You're The Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Doing some keyword research.

Ignite Your Spark at a Motivation Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:10:00 +0000

A motivation workshop might seem like a frivolous thing to participate in, or something that your boss has signed your team up for so you are obligated to attend - maybe begrudgingly. But if you stop and think about this article, you might think a little differently about them.

Often we go through the motions of everyday living and do so in a half-hearted manner, not even registering half of what we are doing - it's become a subconscious pattern that we follow or are stuck in. Because of this a lot of what we want to accomplish doesn't get done, or done to the best of our ability. Often we do not really know what they are capable of doing until we are pushed to our limits and given no other options.

However, the good news is that you don't have to experience a lot of pain in life in order to realize that you can have, and be, more. Most of us know where we need a push, or a spark of motivation to get the best, or at least better out of ourselves. And if that is you then you are someone who could find benefit from a motivation workshop. Motivation workshops are powerhouses of ideas and inspirations - by awakening that power inside you through motivation, you can actually reach way beyond your wildest imagination.

Choosing The Right Motivation Workshop For You
There are many motivation workshops being offered in learning institutions, management organizations, community buildings and more all over the nation. If you are interested in enrolling you might want to pick out a course or workshop that is suitable for your present job situation: if you are a freelancer and you are still at the crossroads trying to figure out where you want to go in your career, a motivation workshop that offers direction setting, goal identification and the like might be a good fit.

When choosing the right motivation workshop for you, take into consideration who/what company is holding it. And remember that the expertise and credentials of the speakers and the workshop facilitators matter. Also consider the accessibility, the duration and cost of the workshop - note that the venue, duration and the content of the motivation workshop will affect the cost.

Another consideration is the online motivation workshop. There are many out there and they can vary in features. If you are in a remote location or work nights, or just plain don't like to socialize, then these can be great ways to motivate, but in general it is the interaction with others that will ignite that spark of motivation, and then continue to fuel the flame.

Words Of Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:44:00 +0000

Whenever you feel less that optimal, words of inspiration can do wonders to help you get out of a rut, emotionally, physically, spiritually, creatively... in all aspects of your life.

Words of inspiration are especially meaningful in the world we live in today, where everything is happening at such a fast pace, and where people are often overwhelmed by the emptiness and meaningless of many of the things that take place all around them.

With all the sound bites, multi-tasking and just plain speed at which we are supposed to accomplish things, it's not surprising that we think what seems to be an unending array of thoughts - from the moment we awake, until the moment we close our eyes to sleep at night.

It is almost the norm to repeat meaningless sayings day in and day out, and it is estimated that on an average we think about sixty thousand thoughts daily – often repeating the same thoughts over and over again.

It is no wonder that the work of spiritual leaders such as Eckhart Tolle are gaining in popularity. We feel an emptiness in some aspects of life and an overabundance in others. We need balance. And where there is emptiness, or an inability to make a change, words of inspiration can motivate us and move us forward in the right direction - and help us live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

One of the foremost exponents of words of inspiration was none other than the great Indian soul known as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired millions of Indians and whose sayings still inspire people not only from India, but all round the world; whose writings, and sayings were filled with meaning that had struck a chord with readers, or listeners, and swayed the masses into following his Civil Disobedience Movement that eventually led to the Independence of India from the British just sixty years ago.

There are many high profile individuals who have swayed the masses by using words of inspiration that often, when boiled down to their very essence, are so obvious and logical that we often wonder why we are unable to come up with them ourselves. But you don't have to have suffered to be able to inspire - you are an inspiration to someone, whether you are aware of it or not. I am inspired daily by those around me, but if you were to ask those people if they thought of themselves as inspirational they would most likely say no.

The Real Effect of Motivation Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:33:00 +0000

With so much available to us it seems like we are forever hurried and taxed with things that need to be done. And with so much that we deem needs to be done in our lives, it’s not hard to see why motivation and inspiration are hot topics. I myself have taken to writing motivation articles, and started up this inspirational/motivational web space to house them. I didn’t intend on writing artidles per se, just getting the words out that I felt needed to be written.

