Motivational positive approaches to self improvement are plenty fold. The real task is to apply them consistently. The best way to make sure that you’ll stick with the program is to make your motivational positive approach something that you enjoy, that you can put in place and forget about, or whatever it takes for you to integrate it into your lifestyle. Here are some ideas:
Positive Imagery
There is something called a vision or magic board that can constantly reinforce what you want in life. This is a fun and powerful exercise that will help keep your goals literally in sight. What you do is look for photos that represent or depict how you would life to look like. You can get these images from Google, magazines or many other sources. Simply paste them on to your vision board and put it in a prominent place where you’ll see it at least once a day.
As they say, seeing is believing. And believing is a precursor to achieving. So you need to get the vision in your mind and reinforced by your physical vision. Talk about a right brain/left brain collaboration!
I have a vision board that I put together with Photoshop. I pasted in the photos and words and then made several copies of it. So I have one in my desk drawer at work and home, and in my suitcase. So it’s almost impossible for me to avoid it. I laminated it as well. So I can travel with it if I want without it getting destroyed.
Be creative with your vision board. After all, it’s your vision!
Get it on Paper
Another motivational positive approach is to write it down. Get it out of your head and on paper. There’s something powerful about setting a goal and committing it to paper, It’s important to get things out of y our head and on paper. The goals will seem less daunting, you’ll be able to prioritize them, and set benchmarks and timelines for them as well.
I keep two to do lists. One is a daily list and the other is a life goals to do list. The daily to do list identifies small, mundane things to do. The other list identifies big goals such as where and when I plan to travel, when I plan to offer my mentoring program, etc. It’s important to identify target dates, quantities, resources needed, etc. The more specific the better. And if you can tie your big goals into your daily to do list, you’ll be more likely to achieve them.
For instance, if you want to retire in 2012 with two million dollars in the bank, what do you have to do to make that happen? Breaking your goals down to realistic tasks and timelines will make them more meaningful and realistic. If you can’t do this, then your goals are probably pie in the sky.
Some people believe that just by visualizing and wishing for something to happen that it will. Well, they may be right, but my experience is that I am most successful when I prepare for things and work for them, as well as believing that they will happen.
So yes, use the vision board, but also break down your goals into tiny chunks so that you can do the day to day things to make them happen.
