to achieve both.

Other than than, some great motivation! I will start writing pathways to my goals in my diary :)

Rori Raye Says:

December 5th, 2008, 16:51 pm

You are so totally brilliant. I second your uncopyright, and your huge success shows the rightness of your thinking. Love this post - I am a supremely “productive” person - with always so much on my plate, and lots of internal motivation to do all of it - and using my own Tools to let all that mind work go and enjoy a walk with my dog on a visceral level is the challenge.

I usually wake up raring to get to my computer to write - even with several projects going at once - and when I’m NOT feeling that way - I dial back and see if I can find the inspiration that got me started on the project in the first place. Usually it shows up as a new direction - something I hadn’t thought of before - new input I let in by just BEING in the world instead of trying to think it up. Thanks, I’ll be visiting often, Rori Raye

Tiffany J. Says:

December 8th, 2008, 14:33 pm

This article is awesome. I think you pretty much hit the head on the nail and since I have decided to take action against my depression, this article definitely provides more than enough pointers. I felt very calm just reading it since I knew you were not trying to sell me anything but the truth. Thanks for the great writing and I will definitely be adding you to my blogroll.

Eva Says:

December 19th, 2008, 16:35 pm

I think this is great post. I’ve been feeling particularly bored lately, despite having much to do on the horizon. I simply can’t make myself move forward with my goals. This entry helped me find some ways to kick my butt into gear and get working.

http://www.evaisawriter.com

Родион Says:

January 1st, 2009, 11:01 am

Вот именно поэтому и иногда не хочется двигаться вперёд!

Fran Says:

January 13th, 2009, 20:41 pm

I’ve struggled with getting regular exercise most of my life, but 6 months ago I started walking and built up to 3 or more miles at least 5 days a week. Instead of not telling anyone (I’m a very private person), I talked about how much I was enjoying it and my plans to stick with it. I’ve lost about 25 pounds, and am still receiving a lot of support and encouragement about My Walking from friends and family members I never would have suspected would even remember. When you commit publicly, you open up a great potential source of support.

Henning Says:

January 15th, 2009, 6:00 am

One Point of this Article reminds me of:

http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Procrastination-Using-Self-Talk

I really like the tips there!
Thanks for the Article, its great!

Chicago Shoes Says:

January 21st, 2009, 13:57 pm

I am so happy I found this site. I like #11 - start small. I started exercising again last year by accident. I had some heavy shoes (heavy for me) and I simply started lifting them overhead for the fun of it. I began doing it many times during the day and it provided the spark that eventually got me back to the gym. Starting small works.

Jett Brenner Says:

January 21st, 2009, 20:59 pm

I like #11, Start Small. This harnesses the power of momentum. When faced with exercise of work, I tell myself that I will just do it for 5 minutes. I am so surprised at how often 5 minutes turns into 1 hour or more.

This is the power of momentum. It is hard to start, but once you do, it is harder to stop.

This 5 minute rule has been an important part in many of the goals I have achieved!

Good luck!

Prakhar Says:

January 22nd, 2009, 10:10 am

Hi
I believe you are doing well.

I am a student of first year Master’s Course in Computer Application. I had an affair with a girl in my college which went on for a month and half. Even after the breakup I used to converse with her for some time, however any communication with her used to upset me alot. So I finally stopped conversation with her. She approached me several times but I ignored her. So she finally stopped conversing with me.
Due to all this I went into deep depression and I have also stopped going to my college as well. I have lost interest in academics and also getting negative thoughts of leaving my course of masters degree program.
I applied various techniques such as talking to people, doing yoga, meditation, tunining of subconsious mind, partying hard to relieve stress etc.
I get motivated by theses things however the motivation is very temporary and I loose it the very next moment.
Please help me so that I can maintain my sudden spike of motivation for a longer duration of time.
I am really tired of applying all possible techniques.
However I am still very hopefull that something will work for me to get rid of my problems regarding motivation.
Please help me, I am in a deep mess.

Don Shine Says:

January 25th, 2009, 0:35 am

Nice post - some quality points here…

Check my blog for some daily inspiration

Alecks Says:

February 3rd, 2009, 1:56 am

Thanks for this, it’s very helpful. I’m a senior in high school with a butt-load of AP classes and some large-project websites set up for me to work on. I’m lucky to have passed last semester with a B average.

