Motivational Speaker & AuthorChris Widener is a popular American motivational speaker, author, and owner of two very popular motivational websites online (Made for Success & Extraodinary Leaders).
I receive many emails from people that basically ask the same question: How can I keep myself motivated long term? This seems to be quite a common dilemma for many people so I want to address it because it can be done! Here are my tips for staying motivated:
Get motivated every day.Zig Ziglar was once confronted about being a “motivational speaker.” The guy said to him, “You guys come and get people hyped up and then you leave and the motivation goes away. It doesn’t last, and then you have to get motivated again.” Zig reminded the gentleman that baths are the same way but we think it is a good idea to take a bath every day!
It is true that motivation doesn’t last. We have to renew it each and every day. That is okay. It doesn’t make motivation a bad thing. We simply have to realize that if we want to stay motivated over the long term, it is something we will have to apply to ourselves each and every day.
Have a vision for your life.The root word of motivation is “motive.” The definition of motive is, “A reason to act.” This is the cognitive or rational side of motivation. It is your vision. You have to have a vision that is big enough to motivate you. If you are making $50,000 a year, it isn’t going to motivate you to set your goal at $52,000 a year. You just won’t get motivated for that because the reward isn’t enough. Maybe $70,000 a year would work for you. Set out a vision and a strategy for getting there. Have a plan and work the plan.
Fuel your passion.Much of motivation is emotional. I don’t know quite how it works but I do know THAT it works. Emotion is a powerful force in getting us going. Passion is an emotion, so fuel your passion. “Well, I like to work on logic,” you may say. Great, now work on your passion. Set yourself on a course to have a consuming desire for your goal, whatever it is. Do whatever you can to feel the emotion and use it to your advantage!
Work hard enough to get results.You can build on your motivation by getting results. The harder you work, the more results you will get and the more results you get, the more you will be motivated to get more. These things all build on one another. If you want to lose weight, then lose the first few pounds. When the belt moves to the next notch you will get fired up to get it to the notch beyond that!
Put good materials into your mind.I can’t say this enough – listen to tapes. I still listen to tapes regularly. I buy tape clubs from other speakers and I learn and grow. Their successes motivate me to get my own successes! Read good books. Read books that teach you new ideas and skills. Read books that tell the stories of successful people. Buy them, read them, and get motivated! Buy great music and listen to it. I just did a spinning class at the club today. Whenever a good song came on I was actually able to get motivated to ride faster! It gets you going and motivates you!
Ride the momentum when it comes.Sometimes you will just be clicking and sometimes you won’t. That is okay. It is the cycle of life. When you aren’t clicking, plug away. When you are clicking, pour it on because momentum will help you get larger gains in a shorter period of time with less energy. That is the Momentum Equation! When you are feeling good about how your work is going, ride the momentum and get as much out of it as you can! These are the top six ways to stay motivated: Get motivated every day.
Have a vision for your life.
Fuel your passion.
Work hard enough to get results.
Put good materials into your mind.
Ride the momentum when it comes.
These are simple principles, that when you put them to work regularly, will change your life by keeping you motivated all the time! Get going!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Secret To Success Is Preparation
Most of us have, deep at the center of our hearts, some things we would like to accomplish. But few of us dare to start on the
journey. We sit around blaming our circumstances on others and making excuses for our shortsightedness, then we go to our graves with unfulfilled dreams. Underneath it all, the real reason we don’t get the promotion, succeed in the business, or raise a happy, self-confident family is that we fail to prepare. We leave it to chance, hoping somehow things will turn out all right. We float on the ocean of life until we run aground and wreck ourselves.
No Excuses: It’s Up To You!
In 1983, I left Haiti with a Haitian Theater company to perform in Montreal, Canada. After a few appearances, I escaped from the troupe. Because the immigration department in Canada had no pity on immigrants, I faced the threat of going back to Haiti, and, believe me, that was not an option for me. Instead I paid a truck driver to smuggle me into the United States.
I remember how I had to wedge myself underneath the tractor-trailer, between the rear tires, in a push-up position. I was covered with dust, smoke and ashes. I had cramps in my legs, and I was shaking. I wanted to give up. But when I remembered my family and my friends back in Haiti who were counting on me for help, I had to hold on.
