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10 Quotes on Motivation

December 21, 2010 By Lena 2 Comments

Stephen Covey Motivation QuoteStick around long enough and you’ll see just how much I love quotations. Many times, it’s that one little line spoken or written by someone else that give me the ah ha! moment that I need to put everything into perspective. And for me, staying motivated would be pretty much impossible without these reminders. So here are ten of my favorite quotes on motivation and being motivated. Enjoy!

  • Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~Jim Rohn
  • “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~Wayne Dyer
  • “Walking your talk is a great way to motivate yourself. No one likes to live a lie. Be honest with yourself, and you will find the motivation to do what you advise others to do.” ~Vince Poscente
  • “You can motivate by fear. And you can motivate by reward. But both of these methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self-motivation.” ~Homer Rice
  • “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” ~Mario Andretti
  • “Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.” ~Les Brown
  • “Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups.” ~Peter Davies
  • “Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes.” ~Author Unknown
  • “Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.” ~Les Brown
  • “When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life” ~Greg Anderson

    • Have a wonderful, motivation-filled day!

    Filed Under: Motivation, Quotations Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

    Are You Hard To Motivate?

    December 20, 2010 By Lena Leave a Comment

    The topic for this week is Motivation. The New Year is fast approaching, and with it the inevitable round of resolution making and intention setting. It’s important to understand why you want to set that particular intention and to know what motivates you to work at being successful.

    Three Factors To Think About When You Find It Hard To Stay Motivated

    It’s easy to make a New Year’s resolution or set an intention. It’s a little harder sometimes to stay motivated enough to see it through to a successful conclusion. Losing weight is a good example of this. I can’t even begin to count the number of people who say their resolution every January is to lose weight, and then by February they are back to their old habits. It creates a sense of failure that’s hard to get over. Just this weekend I heard at least a dozen people say they don’t bother making weight loss resolutions anymore because it just sets them up for failure. If this sounds like something you might think or say, you could be a person who is hard to motivate.

    For myself, I know that I am definitely hard to motivate. Even when I think I have a really good reason why for my intentions, I often lack the real drive that comes with a true sense of motivation. It’s something that I really have to work at every day if I want to achieve my goals. In thinking about what makes me hard to motivate, I’ve found that there are three factors that play a major role in the process. These are my mindset, comfort zone, and past experiences.

    Mindset is a biggie when it comes to being motivated because it pretty much has an impact on everything related to how you think and why you think it.

    Going back to the weight loss example, it doesn’t matter how strong a reason you have for wanting to lose weight, if your mindset is that you’re fat, you’ve always been fat, and this isn’t going to change much, then you’re not going to be able to motivate yourself to get to the gym every day because you don’t believe that it’s going to make a difference regardless of how much work you put in.

    Your mindset also has an impact on the second factor that could make you hard to motivate — your comfort zone. Everyone has a comfort zone — that place where we feel safe, in our element, and, well, comfortable.

    Pushing against the boundaries of that comfort zone can be really easy for some people, but for most of us it’s a very scary experience. Every limiting belief that you possess comes screaming into play when you get close to those boundaries you mind has set for you. This is why so many people, myself included, have such a hard time trying new things. The fear of change that comes along with the fear of moving out of your comfort zone can also make you hard to motivate no matter how badly you want to make those changes.

    The third factor that can play a role in how easy or hard you are to motivate is your past experiences. This may well be the most important of the three since your mindset will often be influenced by things that have happened to you in the past.

    Every experience you’ve ever had plays some role in how you think now, and how open you are to change and being motivated to change is a direct result of how well you have dealt with these experiences. I can tell you from experience that when I least expect it, some random thought from my past shows up and has the effect of blowing both my self-confidence and my motivation to smithereens. The usual result is a round of “what’s the use” questioning that distracts me from my goal and makes me very hard to motivate.

    By now you must be thinking “what’s the use” yourself. I know I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture here. But there is hope, and you can train yourself to be more easily motivated. One of the keys is to start small, deal with your mindset and the past experiences that influence it before you start making big changes. We’ll talk more about this over the course of the week.

    For now, know that you are not alone and that you CAN change your mindset and put those days of being hard to motivate behind you.

    Photo credit: Big Stock Photo

    Filed Under: Motivation Tagged With: , , , , ,

    Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off

    December 13, 2010 By Lena Leave a Comment

    Nine Ideas for Starting Over When Things Don’t Go The Way You Planned…

    sunrise reflectionsIt’s that time of year again. Things are winding down, and it’s likely that at some point over the next few weeks you’ll be taking stock of the past year and getting ready for the new year ahead.

    Would you say your year has been a success, or a failure?