I want to be motivated, but it just doesn’t seem to come. I want to write my World History papers and do my Calculus homework, but I can’t make myself.

Ah, well - I’ll get there!

Devin | Pet Meds Says:

February 9th, 2009, 12:13 pm

Leo,

In number 3-Get Excited “seeing the benefits of the goal in my head” was the big one for me. I read so many motivational books because there’s not much to excite you everyday if you are running an e-commerce business. Thank you for all the great posts and I’m loving your book so far :)

tara Says:

February 18th, 2009, 13:47 pm

Hello do you have a personal email that I could send a message to?

Kev Jaques Says:

February 21st, 2009, 14:34 pm

Despite this being an old post it is equally relative a few years later (the art of a good blog post!)

Completely agree with the negative into positive, with a little thought it is totally possible to reverse the tables and make something of it.
Also to concentrate/focus on small things, finish them, then move onto the next is key.

Matt Chatterley Says:

February 21st, 2009, 15:46 pm

Hey, even though this is an old post - it’s great - and it’s definitely spot on the money these days.

I’m focussing on #1 at the moment - one single goal into which all of my efforts go!

cheryl Moran Says:

February 24th, 2009, 19:29 pm

I just came across this post and even though it is old it just gave me the motivation to go to my dads house and start cleaning it out. He is in a nursing home and my son is going to live there for awhile but is bringing his things and his girlfriend and her things so I need to get personal things out. It is very hard but I went there after reading this and spent just an hour and feel really good and can go back tomorrow. I just needed some motivation and the written word to help me get started.

Daniel K Says:

March 4th, 2009, 14:18 pm

Great, article as always! I’ve linked to my post http://limeaide.blogspot.com/2009/03/staleness-trap.html

Michelle Says:

March 5th, 2009, 2:00 am

LEO you said we could email you! What is your email?
Great article! Love it!

L.A. Says:

March 10th, 2009, 17:58 pm

Inertia, loss of focus, procrastination, I know them well. I’ve found a couple things that help me get the engine started if I’ve found I’ve gotten off track. For at least a week, I keep a journal and after every couple hours, I write down what I’ve done (8-10 watched reruns of something I’ve already seen three times). It shows me where and how I’m spending my time. I also decide I’m going to do something for just ten, fifteen, thirty minutes (like I’m going to get up, walk to the computer, turn it on and write an outline). I find that often the time has gone by and I’m still working. Not cures, but they help me.

Clarice Says:

March 16th, 2009, 13:16 pm

I feel that I’ve really stumbled onto something good here. I have worked hard for many many years and now want to slow down. However the slump I have found myself in is really hard to pull out of. I’m in a push, push job but know that I have to do what I can in small steps, I just don’t have the same amount of stamina I once had.

Tom Says:

March 26th, 2009, 11:47 am

Think about it daily. If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true. To this end, posting the goal on your wall or computer desktop (as mentioned above) helps a lot. Sending yourself daily reminders also helps. And if you can commit to doing one small thing to further your goal (even just 5 minutes) every single day, your goal will almost certainly come true. I tned to agree with this statement.

Mystic Madness Says:

March 27th, 2009, 7:44 am

very relevant thought. I think its important to keep the negative thoughts out and be positive at all the times. The more you think of success the more you get attuned to it. I have recently started to read your posts and they are very nice.

гoлЬeтти Says:

April 7th, 2009, 7:25 am

Оформление зачет :) Сами дизайн делали или тема?

Motivational Says:

April 11th, 2009, 18:47 pm

Not too long ago, I finally realized the power of the first tip: having ONE goal. For years I was focused on too many goals at once and ended up failing on almost all of them. Now my focus is like a laser beam, on one goal at a time. In terms of goal achievement, it’s changed everything.

Brian Says:

May 2nd, 2009, 2:20 am

Sometimes to get myself motivated all it takes is reading about someone else’s success story. How they progressed towards their goal, the slumps they themselves encountered. Or even watching a movie that motivates you, inspires you. One movie that seems to always motivate me in study and exercise is the movie ”Rudy”. It may sound stupid, but somehow it get’s me excited about being more motivated and persistent in the course towards my goal. Right now I could really use a motivator movie, hence the reason I’m reading this article!

