Author of Manifestation Miracle
I’ve always wondered why New Year resolutions don’t work.
I stopped doing those a long time ago because personally, I don’t like putting pressure on myself at the start of every year.
I’d rather focus on learning and growing. I actually end up accomplishing more by approaching it that way.
But some of my friends announce their grand plans on social media to lose weight, travel more, read 100 books by next year, and so on.
And I’ve observed that less than half of them follow through with their plans.
Is it because life gets in the way and other commitments come up?
Or is it just a matter of motivation?
How To NOT Sabotage Your Goals
It turns out that there is a scientific explanation why announcing your big plans for change will backfire.
In this video, Derek Sivers explains why you should just keep quiet when it comes to doing something big in your life.
So according to Derek, announcing to everyone what you’re going to do in advance is kind of spoiling yourself.
Who would have thought that getting congratulations before earning it was such a powerful demotivator?
When I think about it, it’s sort of like eating your dessert before dinner…
After you’ve indulged in the sweet success that hasn’t happened yet, you’re more likely to lose your appetite to actually work for it.
Funny how biology works…
How To Motivate Yourself For Success
Now you might be wondering, “So if I’m supposed to shut up about my goals, how will I PUSH myself to accomplish them?”
Before we get into that though, you should know that motivation is not the only thing that will help you see your plans through.
It can get the ball rolling, but when you start running into obstacles and frustrating setbacks along the way, you’ll need to find a way to keep the momentum going.
Grit, perseverance and a willingness to embrace challenges are also needed to get you across that finish line.
But nevertheless, motivation is a good place to start. Besides, why would you even bother taking on a huge project if you aren’t a little excited about it?
So here are a few ways to get you in the mood to get started with accomplishing your goals:
#1: Appreciate the benefits of failing
Failure is not the end.
Hitting rock bottom means the only way to go is up.
And when you didn’t quite get the results you wanted, try to get the lessons from the experience.
Ask yourself how you could have done better, and what you can do to avoid the same mistakes next time.
When you choose to bounce back from a catastrophic failure, you’re guaranteed to grow and improve no matter what.
So push past your feelings and think of the long game. Failure has many valuable lessons to offer if you listen closely enough.
#2: Find meaning
One of the great quests in life is to solve a problem. The pursuit of finding answers to a question is what the greatest minds of our time live for.
Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? Who does this benefit? How does it add value to the world, or to my life?”
Look at the big picture, and see how your goals figure into them.
Use this as a starting point for your efforts and make it the reason why you’re working hard towards a goal.
Infuse your efforts with a higher sense of meaning, and it will give you the drive to keep going even when you’ve lost all appetite for it.
#3: Exercise
The mind and body share a connection, much like two sides of the same coin. In most cases, one side cannot flourish if the other isn’t doing well.
That’s why your mind – the most important tool in your success kit – can’t perform at its best if your overall health is lacking.
Be mindful of what you eat and make it a habit to engage in physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins and other hormones that help you feel good and make your brain function better.
So keep this in mind the next time you have the urge to tell everyone about the new project you’re going to work on. Rather than enjoying the fruits of your labor ahead of time, invest in the right habits that will actually help you succeed.
And if you want to overcome the urge to sabotage your own plans for success, health, and prosperity, I’ve got the formula to help you naturally attract all of those and more.
Check out this video:
To your success,
Heather