Thinking big uses up copious amounts of our precious brainpower, as if concentrating in a boring meeting wasn’t already hard enough. It’s no surprise then, that when we’re working toward our goals, our motivation often ebbs and flows at times. Staying motivated can sometimes be more difficult than achieving the goal itself!
The International Authority for Professional Coaching & Mentoring is the leading accreditation authority for professional coaches. With that in mind, their Sales & Marketing director, Dawn Ann Campbell, is sharing her five ways to stay motivated enough to achieve your goals:
- Connect with a mentor in a similar field – motivation is like Vitamin C; your body cannot make it, you need to find it from another source! Pursuing our goals can often leave us tired and wondering if we’ll be able to make it to the finish line. When your motivation is running low, finding a mentor or anyone you aspire to – who has achieved what you want to achieve – can easily top-up your motivation levels.
- Break down the big goal into many small goals – by minimising goals into more reachable targets, your goals won’t seem nearly as distant. If you reward every small successful step you make, before you know it, you’ll have achieved something big.
- Keep a journal for your achievements – every time someone gives you praise, note it down! It’ll help for those doubtful times as you can read through kind words, know you’re on the right path, and make a positive difference.
- Feed your brain plenty of inspirational material – feast on other people’s success stories. Surrounding yourself with success will make you feel successful in a, ‘If they can do it, so can I’ way. Other people’s stories are amazingly powerful (and if reading isn’t your thing, listen to audio books, go to seminars, or listen to free webinars / YouTube).
- Share your goals with others – having an idea can sometimes be the hardest part of the process. Accountability is key to actioning the idea – if you’re held accountable by someone else, you’ll become more passionate and more likely to achieve! This is why having a coach is so powerful – they’re more likely to remind you of your goals and do everything they can to help!