How to motivate yourself and turn your plans into action

Have you ever felt like your mind is running wild and percolating about an idea or several ideas but you just can’t seem to gain traction and get moving?I’ve been there. I still find myself there many times. You see, I have always known that I had a passion for understanding people and helping them figure life out. The problem was, I had so many doubts about myself, my ability to do it, HOW I would execute it, if I would have any credibility and so many other thoughts and reasons that held me back. Boy did they beat me down. Month after month went by and I was still stuck in the same spot or not much further along in my plan.

The dangerous truth is that these were all valid concerns and they were all legitimate issues. That’s what makes these thoughts dangerous to our success. They are legitimate concerns.The critical missing truth that these concerns don’t reveal however is that those valid concerns don’t stop us from moving forward with our dreams. In fact, we DON’T have to have everything figured out before we begin.  Successful people start even before they are “ready”.I still have many of those concerns that I am working through the best way that I can with the resources available to me but I am so glad I got started. Even though I am nowhere near where I’d like to end, I am a long way from where I started.So how did I do it? What got me over the hump and got me in the right mindset to push through and convert my thoughts and ideas into action?Here are some things I did AND STILL DO, to prepare my mind...to get my mind right...to overcome those inner voices trying to slow me down or tell me I can't.

1) I got clear on WHY I wanted to/needed to do this: I knew that I needed a sustainable reason that will keep me going when things got tough. I knew I needed to draw motivation from somewhere really deep and I found that place. It couldn’t be money or popularity or anything like that. It had to be a feeling of higher purpose (This works whether you want to be a priest. Want to be a fashion designer, writer, poet or lawyer…it works for anything)

2) I reminded myself that I had more experience than I gave myself credit for: I started to reflect on all those times in boarding school that I helped my friends and even seniors figure life out. I realized that my current coworkers saw me as a mentor in many ways. I realized that in fact what I did for a living at the time was related to my passion.  In other words, even though I wasn’t officially anyone’s mentor, it had been showing up long before I could give it a name. That gave me a boost of confidence that I wasn’t starting from zero. If you think long and hard, you too might realize that you’ve been doing this thing for a while (or at least that it’s been trying to come out for a while)

3) I changed the definition of success to put the emphasis on starting rather than the potential results: So instead of thinking “I could really become the greatest relationship, life, motivation and faith coach that ever lived and that would mean I am successful”, I thought “There is something in my heart and my mind that needs to come out, and I need to push it out and give it a chance to exist. It may not be the prettiest at first but that’s not the point. I need to give it a chance to even exist before I start talking about how great it can be. I need to be able to look myself in the mirror and tell myself that I tried. I convinced myself that Success meant starting”

4) I ONLY spoke about it to people I could trust with my fragile ego at that point: People who had my best interest at heart and people who would push me to try...people that I didn’t need to impress with actual or potential success.

5) Perhaps one the most important one (and really the inspiration behind this post) is that my not-so-little little brother made me read a book.  A tiny, no-nonsense easy read book that totally helped me identify what was holding me back and how to beat it.

I launched IJustMetMe within 3 months of reading the book.Here is the book: (Just click to go to Amazon)[amazon-element asin="1936891026" fields="title,sm-image,small-image-link,button"]

This book is great for anyone who is trying to start something but has had difficulty actually DOING IT.  This was the book that helped me pinpoint what was actually going on in my head and what was stopping me. It helped me understand RESISTANCE.

If you are reading this and there is a project, cause or business you want to start or change, or if there is a personal change you are trying to make, this book is a must read. I encourage you to click the book and get it, get an extra copy and give it out. It is a no-nonsense quick read that you will thank yourself for.My personal policy at IJMM is that “I only recommend products or services I use, have used or really believe will add value to my readers.” One thing is fundamentally true about successful people. Their ideas are not always the newest or the best. They just have the ability to follow through and execute those ideas. They become successful because they can identify the voice that says it can’t be done (or it should be done….tomorrow) and they know how to shut it up.So what excuse will you come up with not to get this book? What will you say to convince yourself that pursuing your goals can wait till next month, while you spend the money could have used for the book on something flimsy today? I hope the answer is NONE.See you at the top.   

Quick Note: Disclosure of Material Connection: As stated above, I only recommend products or services I use, have used or really believe will add value to my readers. That said, I wanted to disclose (In compliance with the “Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising) that some of the links above are “Affiliate Links”. That means that if you click on and purchase an item, it is possible that I may receive an affiliate commission. Again, regardless, I only recommend products or services I use, have used or really believe will add value to my readers