5 Simple Ways to Overcome the Temptation to Give Up
I almost did not write this article today. I woke up later than usual and just felt like doing nothing. Do you ever get into a lazy mood, when you just do not feel like working, or jogging in the morning, or cooking dinner, or doing the laundry, or being a parent?
I think that we all have these days for various reasons:
- our body can be exhausted because we pushed it too hard the day before;
- our mind can be tired because we kept worrying about something that we had no control of;
- or our emotions can reach their peak and then go into “I don’t care” mode for a while.
But whatever our reasons are, these days cost us 8 hours of unproductive work, fights with our family and friends and a temporary loss of control over our life. But the worst thing is that they often become catalysts for our failures.
Have you set a goal and failed to achieve it? Could you recall why? In my case it often started with a simple decision “I really don’t feel like doing it today. I will just do it tomorrow.” Guess what? In most cases I did not do it the next day… and I had a good reason not to do it the next day… and then after a week of “good reasons” I would finally realize how much I have fallen behind and accept my defeat.
The process of achieving your goals is just like walking on a treadmill. It is easy to set the machine in motion and choose a pace that you are comfortable with. Getting back on track after a long pause is similar to trying to jump onto a treadmill that keeps on moving. Not only do you need to worry about not falling flat on your face, you also need to make an enormous effort to regain the speed.
Next time you get in the lazy mood do the following:
1. Admit to yourself that you are making excuses. Next time the appealing idea of postponing something until tomorrow crosses your mind – do not fight it! Instead ask yourself how realistic is it that you will do it tomorrow? Can you recall the last time you skipped a work-out and felt more inspired to do it the next day? Inspiration, just like good luck, or success is not something you can book in advance by making a simple phone call. It is something that comes to you AFTER you start doing the work.
Be honest with yourself! Accept excuses for what they are – logical explanations that your mind comes up with to justify your lack of desire to do something. When you stop looking for justification you will be able to make conscious decisions about what is best for you.
2. Outstrip your temptation to give up. Several studies conducted with college students have demonstrated that thinking about morality (from recalling the 10 commandments to reading a school honor code) drastically reduced cheating. What does it have to do with goal-setting? You can use the same principle to overcome the temptation to give up on your goal.
You see, making excuses is very similar to cheating. Only instead of cheating someone else, you cheat yourself. All you have to do to stay on track is regain your motivation before the temptation to give up strikes.
What motivates you the most? Is it reading success stories of other people? Feeling support of your family and friends? Listening to motivational speakers? Reading inspirational quotes? Watching inspirational movies? Repeating positive affirmations? Having a statement of your goal on your desktop? Surround yourself with as many motivational reminders as you possibly can so that the idea of procrastinating will not even cross your mind.
3. Remind yourself how far you have come. This is another great way to stick to your goals. Whenever you feel like giving up on something, try reflecting on how much time and effort you have already put into it. For example, if you feel tempted to give up on your weight loss goal you might want to think of all the desserts that you have skipped, numerous workouts you have done, and all the pounds that you have lost. Think of the determination, willpower, and faith that you displayed in these moments. Do you remember how great it felt and how proud of yourself you were? Why should this moment be any different? Let a smart decision you have already made serve as inspiration to you. If you could do it before, you can do it now!
4. Do not judge results. Judge your efforts. Most of the time we expect to see immediate results of our actions. If this does not happen, we quickly lose motivation and assure ourselves that there is no point in trying. Unfortunately, any worth-while goal in life can not be won by short-term onslaughts. Very often real improvements in such areas as business, personal relationships, health and finances can be seen only after a few months. This is why if you want to keep your motivation high, you should not base your judgments on results, but on the amount of effort that you put into accomplishing your goals. Because this is the true indicator of your progress.
5. Hold on just a little bit longer. If you have been jogging, you know that at some point, when you feel tired and out of breath your mind starts screaming, “I can’t do it. Stop!” If you do not give in right away a few seconds later an incredible thing happens – you get a second wind! You regain your strength and start running even faster. When you face a challenge it is easy to throw in the towel and say to yourself, “I can’t do it! It is too hard!” The trick is to stick to your goal just a little bit longer. When you think you can not do it – put that thought on hold and keep going a little bit further! The chances are you will get your second wind very soon and surprise even yourself!
The secret of success is not due to high intelligence, creativity or determination. It is in continuity. If you took a little action on your goals every day in the past, I guarantee that you would have achieved everything you wanted by now.The good news is, it is not too late to turn your dreams into reality! Start today!
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Tags: boost motivation to act, Goal Setting, how not to give up, overcome temptation give up, self improvement, stick to goal tips
