Fanning The Flames Of Motivation

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1

We’ve all been there. Excited! Anxious! Itching to get started!

A new project; A new goal; A new beginning. Yahoo! Sign me up!

But, how do you stay motivated in the middle of the journey? Ugh! It’s not always easy. We lose track of our goals, our dreams, our reason for doing what we are doing. We lose focus, we get distracted or derailed, or we simply burnout. Sometimes we just want to quit. Why? What happened to our enthusiasm, our drive, our dream? Is it still there? Sometimes we even lose our ability to believe in ourselves. We lose confidence. Or, we may even wonder why we started “it” in the first place.

Well, move over and start over. You may just need a little motivation, again! I always like to start with the end-in-mind to keep my dream alive. Remember the “why,” so you don’t lose focus.

Here are some Sandy tips that have helped me in the middle of my journey.

Always begin on your knees. In other words, ask God to go before you to make your path clear. Ask Him for discernment and clarity. He will keep you on track. He has a purpose for your life. If you are meant to accomplish the dream, He will give you the strength and confidence you need for the journey.
Write your dreams down. Dreaming gets me excited! I’m filled with the awe and wonder of the, “What will be!” One way to keep your dream alive is to write it down in detail. This year I created a vision board. I still look at it and I love to show it to my friends. It’s my “Happy Board!”
Plan your goals, step-by-step. Planning your goals to get you to your dream and writing them down step-by-step will help you see the treasure at the end of the rainbow. If the work to get to your dream seems long, crossing off those accomplishments and seeing how far you have already come is both fulfilling and rewarding. Whether you are writing a book and can’t seem to think of the next word, focus on what you’ve already written to inspire you to keep going. If you are working out at the gym because you want to lose some weight or build muscle, keep the end in mind. The reason you started will keep you going. Accomplishing your goal will get you to your dream!
Keep your goals visible. Keeping your goals visible helps you see how far you’ve come and gives you the momentum you need to keep moving forward. There are so many ways to do this: chart it and track it, schedule your goals in your planner, create a vision board, or use post-its or a cork board. It keeps it fun and real.
Work on your goals daily or at least several times a week. It’s important to work on your goals regularly to build habits and routines. Don’t let too much time go by or you may not want to continue your project. When you “don’t want to do it,” remember your “Why?” You can do it!
Recruit an accountability partner. Go to the gym with a friend. Take a walk with a friend. Run the marathon with a friend. Find a friend who is also writing a book or an author that will mentor you through the process and help accomplish your goal. God made friends, and this is good. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17
Stay focused and positive. When in doubt, go to the One who can. Pray. Read inspirational quotes and scriptures. Laugh, sing, dance!
Finally, reward yourself, not only when you accomplish your dream, but also for the small accomplishments along the way! You worked hard. You deserve it!

Dream it! Visualize it! Talk about it!

When I decided to go back to school, I was so excited and anxious. I could not wait for the first day of school to begin. I even ran into a friend on campus who walked me to class. She encouraged me and told me how proud she was of me for going back to school. That gave me a lot of confidence.

About two years into my education, I thought, “What am I doing?” I began to doubt myself. I had a full plate. I was working full time, raising a family, doing ministry and now I was going to school, as well. Fortunately, I had a supportive family and encouraging friends cheering me on toward my educational endeavors. One of my colleagues shared her journey with me and gave me a lot of great advice. I kept going to classes and I eventually graduated. It’s through those difficult times of studying and all-nighters that family and friends really motivate and inspire us to stay the course, until one day you walk down the “I did it!” path.