Bookmark Website  | Free Registration  | The Team
The Lounge  | Champions  | The Wire |  Schedule |  Audio  |  Arcade  |  The Top Ten  |  Historical  |  Email  |  Video

Hanging On In There - How To Carry On When Your Motivation Is Flagging


"I will persist until I succeed. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.... I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking."

Og Mandino

It strikes me that beyond the difficulty of getting started, it is even more of a challenge to keep going, to carry on and hang on in there. How many times have you started a project only to abandon it part way through? How many unfinished works-in-progress are tucked away in various corners of the house and your workplace. They are not exactly screaming at you to get finished, but the sense of them being there is very much like voices whispering at you. You see, the start was relatively easy. It's the carrying on which will be the challenge.

How about you? What do you need to persist in? Have you got a project that you are part way through and you can feel yourself flagging? How do you need to motivate yourself to hang on in there?

If you feel that your resolve to see a project through is beginning to crumble, perhaps it is time to take a break, step back and remove yourself from the detail of the project for a short while. Sometimes just allowing yourself to have a breathing space, possibly by going out and taking a calming walk, can help to ease your sense of overwhelm. Distancing yourself for a while, although it can seem like a negative step, can often help to get you over the hurdles of carrying on. Also reminding yourself, and those you may be working with, what the ultimate goal is, can often refresh your enthusiasm for the tasks in hand.

What essential task has been slipping down the to-do list? What are you resisting doing? It may not necessarily be a large or even difficult task, but in your mind it may have grown into a problem of gargantuan proportions! It's time to assess whether the pain of putting it off is worse than the pain of facing up to it and doing it. The other question to ask is, 'Can I delegate this?'

What do you really want to achieve for yourself? Today? This week? This month? This year? Next year and beyond? Do you have a vision of how you would like things to be? Do you know how you are going to get there? Have you taken the first steps? And are you hanging on in there? Is your vision keeping you going? If it's not, then it's time to reassess your vision and choose another one that excites you.

When a task is beginning to create stress and distress, that is one of the times to give yourself a break. Doing something active will help to lower your stress levels, as well as increasing your fitness, so that you will be physically and mentally more able to cope with what awaits you. You can return to your task with renewed energy and vigor.

How did you come to be doing this project or task? Was it imposed on you by someone else, or did you choose to start it yourself? If it was given to you to do by someone else and you are struggling with maintaining your enthusiasm, how do you think you could get a sense of eagerness for the project? What do you need to inject some fresh interest? If someone else is able to help you do this, then go ahead and ask them. The worst that could happen is they could say 'no'! If this is something that you chose to take on, then the same applies. What drew you to this in the first place? Just remembering that may be all it takes to give you a jump-start again. What can you be doing every day to help move the project along? How is your time most profitably spent? Do you need to learn something new to assist you with what you are trying to achieve? If you need a break from work, sometimes doing something totally unrelated and creative can refresh you. Using your hands and mind in producing something purely for pleasure can calm you down and lower your stress levels. You will also end up with something you'll enjoy looking at!

Sometimes carrying on seems to be the last thing you want to do. You may even think that you are putting in all the effort only to get nothing from it. Hanging on in there and seeing the project progress to the next stage and then the final stage can be tough under these circumstances, but if you really believe in what you are ultimately aiming to achieve, then it will not be for nothing. Keep the end in sight. Hang on in there!

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please take a look at Kate's website. Her special interest is in promoting Wellbeing through coaching. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.


MORE RESOURCES:

Windsor finding motivation after being tagged as underdog
Windsor Beacon
The Windsor High School football team stayed a night in Steamboat Springs on Friday and got up this morning to go settle a score. ...

and more »


The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

'Chip on shoulder' gave Tim Brown motivation to become Rutgers' No. 1 wide ...
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
Noah K. Murray/The Star-ledgertim Brown has managed to make the catches for Rutgers despite being 5-8, like this touchdown ...



GoVolsXtra

Vols fighting through injuries
Columbia Daily Herald
“That was part of my motivation, to stay out there and give those guys a little leadership and guidance ... and keep the guys heads in the game. ...
Bowl is Vol goalDawg Post (subscription)

all 86 news articles »


Wildcats use last year's game as motivation, lesson
Oregon Daily Emerald
When the Arizona Wildcats (6-3, 4-2 Pacific-10 Conference) visited Autzen Stadium last year they found themselves down two ...

and more »


UTEP Miners have motivation vs. Rice
American Chronicle
Motivation comes in different forms for two teams looking for closing flourishes to dress up losing seasons. Still, there is no shortage of that motivation. ...



CBC.ca

With motivation from Pierce, Rondo turned up his game against Warriors
Providence Journal
By ROBERT LEE BOSTON – When Rajon Rondo entered training camp, the Celtics wanted him to show that he could be a consistent star night in and night out. ...
Perkins Talking Bout Practice, Practice!Hardwood Houdini (blog)
Rivers looks inward for answers to woesBoston Globe

all 509 news articles »


Pokes are out for revenge against Boise State
Casper Star-Tribune Online
Third-year coach Heath Schroyer's biggest obstacle this week may have been in convincing his team that they didn't need that type of motivation. ...
UW hasn't forgotten about loss at BoiseWyoming Tribune

all 23 news articles »


MiamiHerald.com

Smokers get motivation to quit from great American Smokeout
TopNews United States
This Thursday is the Great American Smoke Out, which is being used for more than 30 years to help aid them in quitting smoking. As per a survey conducted by ...
Activists target city's high rate of smokingWorcester Telegram

all 579 news articles »


Seattle Post Intelligencer

OUR LEAGUE: Plenty of motivation for Clemson
Charlottesville Daily Progress
... a season-opening loss, a win in the last home game of the season and the last ACC game of the season and Senior Day, to name some motivating factors. ...
Gameday preview: Clemson vs. VirginiaThe State

all 571 news articles »


Buffs: Plenty of motivation
Longmont Daily Times-Call
BOULDER — Don't ask the players in the Colorado football program about the future. They don't know. And they really don't want to discuss ...

and more »

Google News


Advertisement



Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us

Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved.