Motivation isn’t magic; though it does sometimes just appear – motivation is need (or want). Motivation is a general willingness to do something, anything. When you NEED or WANT something badly enough, your brain kicks into gear and finds a way to work it out and get it. I know we’ve all been there, I have, when you wanted something so badly but you didn’t quite know how to get it, you didn’t have a plan or a strategy to get there – just raw desire. And then… somehow, as time and fate have a way of working things out, you end up with that very thing you desired, so how does that work? I believe that much of this comes because of what you really want, and what you focus on, therefore you in turn, get motivated and your brain seeks a way to get it.

You can’t package motivation, even though you may want that espresso shot to get you going initially, wake up in the morning and get moving, pump up, jump up and fired up feeling… an espresso shot isn’t lasting, it wears off after only a short time.

Motivation and goals must be worked on everyday with a continued and specific focus. Here are a five specific tips to help YOU stay motivated, get focused and accomplish more goals

1. DREAM BIG – then, get out of your own way! – First things first. YOU must believe that what you want to do is possible. There is something to be said about having big dreams. You know that thing you have always wanted to do, but didn’t really believe it could get done… that is why it hasn’t. No matter how big you think the dream may be, dream it, write it and then go after it. BIG DREAMS are exciting, and that can be quite motivating in itself.

2. When setting any goal, BE SPECIFIC,  be granular.  – You have to be specific when setting goals. Write them down so that future you, can hold you accountable to be on track to accomplish your goal. If you don’t write it down, it’s less real. When you write down what you want to do, and you break it down into line items, specifics, you are more likely to accomplish each goal because you have check points to know how you are doing along the way. When you start to accomplish little things, that keeps your energy up and keeps you working to the next steps.

3. MAKE A LIST OF 20 OR MORE REASONS you want to accomplish this specific goal. – Why not just one, or two, or three, tactics to try and accomplish what you want done. Because often we try the first thing on our list to nail our goals, and if that is our only thing, or one of only a few things – and it doesn’t work, we give up. Don’t make it so easy to give up. Find 20 things, or 25 things, tasks or tactics that may get that thing done. Then if three, or five or even 15 of them don’t work… you still have many things that will work and they may not be the things you thought would work to begin with.

4. VISUALIZE what it will look like when you hit your outcome! – Yes, positive meditation and positive affirmation get us to where we want to go. One of my favorite quotes has to do with visualizing your outcome. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” ― Napoleon Hill. In short if you can see it in your minds eye, you can do it… start visualizing!

5. Make sure your  PEER GROUP has as big a set of dreams as goals as you do… and that your they believe in you and your goals! – You will become like the people you surround yourself with. If you don’t know what their hopes and dreams. ASK. Be intentional about finding others that have BIG hopes and dreams for themselves. Invest yourself in your peer group and in turn they will invest themselves in you. It’s simple, the law of reciprocation, what goes around comes around.

All in all, even though you can’t package motivation. You can groom motivation. You have to have goals, and you need to be working towards them constantly to stay energetic, excited and motivated to achieve them! What are you waiting for. Get moving!