The Free Goal Setting Video

The only way to achieve anything is by setting goals to get there. Whether you are consciously following a specific goal setting strategy or subconsciously planning your next steps towards that purpose of action you want to pursue, you need a plan to follow, otherwise you'll never get there.

But will these good propositions guarantee a successful outcome? Is it enough to focus on the way we'll plan our future days, weeks and months and then make the necessary adjustments to follow that plan?

Most goal setting strategies include laying out a written plan, determining intermediate and short term goals, and implementing changes in our daily routine that will either help us be more efficient in reaching our goals or avoid problems that will hinder our progress.

Nevertheless, there is one key ingredient most goal setting strategies lack. And it is not about changing your outer circumstances. It is all about switching your mindset from possible failure to doubtless triumph through faith.

You see, it's not easy to implement changes in our lives. Before we change anything on the outside, we first have to challenge those thought patterns that are responsible for our current lifestyle in the first place.

That is why most goal setting plans fail.

Although we always start out full of enthusiasm, soon our old mindset will try to pull us back into the lifestyle it is used to. After all, you've been living this way for years and years. Your thought patterns will not change overnight.

But there is an extremely powerful way to change your mindset that will guarantee success. It is the Word of God-the Bible. If you are willing to commit to search for God first and leave your own agenda aside, you will obtain the success you are yearning for.

The Bible states that if you first strive for His kingdom and His way of doing things, everything else--every other area of your life--will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33).

As you read God's Word you will get to know Him better and you will start thinking like He does. And He does not speak the language of failure! God always plans for victory, no matter what. So it's always good to flow with His program.

Your wavering mindset of doubt and negativism will turn into a vibrant mindset of inevitable triumph. It is only then that you will successfully reach your goals, because you will know that you know that you know that they are His goals too!

You can impact the course of your life forever by using your faith to change your mindset and set your goals. Learn how to flow with God's plan for your life, and how to successfully develop the talents He has given you with my free e-course "7 Steps to Consistently Change Your Life" and e-book "The Power of Self-Directed Learning" at http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

Labels: goal setting, goal setting strategies, goal setting video

Text of President Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as prepared for delivery and released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.

At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.

Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Labels: goal setting video, obama inauguration address, obama inauguration speech

Motivation in school is something most kids struggle with but if students, parents, and teachers cooperate with each other, studying won't be such a hardship.

The Importance of Positive Feedback

Believe it or not but there are teachers and parents indeed who have difficulty saying simple words like "good job" and "congratulations." They may be merely words, but never underestimate its impact on a child's morale. Knowing that their hard work, no matter how small, is appreciated always motivates a child to do better next time.

The Right Time, Place, and Reason for Studying

Kids can be more motivated by studying if they know and understand the importance of studying. You need to speak their language so that they'll appreciate your efforts in making them study hard. If you want them to study, the best way to do that is to make them want the same thing as well.

The right environment is also crucial for motivating students. Having their own study table in their bedroom is good, but a bed in proximity could make them feel more impatient? If possible, have them study in your library, office, or a place where there are no possible distractions.

Students won't be motivated if your demands are too excessive. Be reasonable with your expectations. Don’t expect them to devote all their free time to studying. Having them do so isn't healthy anyway. Choose the appropriate schedule and amount of time for their studies and your child will be more motivated to do what you want.

Help Them Develop Goals

Simply asking them to "study harder" won't be enough. Giving them a routine for studying at home is a good start, but it's not enough. People of all ages are more motivated when they have actual goals to focus on.

A good goal is SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

General goals are difficult to achieve because they ask too much. Goals are more motivating if they state exactly what you should be after. Goals must also be measurable; if not, how can you know when you've achieved your goal? For students, goals are usually measured by their grades or certain academic or interscholastic achievements like being voted class president or winning a championship.

Goals must be realistic in the sense that they're something a person can actually do. Goals must also be attainable. Given the circumstances and resources of a student, is the goal still achievable?

Lastly, goals must be time-bound as time can also be a source of motivation. With a deadline to meet, your child will be motivated to work hard early and diligently.

Rewards and Repercussions

No person is too old for rewards. It's just a matter of choosing the right reward to motivate them. You'll have to speak with your child to know what kind of reward they'll be most motivated with. But there must be repercussions at the same time for additional motivation.
Repercussions, however, must be minor in comparison; you don't want to motivate your child by fear and coercion, do you?

Motivate by Example

Last but not the least, be a role model to your child. You may not have the same goals, but whatever methods you apply to reach your goal can be something your child could adapt for his own goals.

Do all these and your child will be properly motivated in school!

