Self Motivation Tips and Techniques

Many times we have assets we don't even know we possess.

Often the difference between one who is successful and one who is not is simply recognition of those assets.

One asset we all have is the ability to change our perspective. Changing your perspective goes a long way to improving your motivation. In fact, it's sometimes all you need to give yourself a jolt and spring into action.

In order to change your perspective, use your body, use your intellect, use your emotions, use your memory, use your knowledge, and use your environment. These are all tools you have your disposal.

Top Self Motivation Tips

In a certain sense, all motivation is self motivation. We can talk about intrinsic and extrinsic factors, but truly, no one can motivate you but you.

Here are some of my top self motivation tips for lighting a fire under yourself.

• Shake things up! Much of the time, a lack of motivation is simply a matter of getting yourself out of whatever rut you're stuck in. Shake things up a bit and watch things improve.

• Say yes. When confronted with a decision, do you automatically recoil and say "no" no matter what? Do you put off making decisions? Start saying yes. Don't be reckless, and consider your best interest and that of those around you, but start saying yes more often. Or...

• Say no. You knew this one was coming I'm sure. Do you say yes too often? Do you say yes to certain people, even when it's not in your best interest? Do you say yes to avoid confrontation? Start saying no.

• Change your appearance. Try a new style of dress, get some new shoes, or change your hair style. Get in shape (fitness motivation), and lose (or gain) (weight loss motivation) weight.

• Take up a hobby. Find something you're passionate about, have an interest in, or would like to learn. Turn it into a hobby. Whether it's pottery, photography, writing, or astronomy, having a hobby is a great outlet for reducing stress and getting your creative juices flowing. You could even earn income from your hobby by turning it into a part time business and creating a website.

• Set goals. We talked about motivation and goal setting before. Set some life, work, or business goals and take action on them.

• Throw something away. Make room for something new by throwing away something old. If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.

• Confront a fear or take a risk. Want to really fire up your motivation? What do you fear? Public speaking? Make a speech. Heights? Bugs? Roller coasters? Take them on.

• Reward small victories. Once you've set your goals, celebrate small achievements as you move towards meeting your larger goals.

• Eliminate the drag, or should I say, eliminate people who are a drag.

• Organize. One of the biggest drags on your motivation is being disorganized. Some people thrive on chaos, but in reality, being more organized rather than less is far more efficient.

• Break something down, mentally or physically. Disassemble or deconstruct an idea or a physical item. Take apart an old toy or appliance and figure out how it works.

• Challenge your own beliefs. Do you feel stuck in a certain area of your life? Maybe it's your belief system that's holding you back. Examine your beliefs and see where you might be making some wrong assumptions.

• Go to an establishment you frequent where they don't treat you well, and tell them how they can improve. Tell them you're no longer going to use them. Then use the services of another company where they treat you better.

• Invent and create. Invent a new product, or create a piece of art or music. Make crafts.

• Do something you wouldn't ordinarily do. Go to a concert, a movie, a museum, or a ball game or other sporting event.

Change Your Physical State

As goes the body, so goes the mind. You can make dramatic changes in your mood and perspective by changing your physical state. Below are ways to use your body to get motivated.

• Exercise. Regular exercise gets endorphins flowing, improves your stamina, and generally puts you in a better state of mind.

• Take short breaks throughout the day and put your body in a different state. If you're stuck at work all day, take breaks periodically and take a walk, do yoga, stretch, or even take a quick nap.

• Take up martial arts. You'll be in better shape, more confident, improve your coordination, and learn a different philosophy.

• Improve your posture and your breathing. Consciously working on your posture for a while will make it a habit. Better posture improves your breathing, and reduces stress.

• Change your view, and change your viewpoint. Changing what you look at every day can help change your perspective.

• Make silly faces in the mirror. Sound weird? It works.

• Listen to music. Music is a powerful inspirational tool, and can change your mood quickly.

• Use your nose. Smells are also a powerful mood changer. If there are smells that remind you of a fond memory, or a time when you were at your best, try to surround yourself with those smells.

• Use your sense of taste. You're usually not motivated to jump up and run a marathon after a big meal. But, if you have a sampling of your favorite food it can get you in the mood to take action.

• Touch something. Using your sense of touch can also be quite the state changer. Petting a cat or dog, for example, is extremely soothing and stimulating at the same time.

Tips On Using Your Environment

What you surround yourself with can have a big impact on your motivation levels. Here are some self motivation tips on using your environment.

• Give your home a new look. Rearrange the furniture, paint a room, or put up new decorations.

• Buy flowers for the house to add color.

• Scent up the place. Buy incense, flowers, or potpourri to make your place smell nice.

• Remodel your existing house. Put in a pool, a hot tub, or sauna. Add a game room or home theater system.

• Work from home.

• Take your work to the park, or bring your lunch to work and have a picnic outside.

• Go to your favorite restaurant.

• Move to another house or town.

A trick to getting yourself moving on something is to dig deep and find out why it benefits you to do it, and the pleasure you'll get from those benefits. Then find out why it's painful for you not to do it, and how you feel about that pain.

The stronger the desire for both the pleasure you'll get by taking action, and the pain you'll feel by not taking action, the stronger your motivation. That's one of the motivation techniques I picked up from Anthony Robbins.

You can learn more self motivation tips throughout the site (list of related topics below), such as how to achieve daily motivation in 10 minutes a day, and the link between motivation and emotion.

Topics Related to Self Motivation Tips

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