I finally made it to what I call the Promised Land — America. The truck driver literally dumped me in Brooklyn, New York. I was excited on one hand and confused on the other. It was as if I were swimming in a sea of change, and I had just two choices: Swim, or die. My only possessions consisted of one pair of pants, two shirts, and five dollars. In addition to that, I was unable to speak English. The only thing I knew for sure was that life was never going to be the same again!
I share my story with you to impress one thing upon you: No matter where you start in life, you can become a leader the moment you realize that if it’s going to be, it’s up to you.
Five Ways to Prepare Yourself for Success
1) Become an Avid Reader"Good leaders are good readers" —Jim Rohn
Abraham Lincoln once said that if he were given eight hours to chop down a tree, he would spend six hours sharpening his ax and two hours chopping down the tree. That is one of the true characteristics of a leader. We all should take time to sharpen our axes — by reading! Believe it or not, the average American reads just one book a year. What that means to you and me is that if we only read one book a month in our field, we will be twelve years ahead of the average person!
The late Earl Nightingale, in his book, The Strangest Secret, said that if we read for two hours every day on any subject, in five years, we would become national experts on that particular subject. And in ten years, we would have the equivalent of a Ph.D! To me, reading quality books is the ultimate joy in life. It rekindles my hope and takes me to new heights. It rejuvenates me and gives me a boost. We can no longer make excuses about not having time to read. Today we can even buy most books on tape, thereby turning our cars into a university on wheels while commuting to and from work! On the road to success, we must gather a lot of information through quality reading.
2) Network with Successful People
In America, there is an association for continuing education in every line of business. If we want to meet the movers and shakers directly, we have to become joiners. It’s amazing how accessible the "big dogs" are when we attend the networking events. It’s like being a small fish in a big pond. It allows us to bypass the gatekeepers — the assistants — and go straight to the decision-makers.
The best way to find out which associations you can join is to go to the library and ask for the Encyclopedia of Associations. Another great way to network is to join the local Chamber of Commerce. First, however, you must learn how to network and build strong referral systems. There are many books on the subject. One of them is by Harvey Mackay: Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.
3) Find a Mentor
Every great athlete, celebrity, and business executive can point to a mentor — a coach. They each had people who helped them to get where they are. One of the best methods of preparation is to find a mentor — a person who has been there, done that, and has gotten the T-shirt — to guide you along the way.
Whether you want to move up in your company or establish a solid business of your own, a mentor can make a significant difference. And you don’t necessarily have to have just one mentor; you can have many. This may sound simple, but it is powerful! No matter what line of business you are in, you need a coach — someone you talk with about your failures and successes, someone who can advise you. How do you find a mentor? Just ASK!
People normally love to talk about their successes and how they accomplished them. They are eager to help us if we courteously ask them. For many years I failed to put into practice the old advice in the Bible: "Ask and ye shall receive." Don’t let that happen to you — ASK!
4) Attend Continuing Education Classes
Our minds are like leaky buckets; what we know is constantly dripping out. I read a story about a man who was working for a company for about twenty years. It seems like they always passed over him for promotions. Ironically, he had trained new hires who would eventually become his boss! One day he confronted the president of the company about the situation. He told his boss that he was being treated unfairly, especially since he had had twenty years of experience with the company. The president sat the man down and told him, "No! You only have one year of experience repeated for twenty years."
How long have you been in your line of business? Are you getting new knowledge, or are you applying old knowledge? If we are going to thrive and survive in these turbulent times, we must expand our minds. And one of the best ways of expanding is to attend adult learning classes at the local colleges, universities, and technical schools. They are very affordable, and they also have flexible schedules. There are no excuses: IT’S UP TO YOU!
5) Find Time for a Quiet Reflection
The great philosophers, thinkers, scientists, and business gurus always find quiet time to be alone — to ponder, recharge, and flood their minds with images of their future goals. We should never be so busy chasing a dream that we are no longer able to visualize it in our minds. There are times when the burdens are heavy, but this is when we need to enter our inner world and examine our lives. Socrates once said to his students, "An unexamined life is not worth living." Quiet reflection is a time to get to know the invisible power that sustains our lives. Starting today, take a few moments every day to reflect.