Motivation articles are written for different reasons: Internet business owners use copy to draw traffic to their websites; coaches and mentors use them, and books, to create awareness about how effective motivation is, even to the average Joe, as well as to promote their services.

Motivational pieces are a form of inspirational technique to empower and enable a person along the road to success. If someone reads a well written weight loss article, for example, it can help them to reach their goal of weight loss because motivation instills a mindset that you can do something whether anyone else believes it or not.

In whatever area of your life that needs a little push, you can find some information, especially online, that can give you a spark. Assess what aspects of your life you feel lack within, and then find an online community where others are sharing that lack. For weight loss there are many wonderful social web sites that help motivate and inspire people the world over to lose weight, and stay in shape. My favorite place to do that is at Spark People – and best of all this wonderful service is free.

But if joining an online community is not your ‘thing’ then simply reading motivational posts and articles online can really give you a boost. Why not subscribe to a motivational web site [like this one!] and get a spark delivered to your inbox on a regular basis – you don’t need to visit all your chosen websites to see what’s new as it will come to you!

And as a final note – if you were looking for motivation articles in a search engine’s results page you might have found this web site, because it has them. If you would like to use any they can be reproduced, with credits to this web site included and I would love to hear from you if you use any of this website’s content.

Motivation Theories

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:22:00 +0000

Motivation refers to the reason, or reasons, for engaging in a certain behavior. There are many motivation theories under the umbrellas of drive reduction, affective-arousal, need and cognitive. Let's look at some of the most popular.

One drive reduction theory is Cognitive Dissonance Theory which manifests during feelings of uncomfortable tension. This tension comes from holding two conflicting [dissonant] thoughts, or cognitions, at the same time. The tension, increases with the subject's importance, how strong the thoughts conflict and if we are unable to explain and rationalize the conflict. A good example is a person who wishes to give up smoking because they know of its detriment to health, but they continue to smoke.

Under the affective arousal theory umbrella is found Interests Theory. This vocational choice theory, 'birds of a feather flock together,' comes from the work of psychologist John L. Holland. Holland is the creator of Holland Codes, which are six personality types, used in the assessment of interests. Holland argues that 2-3 types dominate in each person and the types are: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional. This theory works on the principle that people like to be around others who have similar personalities and so in choosing a career, people choose jobs where they can be around other people like themselves.

Of all the motivation theories Abraham Maslow's Need Hierarchy Theory is the most widely discussed. The basics of Maslow's theory state that humans have unsatisfied wants/desires which influence our behavior. All our needs are ordered according to how we deem their importance [ranging from the basic to the complex,] and that we advance up through the levels when minimal satisfaction has occurred. Progression through this order shows more 'humanness'. The hierarchy is physiological, safety and security, social, self esteem, self actualization and self transcendence.

Cognitive: Goal Setting Theory
When we set goals they have components that we deem acceptable, so that we do not give up or fail. These goals are clear, challenging and achievable. What this means is that we know exactly what to do and can remain focused, that there is enough stimulus to deter boredom and that the goal is attainable enough so we are not likely to fail. If we set our own goals we are much more likely to succeed as they meet our criteria, not someone else's.

Our goals fall into two categories that contain different levels of deliberation: directional and accuracy. A directional goal drives us to an end which we can get to by narrowing our focus and choosing certain beliefs that will support the desired end result. There is not much deliberation and, therefore, more optimism about reaching the goal. An accuracy goal is where we strive to reach the most accurate conclusion. This requires a lot more effort as being inaccurate can have high penalties. There is greater deliberation with this goal and thus more realization that the goal might not be attainable, unless we search for improvements, and again this goal works by influencing our choice of beliefs, as well as decision-making rules.

As we go through goal setting, whether using directional or accuracy, we need feedback to ascertain the success of the path we are on. Feedback, if done in a positive manner encourages and motivates, while negative feedback - from others or ourselves - is a demotivator.

