Have you ever attended a great motivational conference and been really excited about your future? Me, too. I still remember my first Zig Ziglar sales conference. It was shortly after I started college that I started working for a production company in Nashville, TN. We assisted many of the venues around town and one of the promoters provided us tickets for a multi-day sales conference.
It was great. I was elated. I learned the power of motivation. I could conquer the world! My aspirations and dreams were overwhelming my emotions!
I was motivated!
If you've attended a Tony Robbins seminar, then you've seen my reaction. I was jumping up and down from joy and excitement. I could do anything I ever dreamed of doing! I was going to start achieving my goals with ease!
Then I woke up the next morning. I was still excited, but a little tired from the previous few days. I started working on putting together the list of exactly what I needed to do. I wrote down my goals and worked on an action plan.
Then one of the other guys at work got sick, another was fired for coming into the office drunk. We had a big project with a looming deadline. I was just barely making it through the day. I was exhausted.
Two weeks later, the event started, a five day conference at the Nashville Convention Center. Five days of 18-20 hour days after two weeks of hard labor getting ready.
When it was over, I just wanted to sleep.
I still had dreams. I still had hopes, but…
I wasn't motivated.
Do you have a similar story. Probably.
You leave so excited, but a few days later or a few weeks later, you hit your old reality and feel stuck again.
Motivation doesn't work. Sustained motivation is the key to success!
The people who make a long-term change in their reality are the ones who have learned the art of sustained motivation. The poster boy for this is the above mentioned Tony Robbins. I mean, the man is always on. He is excited. He is both fully present in the moment and focusing on his future. Oh that we all had that skill.
The business owners that I have worked with over the years that have made an effective change in their business have learned the habit of sustained motivation and you can do it, too.
You can learn the art of sustained motivation!
So what is the secret to sustained motivation? It is just that, you have to focus on sustaining what motivates you.
Here are some tricks to get you started.
- Attend a conference. Yes, get in a group of like-minded individuals and get excited about the future. Repeat as needed. When you need a lift, go get one!
- Network and find someone else to join you on your path. Ever thought of joining a mastermind?
- Find an accountability partner and tell them about your plans. Telling someone else makes it real. Schedule regular meetings to discuss your progress.
- Remind yourself of your why you are doing this the first thing every morning. Use photos. Create a special screen saver. Make sure you are reminded of your goals to keep you on track.
- Prioritize your day based on your goals. Don't get caught just working on what is in front of you. If your focus is drifting, move back toward your priorities, not someone else's.
- Celebrate your wins. Even your small ones. Make it an emotional event.
So the next time you start following your dreams, focus on staying motivated, not on the activities. Sustain your motivation and it will sustain you while you do the hard work of achieving your goals.
