How to overcome a lack of motivation by Brandon Helderop of Proverbs and Business on 23-Apr-2012

Do you ever have days where you just can't seem to get the motivation to get moving? One of those days where it's still dark outside, the bed is the perfect temperature and your body is telling you it could use another hour or two of sleep. We've all been there.

Maybe you're like me and have noticed that once you get going, you're glad you did. That's because motivation always trails activity.

Here are three ways to overcome the lack of motivation and to get yourself motivated in the morning.

1. Make a daily 'to do' list

The key to the to-do list is that it is written before you go to bed the night before (when motivation is usually higher) and should be in order from most to least important items. Dale Carnegie said, "Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves." A to-do list assures that that you know what needs to be accomplished so you aren't wasting time in the morning.

2. Read and listen early in the morning

Charles Reade, the English novelist and dramatist said this:

"Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny."

If you want to change your actions and attitude in the morning, you need to first impact your thoughts. You can do this by picking up a book that offers you some motivation. Also, I recommend listening to CDs and podcasts from leadership speakers in the car on your way to work. For me, reading and listening gives me the 'pick-me-up' I need to take on the day.

3. Be disciplined and force yourself to get active

Seems simple but it's usually the most difficult. One way I am trying to discipline myself right now is by moving my workout to the morning before work. I know that when I am working out and achieving my goals in that arena, other goals seem to easier fall into place. Plus, when I exercise in the morning, I feel like I've already achieved something before anybody else has even woken up. That motivation seems to trickle into work life.

So next time you run into a day like this, remember Sir Isaac Newton's first law of motion which is often stated as saying:

"An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion."

Once you're in motion, it's much easier to get going. It's impossible to succeed if you can't get motivated to accomplish what you need to accomplish. As the Chinese Proverb says, 'Chance favours those in motion'.

So next time you have a morning where you wake up low in the motivation tank, remember that a sunrise and fresh new day represents brand new opportunities. Your success is out there, you just have to be in motion in order to attain it.

Brandon Helderop is the founder and author of the blog, Proverbs and Business. You contact him at proverbsandbiz@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @proverbsandbiz

Photo courtesy of lordphantom74 on CreativeCommons.

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