We have only just skimmed the surface of motivation theories here. From decades of studies about what motivates, these theories are interesting, and varied, and enlighten us on all aspects of human behavior.

Using Inspiration Poems At a Funeral

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:57:00 +0000

In times of great loss it is often very difficult for loved ones of the deceased to put into words how they feel about them. But often a favorite poem or song of the deceased can be read and shared that will be a beautiful reminder of them, or the chosen piece will encompass their characteristics or personality. Whichever, an inspiration poem can encapsulate so many feelings, and that is why they are so often used in funerals today.

Beautiful Words During the Funeral Program
It would be a good idea to include all set readings in the funeral program so that guests can have a copy of it to keep for as long as they want. If the person reading gets emotional during the ceremony, then it would be a good idea to have someone else finish.

During a eulogy when stories about the deceased are recalled: funny moments; touching moments; any memories about them that are strong and lasting, inspiration poems add a feeling of intimacy to a funeral that more general recollections cannot. All inspiration poems carry a whisper of caring and love. They also represent the thoughts of the entire family related to the deceased.

Though there are thousands of beautiful classical inspiration poems in circulation today, in many cases a family member, who may be the very one reading the poem at the funeral, is also the writer. The content of the poem is geared toward the feelings that are still strong for the deceased, and the sadness that family members are experiencing over the loss of that loved one.

A eulogy poem was used in movie scene that brought tears to the eyes of all. By WH Auden, Funeral Blues is an example of how a piece of poetry can evoke strong emotion:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

But if you are trying to write an inspiration poem about a loved one who has just passed away, remember to let the poem resonate with memories that are of love and are uplifting. Don’t try to say everything because your loved one's life and memories won’t be able to fit in one poem. Say the most important things and leave room for the listeners' own recall or curiosity and imagination.

Pump Up Your Team With Motivation Posters

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:31:00 +0000

Team leaders are not just responsible for high performance within their team, but also team motivation. One way to help keep team spirit high is to use motivation posters. Motivation posters can serve a source of inspiration for everyone in the office.

Getting The Right Motivation Posters
The message of a motivation poster is very important. When choosing them you should consider the kind of people that you have in your team. Always remember that people relate better to things that they are familiar with, so when buying motivation posters, make sure that you find something that your team members can recognize and relate to. For instance, if your team is composed of young hip people, you should get those motivation posters that are witty, hip and funny. Cartoons and funny posters usually work well for the younger generation. Studies show that people tend to remember funny phrases better.

On the other hand, if your team members are composed of deeply religious people, you may want to find some motivation posters that are spiritual in nature. However, keep the tone of your posters positive and light, and a little wholesome humor here and there is always refreshing.

The size, color and design of your motivation posters is important too. Pay close attention to details. For instance, if your team works in a fast-paced environment, you will need posters that you can read in just once glance. In other words, choose posters with a one liner message - forget about those posters with nice long inspirational messages.

Motivation Poster Overload
As a general rule, never put too many posters in your office. That goes for any type of wall art. But if you want to make a real statement with your motivational pieces then put them on walls by themselves. Obviously use your 'design' eye when it comes to placement - you don't want a tiny poster on a huge wall, or a huge poster on a slim wall.

Remember that less really is more. If you bombard your team with 'go get it' wall posters they will just tune out the messages you are trying to get them to absorb. Find some strategic places, like by water coolers, and change the motivation posters' locations a few times a year: it's amazing how the same message on a different wall can rejuvenate a viewer's interest.

Growing a Child's Motivation for Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:41:00 +0000

With a child's naturally inquisitive mind there is a time when learning new things is fun and exciting. But as a child grows older and learns their own likes and dislikes, learning can be an effort for some. Motivation for learning needs to be instilled in a child so that he, or she, can be successful academically. Here is how to start giving your child the motivation for learning at home.

