Are you blaming your unfinished projects and goals on a lack of motivation? After reading this article you may find where the real blame lies. Usually, it is not a lack of motivation or inspiration keeping you from completing what you want.
If a lack of motivation were truly keeping you from being productive you wouldn't have these items on your list in the first place, right? The only reason you have a to-do or project list in the first place is because you were, at one moment in the past, inspired to completing it! If not, then I highly recommend you reevaluate the current goals and projects you've committed yourself to - but that is a whole other article!
The real blame for your lack of follow-through and finishing what you want does not go to motivation, but your habits! Your habits totally to blame for any lack of follow-through you are experiencing. Once you create the habits around what you are trying to achieve you'll be literally on autopilot for completing it.
The compound effect of simple daily choices is what changes everything!
Simple right?
Simple yes, easy... not so much.
I'm not going to sugar-coat this... creating new habits or trying to stop a bad habit is a challenging process. If it was easy everyone would be in amazing physical shape, no one would smoke, and you would never have the same resolution on your list every New Year's Day.
So, if getting things done isn't really about the fact that you "feel" unmotivated, the real question then is how do we make habits easier to form?
1. Be aware. Simply being aware that new habits can be difficult to form will help. It takes the problem outside of you. It isn't personal, it is just a process. Now that you are aware that it may be difficult to form a new habit you can put systems and/or routines in place to help you along.
2. Don't beat yourself up. Telling yourself that you are "lazy" or "unmotivated" is not productive! You are not really lazy, are you? If you were, you wouldn't be reading this. Again, you just haven't put the habits and systems in place to support you and your lofty goals.
3. Stop waiting to feel inspired or motivated. If you are waiting to "feel" motivated, you might be waiting a really long time. You can't make yourself feel motivated. But what you can do is start. Start on something... anything! Start in any direction or on any one task, no matter how small. You may need to course correct as you go, but just starting will bring you the motivation to continue without struggle in most cases.
4. Push through even when you don't feel like it. Professional and success people do things even when they don't feel like it. If they commit that they want to get something done they just do it.
The best example I can think of for "doing it even when you don't feel like it" is when you push yourself (or your trainer pushes you) to go to the gym even when you don't feel like it. I never hear people, once they get to the gym and get started, say afterward that they wish they stayed home. Start applying that concept to other tasks and projects in your life. I swear you will feel better when you start and finish your project.
5. Start small. If you have many little unfinished tasks and projects set aside a few hours to take care of all of them. Many of them are probably on your toleration list that we explained before. It is hard to get motivated or create a new habit when you have lots of unfinished little messes around. Start with one, no matter how small and finish it. Then, don't let the "mess" pile up again. Make a habit of taking care of things on a regular basis or create a schedule to complete them as they come.
6. Stop expecting it to be easy. Many worthwhile projects and tasks that you want to achieve take either a lot of creativity, time, hard work, commitment, discipline, focus, etc. Accept that you are going to dive in, it will probably be difficult but it will be worth it. If it was easy everyone would be successful, right?
7. Not done is not an option. If something on your list is optional, you may find yourself creating all the scenarios of why it isn't necessary to do. Ever notice when youhave to get something done like renew your car registration or take your dog to the vet it just gets done? Don't make your projects and tasks optional. If you are unsure about a particular project, maybe it should go back on your Master Task List for safe keeping until you are ready to commit. Remember, when you break little commitments to yourself, it actually hurts your integrity and self confidence greater than you think.
8. Go on a project cleanse. Go through your current project list and see if you can delete any of them. Then, do not commit to any new projects until you get the ones you've committed to done. Start with the project that will give you the most joy or the greatest impact on your income and do each task until it is done. Then you can move on to the next with greater momentum, a sense of accomplishment, and maybe even the higher revenue generated from the completed project.
What are your strategies to stay focused and follow-through? What new habits do you need to put in place so that you can stop waiting around to feel motivated? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.
And, if you need some help setting up your schedules, habits and/or systems? I would love to help you map them all out in an easy step-by-step plan! I use many original techniques customized to the way you work and your lifestyle. Let's get it done together.
Erica Duran, CPO, is a published Productivity Expert/Coach, Web Designer & Certified Professional Organizer. She has been an entrepreneur and consultant for over 20 years.
Erica works with new entrepreneurs who are just starting their business and have a ton of questions! She also works with those who have been in business for years but long to be more productive, organized, and "get their life back" by doing what they love and make a profit at it.
If you've liked this article, you'll love Erica's dynamic courses and programs to help you get productive, organized, & profitable and stay that way.
Learn more and claim your FREE gifts at http://www.EricaDuran.Co
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