How to Conquer Intimidating Goals

"Oh that would be too hard for me -- I could never learn to do that."

We've all heard these words... you may even have said them yourself. Tackling new skills can feel intimidating. But we only feel intimidated because we overestimate the task and underestimate our own abilities. We aren't confident enough in our natural abilities. Take learning to drive for example.

Today, millions of very mentally un-gifted people got into automobiles and drove them. And most of them had no accident today. So how hard can it be?




What have you been holding yourself back from doing? No, you don't have to list EVERYTHING you're putting off. Just take the top one.

#1

Whatever it is, write it down on a piece of paper.

#2

Now think of somebody who isn't particulary smart, but who is now doing the very thing you want to do.

Been putting off learning to drive? Look at all the idiots on the road who somehow manage to get from here to there without wrecking the countryside.

What about marriage? True, most people botch it completely, but many millions actually do get it right and live in happiness.

Or maybe you're putting off starting your own business. Same thing -- you've met people barely clever enough to get in out of the rain, but they have businesses. And they haven't gone bankrupt -- at least not yet.

Chances are, the one thing you're lacking is not intelligence, nor ability, nor talent. Training is no real stumbling block, either, since people regularly go get the same training you're wanting.

No, you're probably only lacking permission. You're waiting around for somebody to validate you, then pick you up and prove to you that you can do it.

It ain't gonna happen that way. The good news is, it doesn't HAVE to happen that way.

All it takes is just deciding you'll do it. Then just begin.

Several years ago someone told me a great two-step formula for success in any field.

Step one is start; step two is don't stop.

So we come to...

#3

Make a beginning, no matter how awkward, then just keep moving forward in the direction you want to go.

Honestly, it's just about that simple.

While great intelligence can make things simpler, it can also make things much more difficult if you never learn to use it FOR yourself instead of against.

Please notice that beginnings are almost always awkward. That's okay. Give yourself permission to be a beginner when you begin. And if you feel a compulsion to be perfect, then just be a perfect beginner.

But do keep moving... forward.

Motivate Yourself Today

Why do you want to motivate yourself?


7 Ways To Motivate Yourself

 1. Explain your plans. Usually, by the time I tell my wife about the newsletter I'm going to write, I'm out of my slump and back at the keyboard. Find someone that listens well, and tell them what you want to do. If it is something that you really want, this will almost always get you motivated.

 2. Stimulate desire. Imagine the rewards of your effort clearly. Imagination motivates many to sign up for get-rich-quick plans. Good salesmen can have you living in your imagined dream home in minutes, and you'll feel motivated to do anything to make it real. Just learn to be your own salesman.

 3. Use pain. Neuro-Linguistic Programming teaches you to link pain with not acting. If you imagine a scene of your kids sitting in jail for drug use - that might motivate you to have that talk you've been avoiding. Linking pleasure and rewards to acting is only half of the formula. Remember to link pain to not acting.

 4. Develop a true interest. If you have no interest at all, it might mean you need to do something else, but if it's just a task you dislike, relate it clearly in your mind to the greater goal. I don't like to drive, but when I remember those mountains I'm going to, I get motivated to drive.

 5. Create energy. Coffee can help for a while, but one way or another, you need to have some energy to have motivate yourself. Exercise, sleep well, and watch out for sugary foods - the "sugar blues" will kill your motivation.

 6. Have the proper mental state. It's rare to be depressed and motivated. Resolve some of your negative feelings, and you'll have more motivation. Another way is to do your important work when you are in a better mood.

 7. Make any small step. Commit to raking up one bag of leaves, and soon you'll want to finish the yard. Any small step towards your goals creates momentum.

You have seven ways now, but you have to actually  use them, so how do you get motivated to do that? You have to figure that one out yourself. Humor, by the way, can be a good motivator. Laughing often breaks up the feeling of being overwhelmed. There's your eighth way to motivate yourself.

Motivating Students To Learn

As children get beyond the preschool/ kindergarten stage, many of them lose the joy in learning that is the characteristic of those early years.  They may have had challenges in the classroom, or have been exposed to older children and heard some of their “school is boring” comments.  The savvy parent can help to counteract this behavior by encouraging children to develop their interests and hobbies and by finding out more about the things in which they ARE interested.  One method of motivating students to learn is by using articles in magazines or newspapers.

If you get a daily newspaper, teach your child to use it.  There is no doubt that they will be motivated to learn to decipher the television and movie listings, but what else do you take for granted?  All local newspapers have “Around Town” sections – draw your child’s attention to articles of importance to him.  If he is a railroad buff, let him read about the model train show coming up next week.  If he’s interested in space, read to him about the latest from the Hubble telescope.

Magazine articles are another good motivation tool.  You can find whole magazines dedicated to your child’s hobby, whether it’s rock collecting or dance.  If your child loves dinosaurs, reading about a little boy just like him who grew up to be a paleontologist can be very rewarding.  Someone who loves animals will be motivated to learn all they can after reading about veterinarians.

One thing that motivates almost everyone is money.  If your child is fascinated by reading about the lives of people whose salaries make them able to travel, drive expensive cars and live in luxury, perhaps he will be motivated to get a great education and get rich himself.  Even People Magazine can be useful in motivating students to learn!