Reading
Reading is one of the most important skills that a child will ever learn. Motivation for learning to read is important as soon as a child is born. Reading to your child shows them that reading is important to you. Knowing that something is important to Mommy and Daddy is one of the greatest motivators of all.

Another way to motivate your child to learn about reading is to let him or her come up with stories. Write them down and then read them back to your child at bedtime. This will make them feel that story time and reading is something special that they can create themselves.

Math
Motivation for learning good math skills can come from the everyday. When your child sees you using math, and you encourage them to help, then that sets the basis for lifelong learning. For example, at the grocery store you can ask your child to help you count out the amount of cash to give the clerk, or you can have them count the cans of food you bought.

Another good way to get your child involved in math is to play math games with them while you are on trips in the car. Ask your child to count how many red cars they see. Then, tell them to count how many blue cars they see. Ask him or her, “Okay, so there were five red cars, and five blue cars; how many cars were there all together?”

Spelling
Even if you have a hard time with spelling you can still create motivation for learning how to spell in your child. Make your child proud of learning how to spell words. Start with their name. Put it all over the house on small sheets of paper, or paint it on the wall of their room. Whenever possible, point out their name with enthusiasm and spell it out, letter by letter. Later on, ask him or her to help you with making grocery lists, to do lists, and such. Giving “important” jobs to your child that incorporate learning will give them even more motivation for learning.

By showing your child, by example, that learning can be [and should be] fun, they will grow up not dreading the learning experiences that occurs every day. Giving your child plenty of motivation for learning is one of the most precious gifts you can give. Take the time to give them this gift every day and you will have a child that enjoys life all the more.

Motivation Quotes for Strength & Commitment

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:02:00 +0000

Motivation quotes can be as simple as "Just Do It" [by Nike] or more lengthy: "The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible" [by Arthur C. Clarke].

Have you ever thought up your own pearls of wisdom? With all the words available to us I am sure you have, because sometimes reading motivation quotes drives others to edit and improve upon them, so they then can be shared by everyone who reads them, and thus in reality there is no one person who is the sole provider of motivation quotes.

Many of the great thinkers in human history have sprouted many words of wisdom that have become motivational quotes, but there are also regular people who have come up with just as profound or thought provoking quotes.

There is no doubt that motivation quotes help to not only motivate other people, but can stimulate and also inspire them. These type of quotes generally are very powerful because they can override negativity, as well as destructiveness in others. You can be sure that motivation quotes will provide you with all the encouragement that you need, and which will also make you more focused on your objectives and committed to achieving your goals.

We have all been in offices where motivational posters and wall art are displayed to impact the mind and soul of employees even more - photographs of nature, whether it be stunning or serene, or have ambient music and even some artifacts with motivation quotes on them. These images and objects can help those in various fields including sports, business and studies.

The main providers of motivation quotes are artists as well as noted personalities, leaders of industry, entertainers, leaders from history, and great philosophers and thinkers. But now, today, add yourself to the list. Sit for a while and think about something you say on a regular basis to motivate others, or yourself. If it is not a quote directly from another person, why not write it out and put it where you can see it, and add your name to the end. Give yourself credit for continuing the motivation quote movement!

Quieting a Busy Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:07:00 +0000

With all the noise that goes on inside our minds, reflecting the busy-ness going on in our lives, it becomes very difficult to quiet our inner chatter. But when the inner chatter is silenced, however temporarily, a clarity emerges.

One easy way to slow down the body, and the mind, is by using a labyrinth. Used for centuries in holy places around the world, these coordinated pathways have been walked by millions of feet.

Now you can sit at your computer and take a contemplative break from the rush of life with an online labyrinth. This one-of-a-kind online finger labyrinth has been given to the world by Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

Motivation Factors Are Key For Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:04:00 +0000

We all have different motivation factors for losing weight - some are through necessity, for medical reasons, others less than life threatening. Whatever our reasons, keeping the motivation alive is what gets you to your goal - big or small.

