Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes

Desire is the key to motivation, 

but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal.

A commitment to excellence. 

That will enable you to attain the success you seek. 

~Mario Andrett~

 In order to reach the goals set, it's important to find the right motivation to work towards achieving them. Because they probably won't come easy, and there will be obstacles along the way.

There will be days where you want to give up, and admit defeat.

There will be days where your mind tells you that those goals are impossible. What will keep you motivated to getting up every day, and keep you on the right track towards your destination? What will keep you moving? It's unlikely that anything  will happen if you just sit there, and wait for everything to fall in your lap.

In psychology, motivation is defined as "the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. Motivation is what causes us to act, whether it is getting a glass of water to reduce thirst or reading a book to gain knowledge. It involves the biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate behavior."

Here are some of my 9 best tips for staying motivated:

• Focus. Keep focused at one goal at a time. It's easier to get distracted if you're separating your energy on several goals at once.
• Announce your goal. It's harder to give up on a goal when others know about it. Maybe someone you know have the same goal. You could challenge each other, draw from each others experience, and support each other on the way.
• Visualize achieving your goal. Make a clear mental image of how things would be when you've reached each of your goals. Examine what it would feel like. Picture yourself where you want to be. Do this every day, make it a routine.
• Write down your goals, and stick them on the bathroom mirror, or somewhere else where you'll see them several times a day.
• Set yourself small goals, that will, step by step, take you closer to your main goal. The small goals should be daily and/or weekly goals, monthly goals, and so on. If your big goal is to run a marathon, set goals for how far you'll run each day, and each week.
• Don't get discouraged if you feel like you're going in the wrong direction. Instead, see what you need to change, to get back on track. Learn from your mistakes, but don't bury your head in negative thoughts. Analyze what went wrong, and take the steps to correct it.
• Keeping your eyes on the top is important, but don't forget to take a breather along the way, to stop and enjoy the view and of how far you've come. Every step in the right direction is a success. Take pride in them!
• Seek inspiration from others. Read about other people who have achieved the same goal that you have. Read books on the subject. Find and follow blogs, watch inspirational TV-shows, go to motivational lectures.
• Don't give up, don't let negative thoughts get the better of you. Remember, you can do anything you put your mind to!
  

How do you keep motivated? I'd love to hear other's thoughts on the subject.

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
~Tommy Lasord~

xx,

Dark Duchess