This is the best time to be thinking about what we need to do in order to start seeing the results and changes we want to see in our lives. Remember last week’s article? We discussed three ways to get out of a slump: one goal at a time; find inspiration; and get excited.
Once we have those, what can we do next?
Build anticipation. Don’t start right away. I know most of us want to get started immediately once we are excited about something, but don’t do it. Set a date in the future, a week or two or even a month, depending on what you want to do and make that your start date. Mark it on your calendar and focus on those days.
Make sure to write a plan. While delaying the start, you are building anticipation and increasing your focus and energy on your goal. This way, you are also getting more organized and would have better judgment on what decision to make before getting started.
An easy example for me is when I was deciding which type of marketing campaign I should apply to my business. I had to consider several factors like my budget, the criteria needed and the frequency needed to make the campaign a success.
Just like what I did, post your goal. Once you make up your mind, print your goal or write it on a poster board. Make it simple and easy like a mantra I have, “Market Weekly,” “Call Seller’s Daily,” “Motivated Sellers = $$$.” Post it at home, at work, on your desktop, in your car. This way you will have a constant reminder about your goal that will help you stay focused and to keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal helps as well.
Commit publicly. This will keep you accountable. We don’t want to look bad in front of other people, right? So, we tend to work harder if we’ve told someone about our goal. I remember last year around this time, I went to a local real estate meetup group and everyone went around the room announcing to the whole group of approximately 70 people what they wanted as their real estate goal for the coming year. It was a great experience.
I have had dozens of moments this year, where I had to stop and think about the goals I announced at that meetup. It definitely helped keep me focused and accountable.
Also a few years back, I met a very successful real estate investor, who would read a memo of his goals first thing every morning. Think about it. If we could commit to doing one small thing every day to further our goal, we will most certainly see it come true.
Get support. This is one of the most important steps in my opinion. It is difficult to accomplish something all by yourself. So, make sure to ask for help when you need it.
Stay tuned for the next article, where we will discuss more ways to help you get motivated.
To your success,