Labels: goal setting, goal setting video, motivation, positive feedback

Hi,

Did you know that online spending is predicted to INCREASE by 14% this year?

So despite what you're hearing about the current economy, this is still an EXCELLENT time to start or grow your Internet business!

And I've arranged to get you some FREE help doing it...

You've probably heard of Derek Gehl, right?

He's the Internet marketing guru that's made over $100 MILLION in online sales as head of the Internet Marketing Center.

Derek's been hard at work, researching and identifying the BIGGEST online trends for 2009, and coming up with strategies that ANYONE can use to take advantage of these trends to make more money online this year than ever.

And now he's turned all of his research, predictions, and strategies into a two-hour online presentation …

… and he's given me permission to give you unrestricted access to the whole thing for FREE!

But I know first-hand that, due to the time-sensitive nature of this information, Derek's only going to make it available for a short time, so if you want to find out how to not just survive in 2009, but actually THRIVE, you need to check it our right away:

Click to research, predictions, and strategies

Best wishes for 2009,

Ave Ramel

Labels: 2009, goal setting video, internet marketing, trends

What say we kick off 2009 on a positive, hopeful note?!

Thing is, right now, we're being so heavily bombarded by facts and figures pointing out how bleak this year is expected to be, that we're overlooking the GOOD things that are projected to happen in 2009.

Case in point?

According to eMarketer reports, this year, online sales in the US alone will jump from $136.8 BILLION to $142.4 BILLION (that's an INCREASE of nearly $6 BILLION in online spending).

Or how about this statistic: Nielsen Consumer Insight reports that in 2009, consumers will spend 17% MORE time on eCommerce websites every DAY!

That's a whole lot MORE people shopping online, and spending a whole lot MORE time doing it!

So there's no doubt in my mind that there will be plenty of opportunities for you to earn a good income online during 2009, no matter whether you've already got a website up, or you're just getting started ...

... but you're going to need to be pretty savvy about how you spend your time, energy, and resources.

To help you not just survive 2009, but actually THRIVE, I've rolled up my sleeves and gone to work, researching the biggest emerging trends in online business for this year.

I'll show you FIVE of the trends that I think are MOST significant for your business
... then show you what you need to do with your website to capitalize on all five of these trends.

You can watch the details here.

Emerging Trend #1:

Consumers Are Increasingly Turning To The Internet As A Way To Save MoneyYou know all those people I just told you about who are coming online to shop? Well, according to this survey, 80% of them say they're now shopping online to save money.

And further, 95% of these people report that they're motivated to buy by offers of free shipping, and 83% are motivated to buy by special prices.

Clearly, 2009 will be the year of the deal!

So if you currently offer special discounts on your site, get them up front and center, so your visitors can find them instantly. Do NOT wait for them to dig around your site and possibly stumble across them.

And if you offer free shipping, don't hide that fact away on your order form. Shout it from the rooftops! It could well be the detail that pushes your visitors into making that crucial buying decision.

BUT ...

Before you put all of your eggs in the "special deal" basket, there's one other related trend you should know about ...

This same survey reports that 88% of people are shopping online in order to save time, and 83% say that they do it because it's less hassle than hitting the malls.

So not only are your visitors coming to your site trying to save money, they're also looking for ease and convenience.

So make sure you're giving it to them, by offering the best customer shopping experience possible.

As we'll all soon discover, it's the websites that offer a combination of pricing and IMPECCABLE customer service that will continue to thrive this year.

Emerging Trend #2:

Consumers Are Making More And More REPEAT Purchases Based On Automated Recommendations.

This recent 2008 Razorfish Consumer Experience report shows that a whopping 65% of online buyers made additional purchases from a website based on automated recommendations the site gave them.

That's 6 out of 10 of your customers buying MORE, based purely on your suggestions for other products they might like.

Sounds like the perfect job for email marketing, right?!

I strongly believe that the people who thrive in 2009 will be those who spend a LOT of time using email marketing to nurture the relationships they have with their customers and subscribers.

But to be really effective in building these relationships -- and in recommending the products people will be MOST interested in -- you're going to need to be smart about your list.

Gone are the days when having a BIG list was your main goal! It's time to think "quality" rather than "quantity."

If you build a huge list filled with people who couldn't care less what you're offering them, then all your email efforts will be wasted.

It's far better to have a smaller list of highly qualified subscribers.

The other thing to pay attention to as you focus on your email efforts in 2009 is the kinds of emails you're sending out.

I'm finding that shorter, more concise promotional messages are far more effective than long, drawn-out emails that bombard the reader with information.

Finally, the savvy email marketer will spend a lot of time TESTING in 2009.

