Whenever we seek to avoid the responsibility for our own behavior, we do so by attempting to give that responsibility to some other individual or organisation or entity. But this means we then give away our power to that entity
1. Take responsibility for your future: when you wait for someone else to do something before you can act then you are not taking responsibility for your future. You will always have an excuse why something cannot happen. Actively seek ways to set the ball rolling and do not blame others for delays or lack of success.
2. The next big thing is your current small thing: often we don’t take action unless we believe there is some big reward as a result of it that will transform our lives. However great things start with getting small things right. It is close to impossible to get the big things if you are not excelling at the small thing. Everything is a process of engaging your mind so it is prepared for greater things. When the opportunity presents itself will be ready for it.
3. Follow things that energize: It is said you should follow your passion. Often your passion motivates you, makes you feel happy and excited about what you are doing. Other things that can motivate you are the passion for the impact of what you are involved in. For example, you may not enjoy your job but find it has the most impact on the livelihoods of poor communities. Keeping this in mind can get you starting a business in the same sector not because you enjoy the work but because you will impact others.
You can also follow things that motivate others. When you do this you also get motivated. Human beings are social beings and working together with someone else on things that excite them will naturally energize you. if you can find a partner who shares similar objectives or resolutions as you do then working together and committing to encourage each other and report on progress and tips will help you both achieve your goals.
4. Address a pain; become hypersensitive to your and others’ problem. When there is no problem or discomfort there is no motivation act. If your goals are attached to something that makes you uncomfortable you are more likely to work harder to remove the pain than when they do not. So, if you have several resolutions to choose from and you know you cannot handle them all pick those that give you the most discomfort. You will act faster on these. Also, you can motivate yourself by evaluating how much better your life and that of those around you would be if your meet your objectives.
5. Create a space to observe small sparks: When you start working on achieving your goals you can get so involved in the process that you fail to enjoy the little wins as you progress. Take time at the end of the day and week to observe how well you are progressing.
6. Do something every day: Break your big dreams to small monthly weekly and daily activities; It is difficult to start off trying to work out everything at once. But if you break it down into small bits you will find it more achievable.
7. Have a ritual: Having a ritual ensures you do not miss out on accomplishing your objectives. A ritual is a routine that you will stick to religiously day after day at the same time. When you establish a ritual you are not likely to forget to work on the progress of your objectives but you are also most likely to achieve them.
8. Do it to the best of your ability: Whatever you do, do it the best way you know how. It may not be excellent but as you long as you do it to the best of your ability it is good enough. You can always improve as you enhance your skills but do not wait till your perfect your skills – it can hold you back.
9. Start as you plan to finish: When we picture the end of a successful race, we see ourselves strong and happy at the end of the process. This should be our attitude all through the journey – as we are working on accomplishing our objectives. If we feel strong and happy with the process we are likely to finish strong and happy no matter what challenges we face in between.
10. Keep your eyes on the ball: focus on the end result, not on the distractions and the noise around you. It is nice to enjoy the journey but do not get side tracked by the exciting things you may learn or find out along the way.
