Three Secrets of Motivated People

The beginning of a year is always about motivation. So, no matter what you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months, all you have to do is adopt these three secrets of motivated people that we found in Real Simple magazine.

•Secret #1: Anticipate speed bumps in your plan. Before even trying to achieve a goal, plan for potential pitfalls and either preempt them if you can, or come up with a strategy to deal with them if they arise. Peter Gollwitzer is a professor of psychology at New York University, and he says that people who plan for obstacles are more likely to stick with their goals than those who don’t. For example, maybe your goal is to go for a jog every morning. What if you wake up one day and it’s pouring rain? Have a plan like, “If the weather’s bad, I’ll spend 20 minutes walking up and down the stairs in the hallway, rather than skipping exercise altogether.” This’ll help you stick to your new routine.
•Another secret of motivated people: Go public with your goal. James Fowler is a political scientist who studies social networks at the University of California, San Diego. He says other people can help reinforce your behavior. After all, it’s harder to abandon a dream when you know that people are tracking your progress. Take 25-year-old Stephanie Samarripa from Dallas. She wanted to lose 20 pounds, so she created a blog and asked her friends to read it, and hold her accountable. She weighs herself each week and announces the results on her blog. Samarripa says the positive comments people leave help keep her going – and keep her in line.
•Finally: Challenge yourself, and change things up. It’s hard to remain enthusiastic when everything stays the same. That’s the word from Frank Busch, who’s coached three Olympic swimming teams. To keep his athletes motivated, he constantly changes and surprises them – adding a new exercise to their workout routine, or giving them a break from a scheduled practice so they can recharge. So, if your goal is to finish that novel you started, try writing in a different room, or using a notebook instead of your computer. The more you change things up, the more motivated you’ll be to stick with it.