Is your schedule filled with opportunities to get inspired but few that allow you to take inspired action? Are you struggling to find the time to move toward your goals because you’re so busy watching webinars, listening to teleseminars, and reading books that help you get or remain motivated? It’s time to stop.
Stop looking outside yourself for inspiration and motivation. Get inspired by your success.
Enough is Enough
I can’t even count the number of times the people I coach tell me their time is consumed by chances to let someone else inspire them…but they don’t take action. And there have been countless times when my clients will say, “There are so many opportunities to learn something and get inspired. I’m overwhelmed and have no time for them all—and can’t even choose which ones to attend.”
It’s all well and good to attend webinars and teleseminars and read books for inspiration—as long as you get inspired and do something. And it’s okay as long as you aren’t spending all your free time—the time you said you would do something important to you (like write a book, paint a picture, get in shape, take your kids to the zoo…)—on these activities.
At some point, you have to say, “Enough is enough”—especially if you aren’t putting to use what you learn. And that’s the indicator: Are you getting inspired and doing what you said you wanted to do? If not, stop. Just stop.
Create Your Own Inspiration
Instead of relying on something outside of you to get you inspired, do something to get yourself inspired. Do something…accomplish something…create something…succeed at something. Each little success will inspire you to continue. You’d be amazed at how that success inspires action.
And the success doesn’t have to be a large one. Maybe you sit down and write for 15 minutes tomorrow morning. Woot! Then you do it the next day, too. Yahoo! And that little bit of success spurs you on, and you spend 30 minutes writing the third day. Wow!
You are off and running. Why? Because it felt so good finally to do what you said you wanted to do.
That little bit of success breeds more success. It inspires you to repeat the action.
Do What You Say You Want to Do
Here’s how to start moving toward inspiration by little successes:
- Make a list of the things you say you want to do.
- Choose the one you want to take action on immediately.
- Get out your calendar.
- Find a time this week to begin doing that activity or moving toward that goal.
- Add it to your calendar at least ten more times (or every week or day).
- Consider this an appointment—like a doctor’s appointment. You can’t break it without repercussions. (What will those consequences be?) And you must reschedule within 24 hours.
- Take action; show up for your appointment with yourself.
Each time you take action on something you want to do—and haven’t been doing, you will feel a small (or large) sense of success. Success breeds more success. And that success will inspire you to take action again…soon. Taking action…accomplishing something you said you wanted to do…inspires and motivates you to do more.
Succeed Early to Stay Inspired All Day
Here’s another trick to help you stay inspired to action: Start your day doing what you say you want to do or working toward a goal. If you accomplish something early in the day, your whole day will feel successful. You’ll move into the day feeling productive, and that’s inspiring, too!
If you do that a few times, you’ll want to start every day doing the things that are meaningful to you and make you feel fabulous about yourself. And as you see yourself making progress toward your goals, you’ll increase your level of inspiration and motivation.
As you progress, you’ll step into your best self—the self that doesn’t just talk but takes action, the self that can succeed. And that will make you feel more enthusiastic, passionate, joyful, productive, motivated…and inspired.
At that point, you can decide to attend a webinar or teleseminar, watch a video, or read a book. But I bet you won’t have as much desire to do so. You’ll feel more inclined to continue taking action toward your dreams—and feeling inspired by your success.
What personal successes inspire you to continue taking action?
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Really needed this, thanks, Nina.
You are so welcome, Gerri!