Lacking Energy, Motivation, Confidence?

Are you lacking in Energy, Motivation, or Confidence?

Or perhaps all three?!

Picture this, you've had a hard week at the office, and on the weekend you partner reminds you that the garage needs sorting, the spare room needs painting, visit the mother in law, or some other chore that you really don't want to do. You say "Honey, I've had a tough week, I'm tired, the boss is on my back, I'm really stressed out, I'm really not sure how to do that, I just want to chill out in front of the TV".

All of a sudden, your friend calls up and says he has a tee-off in one hour at the golf course, and they are missing one player, they'll be picking you up in 15 minutes.

And Bam! Just like that there is energy, motivation and a confident spring in your step, and you are waiting eagerly on the doorstep for your buddies to pick you up.

What happened? What made the difference?

If your goal, lets take painting the spare room as an example, is not aligned with your highest values, you procrastinate, hesitate and frustrate yourself (and your partner, boss, etc.).

If your goal is aligned with your highest values, then you get disciplined, focused and reliable.

You will always have time, energy, money, to achieve things that are aligned to your highest values.

You are inspired to do them. You don't need anyone to motivate you.

"But" I can hear you say, I really 'should', 'ought to', 'got to', paint the spare room. How do I get myself to be inspired to achieve this goal?

The answer is to simply link it to your highest values.

Painting the spare room may not be high on your values, but impressing the relatives that are visiting from overseas might be. Or getting the room ready for you new baby.

Once you have a good enough, reason or reasons WHY painting the room will align with your highest values, you will find the time, energy and a way to do it.

The goal then becomes something that's ON the way, rather than an obstacle that's IN the way.

To your success,
Trevor Long

The Imitation Game

Thank you, Alan Turing.

The Imitation Game is an excellent movie, and an excellent example of having a specific goal, a plan, overcoming obstacles (many of which were people who were on the same team), of perseverance, and of taking inspiration from the cues around us.

When you have a goal and you take massive action towards it, the Universe conspires for your success.

What, or whom, could you be imitating?

To your success,
Trevor Long

10 Steps to Successful Goal Setting - Part 9 - Overcome

10 Steps to Successful Goal Setting - Part 9

What am I going to need to do to overcome these obstacles?

Who will you have to become? 

What kind of character traits will you have to develop?

Handle the problems earlier, ahead of time, then you will be more confident about succeeding.

Imagine when you had those character traits in the past.

Or imagine what it would be like to have them.

Then imagine approaching your goal with this new attitude.

Make a list of all the resources that you have. Just like packing all the things you need for a camping holiday.

e.g. Friends, skills, character traits, education, finances, time, health, where you live, telephone, transport, internet. Everything! Notice how you have more than you thought.

To your success,
Trevor Long

10 Steps to Successful Goal Setting - Part 8 - Obstacles

10 Steps to Successful Goal Setting - Part 8

What are your obstacles?

Whats likely to get in the way of achieving your goal? 

Think of the obstacles.

Write them down.

Think about ways to overcome them, before they happen.

Clients often come to me for coaching with a problem, e.g.

I want to go on holiday, but I can't afford it.
I want to earn more money, but I don't have the skills.
I want to eat healthier, but I can't because I'm always tempted by sweets.

Can you see what each of them have in common?

"I want my goal, but my obstacle is in the way".

Yes, "my" obstacle, people can get very attached to them. It's funny how people can get so attached to something that doesn't really exist, except in their own imagination.

A simple way to eliminate obstacles

Include the obstacle!

How does that work, I hear you ask? OK, lets look at the 3 examples again, this time we'll include the obstacle:

I want to go on holiday that costs more than I have available.
I want to earn more money with the skills I have.
I want to eat healthier regardless of my desire for sweets.

It's a subtle change in language, but it's immensely powerful psychologically.

When you say "I can't afford it", it's a dead end. When you say "it costs more than I have available", the mind immediately asks the question "How can I have more money available?" And it will find a way.

"Earn more money with the skills I have.." Hmmmm, well I could...

"Eat healthier"... Sure I could eat healthy meals, and still have the occasional sweet. That's got to be better than eating crap all the time...

By knowing what they are in advance, it will be easier to overcome them.

Its like having the benefit of hindsight before you encounter them.

To your success,
Trevor Long