For those who have lots of weight to lose the task can often seem daunting. But that same dread can be felt by those who just need to lose 'the last 10 pounds' but never seem able to. So what motivation factors can you use to push you from trying to succeeding?

Visualization
Seeing in your mind's eye what you want to be is the number one motivation factor for weight loss. If you can't imagine yourself on a thinner body simply get a magazine and cut out a body like the one you wish to have, and cut out your face from a photo and put the two together. If you are able to you can even use Photoshop to put your head on a new body. Print out the NEW YOU and put it where you will see it a lot. A very good place to put it would be on the refrigerator door. Seeing that image over and over will keep you motivated, but on a deeper, more subliminal level, you will begin to change enabling you to become more like your vision.

An Action Plan
However few pounds you want to lose you will be more successful if you plan your goals. Setting goals is a vital motivation factor as each time you accomplish one your motivation is boosted. So set attainable goals. By creating small goals you will avoid disappointment and discouragement. For example, if you set a weight loss goal of twenty pounds in a one-month period and you are only exercising once a week, it is unrealistic to believe that you will accomplish such a daunting task.

Reward yourself each time you reach a milestone - buy a new dress or bathing suit. It doesn’t matter if these fit now or not. The purchase will be a catalyst to get you to lose the weight so you can fit into them sooner than later.

Have a positive attitude. The attitude you develop over the course of your weight loss and exercise program will help you to push yourself. You must believe in yourself, that you can get it done. If you continue with your program and your desire to succeed, you will eventually reach your goals.

Track Your Success
Make sure that you keep track of your progress; not necessarily going on the scale everyday, but your workouts, emotional state and nutrition are key elements that need to be put under the microscope for a while until your new lifestyle has become automatic. Tracking will help you to decide whether what you are doing is working, and if not, why not.

Great sites to help you stay motivated are sparkpeople.com and traineo.com. Both have great communities and are sites where you can track your workouts [and more].

Go Team! How to Motivate Your Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:06:00 +0000

We all like to be known as a name, not a number [remember the old TV classic 'Prisoner' where the man yells, "I not a number, I'm a free man!"?] Well in the corporate world that couldn't be more true. But no matter how large or small a company is in size, if there are employees they need to be motivated to be able to give their best. And if there are numbers of employees a company must know how to motivate staff as a team.

It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, team motivation is a valuable tool that every manager, or owner, needs to utilize when making decisions on how to motivate staff.

Staff motivation works when there is a goal worth working toward. Unfortunately what most businesses lose sight of is what employees actually see as a goal worth busting their butt for - one that will keep them motivated and look forward to coming to work each day.

Everyone likes to feel special and employees are no different. People want to be recognized for their efforts. When managers are making plans on how to motivate staff, they need to keep upfront and center the knowledge that their staff are looking forward to pay increases, promotions or career advancement, a solid bonus, and at the very least just a simple thank you as part of their team involvement in accomplishing an assignment.

Training staff can lead to confidence boosting among those being trained which will then lead to motivation on the job. This confidence leads on to a motivated work performance and a greater staff retention rate.

If managers can understand how important it is to keep good employees for company advancement, then they will make every effort to find ways to keep those employees motivated.

Know your staff better - find out what their needs, aspirations and career goals are as related to the company. Be candid and honest with your staff. According to their skills and talents, reward them with incentives that will get them excited about being with the company and growing with it.

And remember that money is not the only motivator for many people. In this era when people are so stressed, rushed, pushed and pulled every which way, time is now more of a motivator than a lot of managers realize. In getting to know your staff better, and understanding some basics to their family dynamics, can mean the world to an employee who needs some flexi-time.

Daily inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Inspiration is something that arouses your mind to a particular action or emotion, and causes you to think creatively, see things in a new light and respond positively. In times of trouble inspiration can be the only thing that keeps our spirit alive. As we keep open the connection to our inner being/higher self we enable ourselves to have the strength to get through anything.

