Although my book and sales process teach how to motivate others, learning to motivate yourself is the most important way to ensure success. Self-motivation is something many claim to have-however few can perform to the highest of standards without incentives from others.
5 Ways to Become Self-Motivated
1. Set realistic goals for yourself. Make a list of your top priorities each day and goals for each week and each month. Knowing what you are trying to achieve makes getting there more attainable and realistic. Make sure your goals are manageable and within reach-or you may risk setting yourself up for disappointment or burning yourself out.
2. Manage Your Time. No matter your goals, having the time allotted to work towards them is key. Being self-motivated entails setting up a daily structure and sticking to it. Promising yourself you will work on your goals from 5-9 p.m., or allotting 2 hours a day, each day, can make all the difference in making progress or slacking off.
3. Learn to Deal with Setbacks. With any endeavor, setbacks are to be expected-however, knowing that doesn’t make dealing with them any easier. Finding the line of when to start over and when to push harder is something you must find (be careful not to get too caught up in a bad idea that you can’t cut it loose when its time).
4. Think Outside the Box. Too often we set-out on new ventures or decide to really achieve a dream yet we revert back to what we know doesn’t work to get us there. The structures of confinement during the normal 9-5 didn’t work to motivate you then, so why would it now? Maybe before beginning your tasks going for a jog first helps to clear your mind. Possibly conference calling some friends to brainstorm ideas gets you the push you need. Finding your own source of clarity and creativity is what will make success possible.
5. Keep Educating Yourself. Having to motivate yourself can get quite tiresome and secluded. Follow updates regarding your area of interest- from current news to new white papers. Stay on top of trends and keep educating yourself to remember why you set-out to accomplish your goals. Obtaining fresh information and ideas will keep you from growing disinterested.
Becoming self-motivated takes discipline and these 5-steps will help get you to success. Remember, self-motivated people are valued-so learning to push yourself will supply you with a great asset. After you have achieved your goals and you can begin to inspire others to do the same.
_______________________________
Thomas F. La Vecchia, MBA, is the Founder and President of X Factor Selling Systems and Author of the Amazon best-selling book “The X Factor Selling System: The Sales Expert’s Guide to Selling.” Visit Thomas on Twitter.