Let us acknowledge that it is difficult to change. We are all creatures of habit. We can see that trait in the animal world and evolution has seen fit to retain that trait in us. I suppose habit is a functional trait in our survival. Otherwise we would not have retained it. Habit gives us stability, security, serenity, confidence, and familiarity. Habits make us feel good on some level. And the known is always easier than the unknown. And most of us like easy.
But as we all know, taking the easy way is not always the best way in the long run. And most of us will be here for the long run. Even if we are not, there is a philosophical question as to how you want to live your live. Do you want to have lived it always taking the easy way or the right way? And I want you to define the word right for yourself.
I will not be so presumptuous as to suggest the right way for you. But the bottom line is that before you start any self improvement program, you need to decide what is right for yourself and then take responsibility for getting there. And that is the first motivational strategy I have to offer. You have to first decide which way you want to go. Up or down?
If you decide up, then what aspect of your lifestyle will you choose? And once you have chosen the aspect of your lifestyle you want to change, you need to choose the specific path you want to take to get there. Your choice has got to be the first motivational strategy your employ. Do not do it for someone else. Do not deal with something you do not want to. Otherwise you are not being true to yourself and will either be less successful or more importantly not be true to yourself.
This article is going to give you some ideas to get on the path you have chosen. You have to take the actions to make it happen. But by using some of these motivational self improvement strategies, hopefully your journey will be easier.
My favorite motivational technique is to ask myself how some behavior or circumstance is working for me. If it is functional, makes me happy, leads to success, makes me healthier, or is otherwise positive, great! But if actions taken by me lead to illness, unhappiness, or negativity in myself or others, then it is definitely NOT working for me and needs to be changed. It is only when I have come to the realization that something is not working for me that it gives me the incentive, the motivation, the inspiration to initiate change.
Another self improvement motivational technique is to make change as fun and enjoyable as possible. Exercise can be a drag. And going to a gym is simply not for me. So I identified exercises that I can do at home, that would not be a living death for me. For instance, I do fast walking, interspersed with some sprints almost every day on my treadmill. To prevent myself from being bored out of my mind, I watch television, that has a DVR and cable hooked up to it, and I get lost in the program while I am getting healthier. I also have music close by, so that when it is time to start running, I will get extra motivation by listening to a favorite energy music CD I prepared.
So make your self improvement program enjoyable. Pick things that you can either enjoy or tolerate and they will soon become habits. If I do not work out every day, I feel as though something is missing in my life. Now that is a habit that I can live with! And so can you if you choose to.
