How To Stay Motivated

1. Crystallize your thinking: Set a definite goal for yourself with a definite time limit for its achievement. Nebulous generalities, such as "wealthy by middle-age" will not suffice. Set a goal of earning an exact amount, to the last penny, by a certain date. You must know exactly where you want to go before you can ever hope to arrive.
2. You must have a plan for the attainment of your goal. You'll be surprised at how quickly a plan will change you from a wondering generality into a meaningful specific. Write down your concrete plan. Put it into outline form with intermediate steps that can be checked off frequently to show signs of progress; but NEVER check off a step as completed until work has already begun on the next step. This is insurance against stopping short of the goal.
3. You must develop a burning desire to reach your goal through the use of your plan. Make an exhaustive list of all possible benefits of reaching your goal. Include all the improvements to yourself, you financial condition, your personality, and your abilities. List the ways in which achieving your goal will benefit your family, your team, and even the community. Write down this list and keep it with you, adding to it as you discover new advantages; subtracting only as your values change (and they will).
4. You must also maintain unshakable faith in yourself and in your ability to accomplish your purpose. Put modesty aside and list every positive attribute and abilit you have. Make a list long as is truthful. Then, make a study of one man or woman or of several men who have already achieved success. Note particularly the qualities and compare them with yours. You will be amazed at the similarity! You will find that you already possess the tools, so have confidence in them and use them.
5. You must create a force of iron-willed determination that will blast any obstacle from your path. If the benefits of achieving your goal are worthwhile, any person or situation that gets in the way is a thief, stealing your furture success. Remember that any obstacle conceived by the mind of man can be overcome by the mind of another man filled with desire and determination. Make your determination so strong that it will eliminate any situation or circumstance that stands in the way of your goals.