Currently only about 40% of marketers do any testing at all, which is practically criminal, because those who do test are twice as likely to get email marketing conversion rates of 3% or MORE!

So make sure you test different kinds of offers, different subject lines, different times of day and week for mailing, etc., to make sure you're really capitalizing on your email.

Emerging Trend #3:

Shoppers Are Making More Purchases Based on Recommendations Received Through Social Media Sites.

Here's a surprising statistic: 49% of Web users now make a purchase based on a recommendation they received through a social media site (like Facebook, MySpace, and so on).
Okay, maybe that's not so surprising, but you know what is? Apparently only 25% of online retailers created a Facebook page this year!

Despite its clear success rate, marketers have generally been slow to make the leap to social networking.

So if you haven't tested the social media waters, NOW is the time to get started!

Social networking is the perfect way to develop your online presence, and continue to cultivate lasting relationships with your potential customers. It's also, as the statistics show, a great way to start generating extra income!

I recently wrote an article that explains the basics of getting started with social networking. You can read it here.

But before you run off and start building your social networking profiles and pages, you should know that other forms of social media sites will also be crucial tools for your business in 2009.

Take the social bookmarking sites, for instance (like Digg, Delicious, and StumbleUpon).

Currently, 52% of people are using these sites as they search for information online, and a full 81% of users read the links marked as "most popular" or "most emailed."

So what does this mean for you? Another key strategy for you in 2009 will be to create lots of content, and get it to appear on these sites.

You're going to want to write articles that are relevant and useful... and that your readers will want to pass along to their friends, family, and colleagues, and recommend on the social bookmarking sites.

In doing so, you'll continue to raise your online profile, establish yourself as an expert in your field, and build those all-important relationships with your potential customers.

Emerging Trend #4:

A Typical Internet User Is Spending 20% MORE Time Each Day Reading Blogs.

Nielsen Consumer Insight reported in December that people are now spending 20% more time EACH DAY reading blogs.

Do YOU have a blog yet? Do you add new posts to it on a regular basis?

If you haven't started a blog yet -- or if you haven't been giving yours the attention that it deserves -- TODAY is the day you should start!

As with social media, blogging is GREAT for establishing your reputation online, for building relationships with your market, for creating new content for your site, and can even help you get a TOP ranking in the search engines (which in turn can generate up to 7 TIMES more sales).

And you don't need to be a "natural-born writer" to create your own blog, nor do you need to be a technical wizard!

There are plenty of places where you can even get FREE blogs to get yourself started...

... and as for the actual writing, a blog is all about showing YOUR personality, and sharing your opinions and ideas. So don't sweat it if you're not a word nerd. Just write from the heart, and your readers will love it!

Emerging Trend #5:

Web Surfers Are Spending 46% MORE Time Watching Online Videos.

Finally, a trend that will continue to have a HUGE impact on Internet marketers everywhere -- and really change the way we sell online -- is the growing popularity of online video.

Check this out: 94% of Internet users now watch online video with some level of frequency, and people now spend a whopping 46% MORE time each DAY watching videos, compared to last year!

So if you haven't dipped your toe into the online video world, you'd better get cracking!
Video, like blogging, has multiple benefits for your business:

You can use video in your salescopy in order to more effectively sell your product... you can use it for SEO purposes and traffic generation (Google LOVES video!)... to create informative or educational videos for your niche... and to spread the word about your business.

And you don't need to have a lot of complicated equipment or technical expertise to produce your own quality videos.

If you'd like to learn how to create your own simple videos, and get them up on sites like YouTube, check out this brief "how-to" article I wrote a while ago. It explains all of the basics for you, and gives you a few other resources to give you extra help.

There's no denying that 2009 is going to present some challenges for ALL of us, but you don't have to hide your head in the sand and wait for the recession to blow over!

You can still make serious money online despite the economic downturn, just as long as you focus your efforts on a few key areas, like those I've described.

To give you even MORE help, I've identified a number of other important online trends for 2009, and made some predictions about how to take advantage of them, and put it all into a free two-hour video presentation for you to watch.

And when you watch the video, you'll also discover why 2009 is actually a GOOD time to START a new Internet business, and I'll explain -- in detail -- how you can do it in just FIVE DAYS!

You can watch the video here.

To your success,

Derek Gehl

Labels: goal, goal setting, goal setting video

For some people, waking up early is as natural as breathing. Lucky them. But for many others, waking up early is virtually an impossible thing to do. Luckily for them, using the motivational tips below can give them a better way to start the day.

Wake up to the right environment.

Believe it or not but the way your room looks can help or hinder your ability to wake up early. A messy room will generally make you disinclined to wake up early because cleaning your room will just be one of the many worries you have to tackle for the day.