KizAccoff Says:

May 2nd, 2009, 12:39 pm

Блог в ридер однозначно

KizAccoff Says:

May 5th, 2009, 14:36 pm

Вот решил вам немного помочь и послал этот пост в социальные закладки. Очень надеюсь ваш рейтинг возрастет.

KizAccoff Says:

May 5th, 2009, 15:37 pm

Почему этот вебсайт не имейте другую поддержку языков?

Itatteswits Says:

May 5th, 2009, 16:18 pm

Я извиняюсь, что немного не в тему, а что такое RSS? и ка на него подписаться?

LOST Says:

May 5th, 2009, 22:17 pm

Hey there Leo,

RE: Update to my post of March 10, 2008 @1:10 a.m. under the name LOST

So its been just over a year since I read your article during the worst time i can ever recall going through in my life.

I’m pleased to let you know that things have dramatically turned around for me and I can thank your article and website as a source of inspiration that launched my “off my butt”.

You can really feel the sense of desparation and doom in my original post, and when I read it today, I can still vividly recall the hoplessness I felt during that time. Its hard to imagine i’ve come such a long way when i my future seemed absolutely hopeless.

Change #1: Well- I started going back to the gym- an activity which I used to love years ago but had foregone in exchange for working longer hours in the mad corporate world. I am at my all time best shape of my life- 6 foot 1, 195 lbs of lean muscle-

Change #2: I started my own consulting business and began dabbling in real estate to help pay the bills as I established my business. I’m proud to say that I grossed a half million dollars in less than 9 months and have a staff of 5 working in my practice.

My energy and spirit are at an all time high, and It all began to turn around after reading this article- Why it had such an impact on me? I don’t know- much of it is common sense however it was the right thing at the right time to help me overcome the perfect storm.

thanks for your help Leo, and keep up the great work!

p.s. do I owe you some sort of commisison or “finders fee” for helping me “find my mojo”? : )

Matthew Says:

May 7th, 2009, 10:23 am

Great points you mentioned, the problem is to stick to them. My main problem is that I always want to do many things at one go and therefore I end up finishing none and feel down. I will try to stick to your suggestions.

fleeloalult Says:

May 10th, 2009, 13:03 pm

Интересно, а почему так редко блог обновляете?

helefyv Says:

May 13th, 2009, 6:07 am

Спасибо вам за сайт, очень полезный ресурс, мне очень нравится

kefasot Says:

May 14th, 2009, 17:56 pm

Интересно, а почему так редко блог обновляете?

kynisaz Says:

May 14th, 2009, 19:10 pm

Очень интересно. Но чего-то не хватает. Может быть, стоит добавить каких-нибудь картинок или фото?

jasytep Says:

May 15th, 2009, 4:37 am

Хорошо пишете. Надеюсь, когда-нибудь увижу нечто подобное и на своем блоге…

kosihem Says:

May 15th, 2009, 6:03 am

Опутеть как интересно, во задвигаете. Класс!

lutucho Says:

May 15th, 2009, 6:42 am

Опутеть как интересно, во задвигаете. Класс!

ditujih Says:

May 15th, 2009, 8:36 am

Хорошо пишете. Учились где-то или просто с опытом пришло?

komamoc Says:

May 15th, 2009, 9:31 am

Хм, почему-то у меня вместо заголовка блога вопросики…

zychady Says:

May 15th, 2009, 10:26 am

Не стану говорить за остальных, но именно мне этот пoст понравился.

Vivek Says:

May 19th, 2009, 5:48 am

Its a wonderful article & i plan to read it over & over again cos it really enlivens me .Thanks once again & please do post similar articles

Брокер Says:

May 19th, 2009, 13:02 pm

А ещё посты из этой серии будут?

gigacak Says:

May 25th, 2009, 5:06 am

Что-то футер у вас вправо съехал (в опере при разрешении 1024х768)

kumuvuj Says:

May 25th, 2009, 7:24 am

Спасибо огромное. Почитал и понравилось. Картинок бы ещё.

gosahot Says:

May 25th, 2009, 8:11 am

Хорошо пишете. Учились где-то или просто с опытом пришло?

radazuh Says:

May 25th, 2009, 9:18 am

Добавил в свои закладки. Теперь буду вас намного почаще читать!

goquiby Says:

May 25th, 2009, 10:36 am

Хорошо пишете. Учились где-то или просто с опытом пришло?

jepukuq Says:

May 25th, 2009, 11:35 am

Опутеть как интересно, во задвигаете. Класс!

rylocul Says:

May 25th, 2009, 12:07 pm

Добавил в свои закладки. Теперь буду вас намного почаще читать!

