| Achieving the really big goals and dreams | | | | there a way to team up with a friend so that |
| always involves breaking it down into do-able | | | | the work is easier or at least more |
| little steps. Assuming that you've picked a | | | | enjoyable?6) Just get it over with. One of |
| goal or dream that you really love working | | | | my all time favorite quotes about getting |
| at, then most of the steps are a delight to | | | | past your inner blocks was written by Stuart |
| take. No matter how much you love your dream | | | | Wilde in his book The Quickening, "Cut the |
| and no matter how much you love your work, | | | | shit and do the thing." Yeah it's a bit |
| there are going to be tasks along the way | | | | rough, but we all know those stoic tough |
| that you really don't want to do. Those | | | | people who simply roll up their sleeves and |
| pieces of work that we hate doing can be the | | | | dive in know matter how much they may hate |
| very ones that sabotage our success. How do | | | | the task before them. Take on a soldier's |
| you stay motivated during those parts of the | | | | mindset and just get to work doing the ugly |
| journey?1) Reward yourself. Let's say that I | | | | parts so you can move on to the more |
| want to lose twenty pounds. That's not too | | | | rewarding parts of making your dreams a |
| much, but it's still going to involve more | | | | reality.7) Get training or education. Quite |
| days of self discipline that I feel like | | | | often, we don't like doing something because |
| doing. So, I reward myself with a little | | | | deep down we don't think we know how or that |
| treat every time I drop five pounds. I get | | | | we are talented enough. So, get the |
| to have one of my favorite fattening meals at | | | | education, do the research, learn the |
| the end of each five pound loss. Then I go | | | | necessary skills, or whatever else it is that |
| back to my diet. At the end, I get to go on | | | | you need to do to get ready for taking that |
| a shopping spree to buy new clothes. Come up | | | | next step. Once you've properly trained |
| with a reward that you can use to motivate | | | | yourself, then you might even be enthusiastic |
| yourself.2) Do it for love of someone else. | | | | about taking that next step.8) Take a running |
| My teenage son proposed a deal that works for | | | | start at it. Think of riding your bike |
| both of us. I don't smoke cigarettes and he | | | | uphill. It doesn't take kids very long to |
| doesn't experiment with drugs. Every time | | | | figure out that the best way to get that |
| one of us is about to give in to temptation, | | | | bicycle to the top of the steep hill is to |
| our love for each other stops us. I can't | | | | build up a lot of speed before you even get |
| light up knowing that he might start doing | | | | to the base of the hill. You then let that |
| drugs because I broke our deal. He hates the | | | | momentum help to propel you most of the way |
| idea of me dying of cancer, so he never | | | | up. Heck, with enough of a running start you |
| touches any kinds of drugs offered to him by | | | | can sometimes make it all the way up without |
| his peers. The love of someone else can | | | | any major struggles. If there is a way to |
| motivate you to do what you otherwise might | | | | pace yourself and reschedule the not so fun |
| not be able to do for yourself.3) Trade work | | | | parts of accomplishing your goals until after |
| with someone else. I've watched my kids | | | | you've completed a bunch of the cool parts, |
| perfect this style of motivation. My son | | | | then do so. The highs of your mini successes |
| will offer to scrub out the showers if my | | | | will help inspire you to push past the parts |
| daughter will do the dishes for him. Hiring | | | | that you are avoiding.9) Figure out a |
| someone to do the work you don't want to do | | | | different way to do it. This is the supreme |
| is actually a form of trade. Barter or pay | | | | way to avoid doing the task all together. Be |
| someone else to do it for you, so that you | | | | creative, be smart, think outside the box. |
| can continue moving forward with your | | | | Is there any way to make your dream come true |
| dreams.4) Truly consider quitting. I'm not | | | | without having to actually do the specific |
| telling you to quit, but to really think | | | | duty that you're wanting to avoid? Sometimes |
| about it. If you've got a goal or dream that | | | | you can find another way. Other times, just |
| means a lot to you and you've already | | | | knowing that there is definitely no other |
| invested a large part of yourself into making | | | | path to your dreams other than the one before |
| it happen, then what would quitting feel | | | | you is enough to motivate you to just buck up |
| like? Is avoiding the difficult or | | | | and get through it.What's most important is |
| distasteful task worth giving up on your | | | | not how you keep yourself motivated but that |
| goals and dreams? The love of your long-term | | | | you keep the long-term benefits of your goals |
| goal can motivate you not to quit.5) Share | | | | in mind. If you focus too much on avoiding |
| the misery. This reminds me of friends in | | | | the uncomfortable parts of accomplishing your |
| college getting together to study for an | | | | goals, then you won't accomplish much. Find |
| upcoming test. Having friends along can make | | | | a way to keep going and remember that all |
| the experience more festive then it would | | | | things come with a price. Pay the price so |
| have been if you were doing it alone. Is | | | | you can get on with enjoying the dream. |