How motivated are you to do what you want to be successful? To go to the gym, to apply for a new job, to lose weight, quit smoking, start a new relationship or to get up and do things around the house? Do you find that your days drag from one moment to the next, and you have no drive to get things done?

When you find you need to do something but can’t, more than likely you lack motivation. So the question is, How do you become motivated?

Setting goals is the most important step in becoming and staying motivated. Without goals, you will not achieve much success in life. For you to become a motivated person to do anything, you must have some realistic goals to go for.

In simplistic terms, a goal can be looked at as an extended and more meaningful intention with greater rewards. The goals have to be something you really want and you will do all that it takes to achieve them. For example, an intention is to get up early on a Sunday to play goal. A goal, on the other hand, is you will improve on your swing. This is a realistic and achievable goal.

And to improve on your swing you will need to be motivated to practise so many swings, for so many hours every day, and to keep at it until your swing improves.  It is unrealistic to expect to perfect your swing within a couple of days. Such a goal is unrealistic and may frustrate you into quitting.

Be realistic and you will keep frustration at bay and you will remain motivated.

A critical element to keep you motivate is to keep in mind how you talk to yourself. The way you think and talk to yourself and about yourself can determine your success and motivation. When you’re having a ‘bad swing day’, what goes through your mind? Do you say things like, ‘You idiot. You can’t swing to save your life. You might as well just give up you moron.’

These are very damaging thoughts. Yes, we are all our worst critics, but being so is not necessarily to our advantage. Be aware of your weak areas and improve on them, as opposed to beating yourself up. You need to replace these disempowering thoughts with constructive thoughts, such as: ‘I am getting better and better every day. I am swinging better today. I am doing fantastic. I am awesome.’ Even if you’re not! Your unconscious mind does not know that you really are not fantastic. All it hears is ‘I am doing fantastic’, so it will make it happen for you. Have faith in your powerful, unconscious mind.

Do not allow your negative thoughts to overpower your enthusiasm and motivation. Keep having positive thoughts flowing through your mind. When you sense you are about to say something negative about yourself, immediately switch it to something more optimistic and positive. Say one of the affirmations above, or make up your own.

Stay motivated by rewarding yourself every time you do have a good swing. Shout. ‘Yeah, that’s great! I am fantastic. Yes!’ and pat yourself on the back, or jump up and down shouting, Yes, Yes, Yes. This is a great motivator as it enhances feelings of pleasure.

Hang on in there. Keep focused on your goal. Boost your belief in yourself through empowering and positive thoughts. This can be achieved through the correct usage of affirmations as stated above.

The more you think and believe that you can improve on your swing, the more likely you are to perfect our swing. Have the wrong thoughts and you will never improve your swing. Think right, play great. Think incorrectly, play out. Thoughts are everything.

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Hani Al-Qasem is a self-improvement expert. He co-authored the e-book “Self-Confidence Building in 7 Steps.” Go to the website above now and download your FREE copy of the e-book and start today to change your life for the better.