A Final Note
I would love to meet you personally to find out what you are doing to prepare yourself for success. The old adage says that the road to success is always under construction. It is the same for our self-improvement. If you are not constantly adding new tools to your toolbox, you will always be where you are today. I urge you to read, find a mentor, network with other leaders, and find
time for a quiet reflection.
I wish you incredible success!
Rene Godefroy
culled by Ebi Nwose.Jerry
journey. We sit around blaming our circumstances on others and making excuses for our shortsightedness, then we go to our graves with unfulfilled dreams. Underneath it all, the real reason we don’t get the promotion, succeed in the business, or raise a happy, self-confident family is that we fail to prepare. We leave it to chance, hoping somehow things will turn out all right. We float on the ocean of life until we run aground and wreck ourselves.
No Excuses: It’s Up To You!
In 1983, I left Haiti with a Haitian Theater company to perform in Montreal, Canada. After a few appearances, I escaped from the troupe. Because the immigration department in Canada had no pity on immigrants, I faced the threat of going back to Haiti, and, believe me, that was not an option for me. Instead I paid a truck driver to smuggle me into the United States.
I remember how I had to wedge myself underneath the tractor-trailer, between the rear tires, in a push-up position. I was covered with dust, smoke and ashes. I had cramps in my legs, and I was shaking. I wanted to give up. But when I remembered my family and my friends back in Haiti who were counting on me for help, I had to hold on.
I finally made it to what I call the Promised Land — America. The truck driver literally dumped me in Brooklyn, New York. I was excited on one hand and confused on the other. It was as if I were swimming in a sea of change, and I had just two choices: Swim, or die. My only possessions consisted of one pair of pants, two shirts, and five dollars. In addition to that, I was unable to speak English. The only thing I knew for sure was that life was never going to be the same again!
I share my story with you to impress one thing upon you: No matter where you start in life, you can become a leader the moment you realize that if it’s going to be, it’s up to you.
Five Ways to Prepare Yourself for Success
1) Become an Avid Reader"Good leaders are good readers" —Jim Rohn
Abraham Lincoln once said that if he were given eight hours to chop down a tree, he would spend six hours sharpening his ax and two hours chopping down the tree. That is one of the true characteristics of a leader. We all should take time to sharpen our axes — by reading! Believe it or not, the average American reads just one book a year. What that means to you and me is that if we only read one book a month in our field, we will be twelve years ahead of the average person!
The late Earl Nightingale, in his book, The Strangest Secret, said that if we read for two hours every day on any subject, in five years, we would become national experts on that particular subject. And in ten years, we would have the equivalent of a Ph.D! To me, reading quality books is the ultimate joy in life. It rekindles my hope and takes me to new heights. It rejuvenates me and gives me a boost. We can no longer make excuses about not having time to read. Today we can even buy most books on tape, thereby turning our cars into a university on wheels while commuting to and from work! On the road to success, we must gather a lot of information through quality reading.
2) Network with Successful People
In America, there is an association for continuing education in every line of business. If we want to meet the movers and shakers directly, we have to become joiners. It’s amazing how accessible the "big dogs" are when we attend the networking events. It’s like being a small fish in a big pond. It allows us to bypass the gatekeepers — the assistants — and go straight to the decision-makers.
The best way to find out which associations you can join is to go to the library and ask for the Encyclopedia of Associations. Another great way to network is to join the local Chamber of Commerce. First, however, you must learn how to network and build strong referral systems. There are many books on the subject. One of them is by Harvey Mackay: Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.
3) Find a Mentor
Every great athlete, celebrity, and business executive can point to a mentor — a coach. They each had people who helped them to get where they are. One of the best methods of preparation is to find a mentor — a person who has been there, done that, and has gotten the T-shirt — to guide you along the way.
Whether you want to move up in your company or establish a solid business of your own, a mentor can make a significant difference. And you don’t necessarily have to have just one mentor; you can have many. This may sound simple, but it is powerful! No matter what line of business you are in, you need a coach — someone you talk with about your failures and successes, someone who can advise you. How do you find a mentor? Just ASK!
