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zen habits: Top 20 Motivation Hacks - #17

Friday, February 2, 2007

Top 20 Motivation Hacks - #17

Quick intro: I first intended this Top 20 list to be in a single post, but I decided that breaking them into separate posts would allow me to concentrate on each a little more. So, I present my list of the Top 20 Motivation Hacks.

A number of people have commented that I must be dedicated to achieve some of the goals I'm going for: exercise, frugality, organization, healthy eating, etc. Well, I don't believe in someone being naturally "dedicated" ... it's all a matter of motivation. You can achieve anything if you motivate yourself enough.

Motivation Hack #17: Post a picture of your goal someplace visible -- near your desk or on your refrigerator, for example.

Visualizing your goal, exactly how you think it will be when you've achieved it, whether it's financial goals like traveling to Rome or building a dream house, or physical goals like finishing a marathon or getting a flat stomach, is a great motivator and one of the best ways of actualizing your goals.

Find a magazine photo or a picture online and post it somewhere where you can see it not only daily, but hourly if possible. Put it as your desktop photo, or your home page. Use the power of your visual sense to keep you focused on your goal. Because that focus is what will keep you motivated over the long term -- once you lose focus, you lose motivation, so having something to keep bringing your focus back to your goal will help keep that motivation.

Other similar ideas: Make your own motivational poster. Create a dream scrapbook, with clippings of photos or drawings of your own of each of your goals. Or use a bracelet, or other accessory, as a reminder of your goal.

Top 20
#20
#19
#18
#17
#16
#15
#14
#13
#12
#11
#10
#9
#8
#7
#6
#5

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! I found your blog from a search on rewards for achieving goals, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your posts.

I'm in the process (looooonnnng process!!) of becoming debt-free. I want to pay off 2 credit cards (target goal: all gone by June 15, 2007), student loans and a second mortgage, and your post on motivation for doing so gave me an idea: I'm going to design a piece of jewelry (maybe a bracelet or a necklace) with materials I already have, and then add something to it for every goal.

That way, the jewelry itself will be a constant reminder of the ultimate goal, and each addition will be a reward for achieving the interim steps toward that goal.

Thanks again!!

Leo said...

What an awesome idea for a reward! I love it.

I know that eliminating your debt can take quite awhile -- I'm in the middle of doing it myself -- and keeping your motivation up for the long haul is one of the greatest challenges. Good luck with your goal!

For me, what has helped are different tactics such as making debt repayment automatic (checks are sent out automatically from my bank), finding inspiration from others who have done are are doing the same thing (such as yourself), visualizing what it will be like to be debt-free, and receiving satisfaction as I watch my debts shrink each month.