How to Stay Motivated

Motivation is the key to success and there is no doubt about it. Throughout history, be it for businessman, students, or even Hollywood stars, it is the "drive" and motivation for success that has propelled people on the path toward it. Most of the time, there are excuses to counter the motivation that we have when we start out with something.

For example, my husband very excitedly started out with a regular exercise program at a local gym. However, within a week he started making excuses to get out of it saying that he did not have enough time and was too tired or had no energy.

In a month's time, the exercise program was a thing of the past. The question therefore is, how you can stay motivated in the long run, or rather stay positive for extended periods of time.

How exactly does the initial excitement of going to college fizzle out and what can you do about it? Well to start, I think the lack of motivation in students lies in perception, where you are so excited about the options that the degree will open up that you do not have the patience of sitting through four years of boring classes to get to it.

Here are some ways that will help you stay motivated and focused in college.

• Set your goals in life and work towards it. Remember that it is the college degree that will take you towards your path of success. So develop a positive attitude towards learning and earning your qualifications.

• If you find some things like assignments and projects difficult, then do not just give up. Instead seek help, start out with the easier parts, and set a deadline for the projects. This will make it easier for you to complete the task in hand.

• Beat the things that slow you down such as personal problems, procrastination, and low confidence. Instead of aiming too high, set realistic expectations, and look for small improvements and successes as you work towards your goals.

• Finally, when you have finished your tasks or completed a project, reward yourself. This will make you feel good about your little successes and motivate you to keep up with the good work.

Whether you have just started out or spent a number of years without any major success, the lack of motivation at work is a major problem faced by a number of people. However, quitting or resigning from the job is never a solution for anything.

Instead of wandering for "better opportunities", letting yourself get distracted, and wondering if you'll ever really make your mark, the best way of staying motivated is to master these simple tips for workplace motivation.

• Have a game plan in mind and work to achieve it. Make sure that you understand your priorities while drawing up this game plan.
• Keep a visual reminder of what you need to achieve in your office. This will remind you of what you are fighting for in times of adversity.

• Believe that you have what it takes to achieve your dreams. Review your earlier successes and gain confidence in yourself. This is the only way to stay motivated.

• Make your task fun and interesting. Sometimes we tend to work in a robot-like manner doing things the same way that we did it yesterday and repeating it over and over again. Instead, break the monotony and introduce some fun elements to your work. This will keep you interested and focused on your work.

• Check your progress by splitting up your task into smaller milestones and achieving it on a regular basis. This will help you correct yourself in case you lag behind.
• If your goals are achieved, then you should certainly reward yourself. Once you have achieved your deliverables that you had set out in the beginning, you can soon reward yourself.

These rules will help you in every aspect of your life. Whether you are wondering how to stay motivated to exercise, or looking to stay focused on a diet, these rules can help you accomplish success in all your endeavors in life.