15 Ways To Self Motivate

Fifteen Techniques of Self Motivation

1. Talk About Your Plans

By the time I tell my wife about the newsletter I'm going to write, I'm out of my slump and back at the keyboard. When you truly want to accomplish
something, talking about it to an interested person will usually get you
excited and motivated. The physical changes in your energy level are real.

2. Use Your Passion

Here's a little motivation-transfer secret: If what you're working on doesn't inspire you, talk about something that does. Once you get excited talking
about anything that interests you, you can transfer the energy created to what you need to work on. If talking politics gets you going, for example,
do that, and then work on your current goal.
This will be even more effective if you can connect the two in your mind. If making money is your goal, for example, you could tell yourself, "With
more money, I can find ways to change things politically."

3. Strengthen Your Desire

Seeing the rewards of your effort clearly, motivates you. A good salesman can have you living in your imagined dream home in minutes, and you'll
feel motivated to do anything to make it real. Learn to be your own salesman. Whatever it is that you are having trouble getting motivated about, ask yourself, "What rewards will I have when I get this done?"

4. Use Pain

Neuro-linguistic programming teaches you to link pain with inaction. (Be careful with this one - it isn't for everyone.) If I imagine myself on the couch
wasting time, and then see myself looking at a lousy bank statement, I'm motivated to get to work. An imaginary scene of one's wife walking out the
door with another man, as one sits there silently - that might motivate a man to have that talk he's been avoiding. You know best what painful images will
get you moving.

5. Be Truly Interested

If you really don't care about something, it will be almost impossible to feel motivated. In that case you need to do something else. If however, it's just a
particular task you're having trouble with, connect it clearly in your mind to the greater goal. I don't like typing, but when I see the finished lesson in my
mind, I'm ready to work.

6. Have The Proper Mental State

It's hard to be depressed and motivated. Resolving some of your negative feelings will certainly help. But if you can't seem to do that, at least take
advantage of your natural ups and downs, by doing your most important work when you're in a better mood.

7. Take Any Small Step

The process of taking action - any action - creates a kind of momentum in your body and mind. This is why taking any small step toward your goals
feeds your motivation. For example, if I force myself to write the title and first line of an article, I usually end up writing the whole article. Commit to
five minutes of working on a project, and you might find yourself doing it for an hour.

Energy For Self Motivation

Sometimes, the biggest problem is a lack of energy. Some of the above self motivation techniques address this issue indirectly, but here are some more direct energy boosters:

8. Music
Different types have different effects on us, so experiment. When you find an album that energizes you, keep it ready. You may want to start a list of
the most energizing songs, and add to it as you come across good ones. Once you have ten or more, visit a download site online and buy them. Put
them onto your MP3 or a CD, and keep this "maximum energy" album handy.

9. Energy Drinks

The verdict isn't in on most of them, but it's a cheap option to try (but not too cheap for regular use). I seem to get a boost from the ones with Ginkgo
Biloba in them. Some like the ones which contain the amino acid taurine, although when combined with caffeine this may cause anxiety and irritability.

10. Coffee

This is the original energy drink. Caffeine can make you more tired if it's abused, but short-term, it can work wonders. If you are sensitive to too
much caffeine, you may want to try tea instead of coffee.

11. Better Sleep

We do not all need the same amount of sleep, so experiment with different amounts. Also, as long as you get at least five or six hours of sleep, the
quality seems to be more important than the quantity.

12. Deep Breathing

Three slow deep breaths through your nose will help oxygenate your blood, and especially seems to wake up the brain. Another technique that works for
some is panting like a dog for a minute or so.

13. Moving Your Body

Washing the dishes, or walking around the office can boost energy levels. At least stand up and stretch from time-to-time if you work at a desk for hours.

14. Hot And Cold Showers

Here's the recipe: minute of hot water, a minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn't for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up.
Incidentally, research shows it also revs up the immune system.

15. Outdoors

Sometimes a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing. Get out for a short walk, or at least open a window. Try several of these self motivation techniques, and make a couple of them
habitual, by using them often for several weeks. Habits are the key to success.