People normally love to talk about their successes and how they accomplished them. They are eager to help us if we courteously ask them. For many years I failed to put into practice the old advice in the Bible: "Ask and ye shall receive." Don’t let that happen to you — ASK!
4) Attend Continuing Education Classes
Our minds are like leaky buckets; what we know is constantly dripping out. I read a story about a man who was working for a company for about twenty years. It seems like they always passed over him for promotions. Ironically, he had trained new hires who would eventually become his boss! One day he confronted the president of the company about the situation. He told his boss that he was being treated unfairly, especially since he had had twenty years of experience with the company. The president sat the man down and told him, "No! You only have one year of experience repeated for twenty years."
How long have you been in your line of business? Are you getting new knowledge, or are you applying old knowledge? If we are going to thrive and survive in these turbulent times, we must expand our minds. And one of the best ways of expanding is to attend adult learning classes at the local colleges, universities, and technical schools. They are very affordable, and they also have flexible schedules. There are no excuses: IT’S UP TO YOU!
5) Find Time for a Quiet Reflection
The great philosophers, thinkers, scientists, and business gurus always find quiet time to be alone — to ponder, recharge, and flood their minds with images of their future goals. We should never be so busy chasing a dream that we are no longer able to visualize it in our minds. There are times when the burdens are heavy, but this is when we need to enter our inner world and examine our lives. Socrates once said to his students, "An unexamined life is not worth living." Quiet reflection is a time to get to know the invisible power that sustains our lives. Starting today, take a few moments every day to reflect.
A Final Note
I would love to meet you personally to find out what you are doing to prepare yourself for success. The old adage says that the road to success is always under construction. It is the same for our self-improvement. If you are not constantly adding new tools to your toolbox, you will always be where you are today. I urge you to read, find a mentor, network with other leaders, and find
time for a quiet reflection.
I wish you incredible success!
Rene Godefroy
culled by Ebi Nwose.Jerry
The Time To Start Working On That Dream Is Now!
Most of us are hesitant to start anything because we are afraid we might make a mistake or fail. Go ahead make mistakes! Don’t wait for more experience or to be good enough to start. You don’t have to be good to start, but you have to start to be good. Some may tease and laugh at you. They will warn you, and recite all the reasons why you shouldn't take the risk. These will be the ones to wait around patiently hoping to say, “I told you so.” Brush them off. If you let these people influence you in any way, you will never, ever be ready to go ahead and start making your dream a reality.You will never have enough money, enough time, enough support, or experience to start. But once you muster up the courage to take that giant step forward and start, the rest will fall into place. But only YOU can make it happen! Start NOW with whatever you know, whatever you have, and wherever you are. Don’t let money be your handicap. You don’t need money to make the phone call, attend that networking event, or go as a guest to an association meeting in your field. How about volunteering a few hours a week to work for someone in the business arena that you're thinking about? Do you see what I mean? You have so many opportunities out there. Do something! Be sure to keep a good database. Record your contacts and touch base with them every three months. And guess how much that will cost you? Zero. Most computers already come with a database program. All you need is a little time which you can choose to create right now. Your assignment: This month, write down what kind of resources you will need and which people can help you make your dream a reality. Be creative! Go for it.
Rene Godefroy is the award-winning author of No Condition is Permanent, a motivational keynote speaker and business consultant who shares ideas and strategies that helps individuals achieve extraordinary results in theirs lives. For more information, click on this link: Motivational Speaker---------------------------------------------------------------------------WARNING: This article is the intellectual property of Rene Godefroy. You are welcome to use it on your site or distribute it. However, you must also use the little blurb below the signature and let us know where and how you intend to use the article. To contact us, click on this link:http://www.villagehero.com/contact-rene.htm
Rene Godefroy is the award-winning author of No Condition is Permanent, a motivational keynote speaker and business consultant who shares ideas and strategies that helps individuals achieve extraordinary results in theirs lives. For more information, click on this link: Motivational Speaker---------------------------------------------------------------------------WARNING: This article is the intellectual property of Rene Godefroy. You are welcome to use it on your site or distribute it. However, you must also use the little blurb below the signature and let us know where and how you intend to use the article. To contact us, click on this link:http://www.villagehero.com/contact-rene.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)