Everyday we face all kinds of challenges, however, if you are someone who is determined to live with purpose, then you know that the daily inspiration of just being alive is enough to keep you grounded. To accomplish things, you sometimes have to take huge steps and finding something that will keep you inspired daily is the trick to staying motivated.

Daily inspiration can come from friends and family. Being appreciative of your friends and family can keep you focused on your goals and aspirations. Being inspired gives you a sense of purpose, but daily inspiration takes the edge off the problems that do arise, and guides you to your desired goal.

One thing that can give you the most daily inspiration is to believe in your passion, and keeping your hope alive no matter what happens. Passion will make you want to get up in the morning - it will keep you inspired to face each day. Guided by your passion, you are able to push yourself more. Your passion will be the light to your purpose. Armed with your passion, you will be able to respond to circumstances with a good attitude instead reacting with fear.

How To Be Successfully Inspired
Most successful people use daily inspiration to motivate themselves. The secret to their success is in changing their thought process. You are what you think, and thoughts can be realized. Take time out each day to meditate and let your thoughts do the talking for you to stay inspired. Read books on inspiration, listen to CDs, and encourage yourself. Tap into your inner self and draw your strength from what you have developed through mediation and thought.

Stay away from negative people who are dream stealers. To remain inspired, you have to keep company with people who are like-minded. Be happy and love yourself even with your imperfections - we all have them. Believe in yourself and find the good in everything. Problems are only illusions of your thought. If you think positively, you will get positive results.

Here are some relatively easy ways to keep inspired and motivated:

Be proactive.
Take the initiative to seek success and you will find it.
Take time to be in the moment, not the future, and take notice.
Dream big. You are as big as your dreams.
Never give place to fear. Fear of failure can cripple you and you won’t know success unless you try.

So what inspires you? I get inspiration from a multitude of diverse sources. Today my inspiration came from waking up at a nice slow pace [no alarm clock blasting me into the day], sitting down with a cup of tea and looking out the window as the sun came up - streaks of soft light reflecting on the lake near my window.

With such a wonderful sight before me how could I not be inspired? But it was because I took the time to be in the moment. I see that lake every day as I wake up, but today I REALLY saw it. I enjoyed the beauty of nature before me and I was truly ready for my day.

Fitness Motivation - Just Do It!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:01:00 +0000

There is more to trying to lose weight than just the physical. More often than not, the key towards losing weight lies in the level of commitment and motivation of the person trying to shed those excess pounds.

Whenever I don't feel like working out all I have to do is look down at my feet. There, on my shoes, I see a little swoosh and immediately I hear the words 'Just Do It'. Nike's catchphrase is my workout mantra and fitness motivation, and it helps me shift my focus to do what I know I need to do.

Another item that works for me is my yellow wristband with the simple words 'Livestrong' on it. With my shoes and my band I feel that I am unstoppable - I will do my workout because I want to live strong.

There is an old saying: the hardest muscles to shape are those between your ears. And where getting/staying fit is concerned this saying is really the truth. I know because I have slacked off many times, putting off workout after workout 'till tomorrow', because I let my brain tell me I had more important things to do [than take care of myself].

If you are trying to lose weight for someone else you will not be as successful as when you want to lose weight for you. Are you motivated or just trying to please someone else? If your 'fitness motivation' is personal - you want to do it for you - you will be better at sticking with your exercise program. Studies show that people who are highly motivated are more proactive and enthusiastic in what they do that they end up reaching their goal well ahead of the others.

How Fitness Motivation Can Work For You
When it comes to losing weight and staying fit, having good fitness motivation is imperative. Motivation is a powerful thing and if you can harness the power of fitness motivation, you will be able to achieve a lot in just a short period of time.

Try this motivation technique: find something that inspires you and focus your attention on it. For instance, if you desperately want, or need to lose weight, picture your ideal body and focus your mind on it. Keep that slim and fit image of you in your mind continually and tell yourself that you can achieve that in a given period of time. Maintaining that image can be tough, especially with long term goals. So to keep you going, you need to use a short term fitness motivation strategy.

