ACTION PLAN
1. Connect with Your Why
Start by identifying your key motivations. Why do you want to reach your goal in the first place? Why is it important personally? Get a notebook or pad of paper and list all the key motivations. But don’t just list them, prioritize them. You want the best reasons at the top of your list. Finally, connect with these motivations both intellectually and emotionally.
2. Master Your Motivation
There are four key ways to stay motivated as you reach for your goals:
- Identify your reward and begin to anticipate it. Eventually, the task itself can become its own reward this way.
- Recognize that installing a new habit will probably take longer than a few weeks. It might even take five or six months. Set your expectations accordingly.
- Gamify the process with a habit app or calendar chain.
- As Dan Sullivan taught me, measure the gains, not the gap. Recognize the value of incremental wins.
3. Build Your Team
It’s almost always easier to reach a goal if you have friends on the journey. Intentional relationships provide four ingredients essential for success: learning, encouragement, accountability, and competition. There are at least seven kinds of intentional relationships that can help you grow and reach your goals:
- Online communities
- Running and exercise groups
- Masterminds
- Coaching and mentoring circles
- Reading and study groups
- Accountability groups
- Close friendships
If you can’t find a group you need, don’t wait. Start your own.