Everything Counts Says:

May 26th, 2009, 10:34 am

Goal setting plays a major role to your motivation and success. Your goal can be as basic as to learn driving or losing body weight. Focus on what you desire and off what you don’t want. So, set your goals and start working on the ways to achieve them. - Paul

mymytop Says:

June 6th, 2009, 3:22 am

Хорошо пишете. Надеюсь, когда-нибудь увижу нечто подобное и на своем блоге…

mymytop Says:

June 6th, 2009, 7:08 am

Хм… Как раз на эту тему думал, а тут такой пост шикарный, спасибо!

free divorce papers Says:

June 7th, 2009, 0:54 am

Find inspiration… “If others can do it, why can’t I?”

doracot Says:

June 7th, 2009, 1:02 am

Хорошо пишете. Учились где-то или просто с опытом пришло?

jynogor Says:

June 7th, 2009, 6:07 am

Хм… Как раз на эту тему думал, а тут такой пост шикарный, спасибо!

Kym Says:

June 8th, 2009, 19:19 pm

Now, let me start by saying, when it comes to motivation, I’ve learned how to talk to myself, and be my best friend. A while back I had made it my goal to start working out and losing weight. I started small, and little by little, it started falling off. I kept telling myself, I’m NOT going to give up after a week. “If after a month, I don’t see any improvement, I can give up.” Well I didn’t. Months and months went by, and I just kept renewing goals, and seeing unbelieveable results. In about 5 months, I lost 85lbs. I was so happy and proud, I felt like the poster child for a positive attitude. I fell in love with running, I started small and eventually got to running 6 miles a day!!! Suddenly, my hips and knees started to hurt, and I was told, maybe I should chill out. Just 20lbs from my goal. But, I decided the pain was too much, and slowed it down to 5 miles about 4 days a week. I wasn’t losing any weight, but staying where I was, and I was content with that. Now here comes the events in the past six months. January, I lost my job and I felt guilty to be at the gym during the day not looking for another job, so, I stayed home more searching for a job. In Febuary, I tried to balance the two, job hunting and working out. It was going well until, I found out I was pregnant the end of Febuary, and ended up miscarrying in March. A few weeks after my miscarriage, I decided to again, pick myself up, look for a job, and workout. Then May 11th my father died unexpectantly. I’ve been trying so hard recently, to take my 62yr old fathers death as inspiration to better myself. But it is increasingly difficult to find a job, deal with the miscarriage, workout, and deal with the death of my father. I make it to the gym about 3 times a week, and a five mile run seems like torture. In this past 6 months, I’ve slowly gained 20lbs, and I can feel people looking at me as if I’ve fallen off my bandwagon. I’m hoping in some way, even getting all of this off my chest can help.

a Says:

June 15th, 2009, 7:35 am

Great, thanks very much!

Gardening Says:

June 22nd, 2009, 14:49 pm

Awesome tips…
I think i will be always get motivated everytime I read this list
my favorite in zenhabits

manyak Says:

June 27th, 2009, 14:14 pm

Put another way - everyone can benefit from injecting a bit of Zen into their lives!

Too much rush these days; take a few minutes out, think about what you are doing and optimize - destress - become more efficient. :D

bajama Says:

June 28th, 2009, 15:46 pm

hi.
your posts are great thank you for that!
i have a question. do you have any posts or tips for having a bad conscience and getting out of it to get your energy back and be able to make good your mistake?
i sometimes just feel inefficient when i am with people and i am maybe nervous and i cant act like i would like to act, like not being able to help other people because i get unsure and nervous with lots of people listening…and i have a very bad conscience somtimes then later because i urt someone.
but as long as i have this big bad conscince i am not able to change myself or to make it good, to excuse myself or to do anything about it, i just feel bad.
i am sure somebody has some tips to get out of this circle of this hole…
thanks…bjama

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