But when you wake up to a clean room, just the sight of it can be energizing and make you jump out of bed. At least you've got one less worry to think about!

Give yourself a good reason to wake up early.

Waking up early come with instant benefits like better health, more time to spend on the things you want to do, and greater productivity. Give yourself ten minutes to think about all the good reasons for waking up early and you might never stop writing. Now, focus on these reasons the first moment your eyes open and you'll be up and about in no time!

Get the best sleep you can.

One common reason why people find it difficult to wake up early is simply because they didn't have enough sleep and if they had then it wasn't good enough.

To get the best possible sleep, the first thing you should consider changing about your night routine is your sleeping hours. How about sleeping early for a change? Can't the things you normally like to do at midnight be postponed for the next day?

Sleep as much as you need. This is different from being a professionally idle and sleeping the whole day away just because you want to and not because your body is demanding for rest and relaxation. Motivating yourself to wake up early is easier to do when your body is not clamoring for the opposite.

Sleep effectively.

A night's slumber is more restful and peaceful when you haven’t procrastinated at work and there weren't any problems at home you chose to sweep under the rug instead of solving them as they come. Definitely, where you sleep also matters. Try to be comfortable as you can. Change your bed, rearrange your room, or have air-conditioning if that's what will make you sleep better.

Reward and punish.

Let's focus on the rewards first. Remember how you used to get candies from parents or stars from teachers when you did something good? How about upgrading the reward system to motivate you to wake up early?

A reward system, however, should cut both ways. To make the system more effective, you need to set repercussions for yourself when you wake up late. You also need to be stringent in implementing the penalties. Don't rationalize. Don't justify. The more aware you are about the consequences of waking up late, the more motivated you’ll be not to do it again.

Get a partner.

Find someone who's also having trouble waking up early and work together to motivate yourselves to change. Don't think of this along the lines of misery loving company, but rather this is more of a case of two hands getting more things done. The two of you will get the results you want more quickly if you help and motivate each other. Be his personal alarm clock and vice versa!

Labels: goal setting video, motivation, motivational tips

There will always be times in your life when you have to perform tasks that you deem unpleasant for one reason or another - working with a co-worker you don't like, going to work on Mondays, taking the garbage out, driving to meet the in-laws at the airport, having dinner with the spouse's friends ...

Doing these things just siphons whatever motivation you have inside you and makes you feel sad, tired, sorry, even annoyed. But did you know that there are also things inside you that actually make it difficult to feel excited and enthusiastic?

Get to learn the factors that make you hard to motivate:

Your Mindset

Your mindset is a major factor that can make you hard to motivate. This is because it can severely limit your understanding of the world and all experiences in general. Your mindset can sometimes be composed of growth-inhibiting beliefs, prejudices, biases and standards.

If, for example, you believe that nothing good can come out of your staff, you'll fail to see that there is a clerk there that actually has management potential. If you refuse to believe that you can actually write for a famous magazine because you're a person from a small town, you'll miss out on an opportunity to expose your talent and reap its rewards.

Your Comfort Zone

We all have certain limitations in our minds. These limits are things we decide on based on our own personal beliefs, ethics and standards. Within these limits, we feel comfortable in and can pretty much do as we like.

Once we approach the outer edges, we begin to feel discomfort, shyness, embarrassment or annoyance. We do not wish to go further because we do not like what we don't know or haven't experienced. Because we have a fear of the unknown, we'd rather stay within our comfort zones because we feel safe there.

The problem here is that a narrow comfort zone can be a major factor that makes you hard to motivate. Each time you are presented with a new idea or experience, you check to see if it fits into your comfort zone. If it doesn’t, then you simply refuse, no questions asked.

This is unfortunate because many of these ideas and experiences can be good for you. But you'll probably never know because you don't have the motivation to try them.

Your Past Experience

Did you get burned by the stove? That's probably why you hate to cook. Did your former bosses fail to show appreciation for your hard work? That's probably one reason why you don't feel motivated about your job.

Your background - personal, social and professional experiences - has a lot to do with how you decide things in your life. They can also be factors that make you hard to motivate. If these experiences are negative, they tend to make you more hesitant and unsure of yourself because they affect your self-esteem and confidence.

If, for example, you've only been met with rejection or ridicule in your life, it wouldn't be hard to imagine if you don't feel a strong need to excel or to improve yourself. You'll probably be thinking - 'So what? Nothing I ever did was good anyway. Why would things change now?'

Unless you consciously make an effort to identify these past experiences and then refuse to let them rule your life, you will always be hard to motivate.

Labels: goal setting video, motivate, motivation