    Personally, I’d have to say it was a bit of both. Some things, like my health, improved greatly. Others, most notably in the business area of my life, failed miserably. So now I’m in the planning stages for next year, and that’s what prompted today’s article.

    I like to think of failure as just another step on the path to success. One of these days I’ll get it right! But in the meantime, that doesn’t mean I don’t get bogged down my fair share of fear of failure issues and “I’ll never be able to do this” moments. So in the interest of helping you avoid some of the angst that I put myself through, here are nine ideas that might help when it comes to starting over after things don’t go quite the way you intended.

    1. Learn from your mistakes. — My Dad was big on telling me this, and I never wanted to listen (mostly because I never wanted to admit I’d made a mistake) but it’s true… There’s always something you can learn from failure, even if it’s only not to do that again.

    “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” ~Thomas Edison

    2. Keep going. One of the best things you can do for yourself in the aftermath of a failure is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward.

    “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.” ~Confucius

    3. Get a support network. It’s much easier to deal with disappointment when you know your friends and family have got your back.

    4. Rework your goals. Sometimes failure isn’t total, and it’s only a result of biting off more than you can chew. If you break the failure down into manageable bites, how much did you really accomplish? I’ll bet it’s more than you’ve given yourself credit for!

    When you start planning your next accomplishments, think about dividing the overall result into smaller goals so that you can see what you’re achieving along the way.

    “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” ~Henry Ford

    5. Use a journal. Writing down your thoughts, dreams, goals, and accomplishments in a journal helps to keep you on track while you work toward success. It also gives you a great source of positive feedback when you need a pick-me-up if things aren’t going the way you planned.

    6. See it and believe it. When things don’t work out the way you planned, it’s very easy to let the negative thoughts and self doubt take over. Train yourself to visualize your success along ever step of the way and knock the negative stuff to the sidelines. Consider using a vision board to keep the end result firmly in your sight while you work.

    7. Maintain your enthusiasm.It’s easy to be enthusiastic at the beginning of a new project. It gets harder to maintain those good vibes when thngs aren’t going the way you thought they would. Digging deep to find that sense of excitement will give you the energy to keep going when the path gets a little rocky.

    “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” ~Sir Winston Churchill

    8. Focus on the future. Looking back at past failures and thinking that because you failed once, you’re destined to keep failing won’t get you where you want to go. Look to the future instead and focus on what you can and will achieve.

    “Failure doesn’t mean you are a failure…it just means you haven’t succeeded yet.” ~Robert Schuller

    9. Think about worst case scenarios. What is the absolute most horrible thing that could happen if you fail? Many times people forget to focus on a successful outcome and get stuck in a place where the fear of failure reigns. I know I’m guilty of this more often that I’d like to admit to. When the fear of failure strikes, if you can imagine the worst that will happen you’ll see that it’s often not nearly as bad as you think it will be.

    Whatever you do, and however you cope with failure, DON’T GIVE UP! Keep believing in yourself and in your dreams and nothing will be able to stop you from doing whatever you put your mind to.

    “No man is ever whipped until he quits – in his own mind.” ~ Napoleon Hill

    So…. how has your year been? Share your successes and/or failures in the comments.

    Filed Under: Success Tagged With: , ,

    What Stops You From Living Your Passion?

    September 20, 2010 By Lena 1 Comment

    A popular question in many personal development books and courses is “What would you do if you knew it was impossible to fail?” The answers are as varied and individual as we are. And yet so many people, myself included, don’t choose to follow their dreams or live their life passion. And it’s sad to know that life could be so much more if only we were willing to take the risk.

    So what is that holds so many people, myself included, from following their dreams and living their life passion?

    A lot of the time, the reasons why people don’t follow their dreams can be found within their mindset. It is vital to success in any area of life that we believe in ourselves and our abilities. Even before we take the first step on the path to making our dreams reality, we must have a belief that succeess is ours for the taking.

    But we don’t know it. Or we do know it, and then we let all those pesky self doubts creep in. We question. Our resources, finances, abilities, and sometimes even our intelligence all come under scrutiny, and are usually found wanting. And then we let all those self doubts stop us in our tracks, sometimes for years — sometimes even for a lifetime.

    The main culprit in all of this is fear. Fear that we can’t do it; fear that we’ll look stupid for even trying; even fear that every thing will go smoothly and we’ll succeed!

    There’s no doubt that going after your dreams is a scary proposition for most people. We get so used to our comfort zone, and it’s risky to move beyond. There’s a whole new world out there, and it can be a very scary place. But, as the saying goes, the most successful people are the ones who feel the fear and do it anyway.

    The first step in living your passion is to get over the fear. If you let the fear stop you from taking action, you will never achieve your dreams. But, if you face your fears and take action then no matter when you start, you will live your passion and achieve the success you deserve.

