Finding your motivation within

SACRAMENTO (JobJournal) -- We are all motivated by different things: people, power, money, fame, success, etc. We rely on those motivators to push us to work harder, faster, and better. The right motivators can be the difference between a good performance and a great performance.

But what happens when a motivator such as a higher sales commission has lost its appeal? Or your boss is traveling and isn't there for your weekly strategy session? What if your spouse is busy with the kids and hasn't had time to inspire you to do your best?

When someone or something can no longer motivate you (whether temporarily or permanently), you need to motivate yourself. Actually, self-motivation should be your main source of motivation at all times. If you aren't motivated, it will be a lot harder for someone or something to do it for you!

Let's say you have just been assigned a very important project that, if executed correctly, could increase your company's revenue significantly. No pressure! You have been told that this project is to be your top priority and it will take several months to complete.

Since you'll be working on this project by yourself, you won't have a lot of interaction with your boss and colleagues. In fact, your boss has some important projects of her own that she'll be tending to, as well as hiring some new staff.

Therefore, you are going to need to rely on self-motivation to help you successfully complete this project. Here are seven steps that will take you from start to finish.

1. Set goals. Identify exactly what it is you need to be motivated about. If you set goals, you will stay focused.

2. Have faith in yourself. No matter how big a project seems, you need to be confident that you can complete it successfully. If you don't have faith in yourself, why should anyone else?

3. Create a plan. How do you plan to achieve your goals? Break down big tasks into bite-size nibbles so you can see frequent progress.

4. Visualize success. 'See' yourself accomplishing the project successfully. If you don't have the result in mind, what will you be going for?

5. Avoid burnout. Don't let your motivation fade because you are burning out. Do what you need to do to stay eager and motivated - take a different approach or step away from the project for a short amount of time.

6. Don't rely on others for support. Don't wait for encouragement from others to keep you going. That way, if you do get positive support, it will be the icing on the cake!

7. Congratulate yourself. Perhaps one of the best self-motivators is to have a reward to look forward to. You can give yourself mini rewards for reaching certain milestones, and treat yourself to one big reward at the completion of the goal.

As they say, you can be your own worst enemy. But, instead - be your own best motivator! When you are self-motivated, you don't let the influence of other people or things determine your outcome - you make it happen!

Courtesy of JobJournal.com
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