Sign up for your own Frequent Fitness Program
Feed your inner child with a treat. What I mean by that is reward yourself regularly. You can treat yourself to some new clothes if you lose a certain number of pounds in a month, or get a manicure if you burn a certain number of calories in a workout - whatever treat you think is 'reward' for your hard work.

Giving yourself some perks and treats every now and then will help you keep your eyes on your longer term goal of staying fit and healthy. A couple of years back when I had trouble losing weight I thought about what could motivate me a little better. A statement from my credit card had just come in and I noticed a reference to frequent flyer points. The idea popped into my head then and there to create my own 'frequent fitness points program'.

With a redemption plan in mind I set up various levels of achievement and different types of rewards. I could redeem my points each week or accumulate them for even better 'prizes' down the line. It was exactly what I needed to keep me going, and then some. Do you need to sign up for your own Frequent Fitness Program?

Motivation from within

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:45:00 +0000

Motivation can be a tricky thing. Sometimes we can be so good at motivating others, but fall short when it comes to giving ourselves a pep talk.

Why can we be so good at lifting others but not ourselves? Maybe because you live intimately with YOU, you are with you 24/7, all day everyday - everywhere. It's difficult to be objective with yourself, and it can feel easier to take the path of least resistance and just let go.

Figuring out how to motivate yourself can be hard. Even if you tell yourself something positive it somehow manages to get outweighed by other, less positive thoughts - there is always that little voice within that says, “you can’t do it” when you want to lose weight, save money, spend more time with the kids, or any other goal. Everyone hears and deals with this little voice - you are not alone. The key is to learn how to motivate yourself in the most effective ways. Here are some tips to help you figure out just what is the best way to motivate yourself.

Shut Out the Voice
One important way to motivate yourself, and to stay motivated, is to start shutting out that negative little voice in your head. You can do this quite simply just by combating it with positive voices. For example, if you are trying to lose weight and you keep 'hearing' “You’ll never be able to say no to that Krispy Kreme donut,” combat it by telling yourself: “Even if I do eat a donut it doesn’t mean I have to give up. I’ve done really well so far and I’m going to keep at it!”

Bribe Yourself

Sometimes you have to feed the child inside of you to stay motivated.

Just like when motivating a child to do something by promising a treat, you can do the same to reach your own goals. This is how to motivate yourself: for example, if you did bypass the donut you could reward yourself by indulging in a new pair of shoes instead. This is called positive reinforcement, and it really does work. If you do challenge yourself and then get positive results when you complete the task, then you will keep challenging yourself.

So, the next time you're feeling de-motivated about an upcoming task or event, tell yourself that you will get a reward after it is done. This reward can be as simple as taking your dog for a walk in the park, or something as lavish as a trip to the day spa to get a massage. Whatever the treat, make sure that it is one that gives you that extra boost to finish the task.

Use the Help of Others
One of the biggest motivators of all is pride. If you tell others about your goal then you are bound by your pride to finish it. So, the next time you have an important task to complete tell everyone you know, and don't know - the internet is full of blogs that people have used to be accountable for something they are working through, like trying to lose weight. If you like writing, blogging can be a great motivational tool.

You're the Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:22:00 +0000

We all know the song by Chicago, it's a perennial favorite, and if I could write a song about inspiration I wish it could be as good. But since I can't I'm putting this body of work together to talk about motivation - what motivates me, others and just talk about inspiring things - inspiration in general.

The idea for this blog popped into my head as if by magic, I guess you could say I was inspired to write by an unknown force, a spiritual inspiration, as it were. Whatever it was that coaxed me to sign up and start writing about motivation I thank it. So, does motivation come only from within? I don't think only, but I think lasting motivation definitely does.

Once you are motivated for you, you get a strength that lasts long after the motivation of others has faded into the background noise.

And I guess all this chatter leads me on to one of those great motivators that works: be accountable. I am motivated to write about things now, I am accountable to my readers, [shame you can't see the face I'm making right now!] and that will keep me going.