    What holds you back from living your passion? Leave a comment and join the discussion.

    Filed Under: Life Passion Tagged With: , , , ,

    15 Little Things You Can Do To Feel Happier Today

    September 17, 2010 By Lena 2 Comments

    raindrops on roseThere are two things I’ve learned over the years when it comes to being happy.

    First, happiness is in the little things. Sure, the big things like falling in love or winning the lottery will make you happy too, but those don’t happen every day.

    Second, on the days when you don’t feel so happy, there are things you can do to lift yourself out of that place. When it comes right down to it, we’re all responsible for our own happiness.

    So with that in mind, here are 15 little things you can do to make yourself happy today:

    1. Listen to your favorite song. It’s amazing how just hearing a song you love can brighten up your day. Fire up your music player, or just turn on the radio.

    2. Get outside and enjoy nature. You can sit on a bench and watch the river flow, go for a walk on a trail, watch the sun rise or just star-gaze from your porch at night. Don’t forget to smell the flowers!

    3. Watch children at play. Seeing their freedom and creativity is bound to put a smile on your face and make you feel happier.

    4. Splurge on a favorite treat. You wouldn’t want to do this every day, but every once in awhile, head out for a smoothie, a latte, or even ice cream.

    5. Call your best friend. Hearing a friendly voice, and knowing that someone loves you is a great pick-me-up when you need a reason to feel happy.

    6. Take a hot bath. Light some candles, play some relaxing music, and soak the stress of the day away.

    7. Play a sport. Sports are a great way to not only get some exercise and relieve stress, they’re also a great way to socialize. And what could make you happier than spending time playing with your friends?

    8. Take a nap. An afternoon nap may be just what you’re looking for. Even 15 minutes of shut-eye can help you feel more energized and happy.

    9. Cuddle with your partner. Taking time to snuggle up shows your partner you appreciate them and are happy just spending quiet time together.

    10. Spend time with your pets. There’s nothing quite like the unconditional love of a dog to make you feel happier when you’ve had a bad day.

    11. Give yourself permission to be lazy. Often, our expectations of what we can do in a day are totally unrealistic and we stress over not getting enough done in a day. Giving yourself time unwind and just be lazy is a wonderful way to cheer yourself up.

    12. Watch a movie. Make it a comedy or romance… something you know is going to have a happy ending, and grab the popcorn. Escape the daily worry and stress for awhile and you’ll feel happier and more refreshed afterward. :)

    13. Make casual conversation. Strike up some lively conversations with strangers when you’re waiting in line at the store or the bank. If you’re friendly and happy towards them, most often they’ll return the sentiment.

    14. Be thankful. Reflect on all the things that you’re grateful for in your life and write them down. Sometimes changing your focus to what’s going right in your life is all you need to turn that frown upside down. (If you need something to write in, you can pick up a journal here.)

    15.Smile!

    Enjoy each moment as it happens and don’t be afraid to get a little creative. There really are no limits to what you can do to feel happier throughout the day.

    The whole time I was writing this, the song “Smile” by Uncle Kracker was running through my head. So here it is, just for you…



    Have a great day, and thanks for being here. You make me smile! :)

    What do you do to keep yourself feeling happy during the day? Please feel free to leave a comment and share your happiness!

    Filed Under: Happiness Tagged With: , ,

    New Report: The Beginner’s Guide To Creative Thinking

    September 4, 2010 By Lena Leave a Comment

    The Beginner’s Guide To Creative Thinking

    Practical Tips and Thought Experiments For When Thinking Outside The Box Is Not Enough

    I’m not big on the hyped up sales letters that so many people use to sell their ebooks. Although in thinking about it, I sure read a lot of them, and buy a lot of ebooks because of them so maybe I’m selling myself short by not doing one here. But I know myself well enough to know that if I have to write a traditional sales letter, then this new report is just going to sit on my hard drive even longer than it already has. (I finished writing in May, in case you were wondering.)

    The Beginner's Guide To Creative ThinkingSo here’s the deal. A new “Report From the Stash” is ready for you. This one is titled, “The Beginner’s Guide To Creative Thinking”

    It’s fifteen pages of practical information and ideas you can use to develop or improve your creative thinking skills.

    Here’s a brief rundown of what’s inside:

    • 5 Benefits of Creative Thinking
    • 4 Skills you might already have that help in creative thinking
    • A 4-step creative thinking process you can use
    • How to develop your creative thinking mindset
    • 5 Thought Experiments you can use to develop your creative thinking skills
    • 7 Ways to Stimulate Your Creative Mind
    • 4 More Creative Thinking Exercises

    You can grab your copy for only $7.00 by clicking on the order button below:


    Filed Under: Announcements, Creativity Tagged With: , , ,
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