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“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum.” -Tony Robbins
Have you ever hesitated to take action and ended up stuck in a rut not knowing what to do? There are some common reasons why this happens. Sometimes we are waiting for some kind of sign to indicate that it’s okay to move forward. We might be waiting until we feel more confident because we don’t really feel up to the challenge. Or, we could be thinking that if we just wait awhile those obstacles will disappear and our goals will be easier to achieve.
Okay, I admit that in some cases it’s entirely possible that one of these strategies is legitimate, or at least it feels like it is. But how often do we use those reasons as excuses to avoid leaving our comfort zone? Let’s face it, if we are looking to justify procrastination there is no shortage of reasonable sounding excuses. If the ones I’ve mentioned don’t resonate with you check out 7 Common Procrastination Excuses by Sid Savara.
Procrastination is the equivalent of going nowhere!
The longer we wait to take action, the harder it is to get started. Circumstances will never be perfect and waiting until they are is the same as going nowhere. The truth is, it will probably never get any easier to move forward and every moment that we hold back will just make things worse.
“Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.” -Wayne Gretzky
When we avoid taking action it’s often because we have created resistance in our own mind. We have convinced ourselves that what we want to do is exceedingly difficult. But is that really true or is it just an avoidance technique?
Create momentum, create confidence
Momentum is one of those rare, self-perpetuation phenomenons. That’s what makes it so powerful. The perfect example of momentum is a snowball rolling down a snow covered bank. What happens? It grows and picks up speed along the way, right? But how can you use this power to achieve your goals and start living the life of your dreams?
Instead of getting bogged down by excuses, we need to create some momentum as soon as possible. And really, this is not something that is all that difficult to do. That giant, fast moving snowball started out small and slow. The reason it grew was because it kept moving. We don’t always need to launch into action like a rocket, but we do need to start moving and to keep moving so we can build some momentum.
Taking consistent action toward your goals is the best way to build momentum. That means that taking action will get easier and easier as you go along. Eventually the actions you take will require much less effort. You’ll begin to enjoy your activities because you’ll feel more empowered and confident and you’ll have momentum on your side.
3 Ways to build momentum
1) Commit to taking the necessary action steps first. That’s what you really need to focus on. One of the things that can prevent us from reaching our goals is making only a very limited commitment to taking the actions that will get us there. Early on, action needs to be our main concern. Obviously, we want to keep our goal in sight, but the majority of our attention should go toward taking consistent and purposeful action. That’s how we build momentum!
2) Break the process down into baby steps. Taking small, consistent steps toward a goal is generally much more effective than large, sporadic actions. Plus, it’s easier to get ourselves to act on smaller tasks. Even tiny actions will eventually begin to build momentum and produce results, as long as we are consistent. Making it your primary mission to move forward consistently will make it much easier to overcome obstacles because with each step your confidence will grow.
3) Don’t shift your focus toward results too early. Many a goal has been abandoned because people take an action, wait to see what the results are, and quit when they don’t see the results they expected. Don’t get so obsessed with results that you allow yourself to get discouraged. In other words, focus only on keeping the ball rolling, even if you’re not yet seeing the results you want just yet. If you get discouraged and quit, you’re guaranteed not to see results. Focus on building momentum.
Use momentum to overcome procrastination
Taking action leaves procrastination in the dust. If you do something every day that moves you toward your goals, you’ll be too busy to think about making excuses. Dale Carnegie made this point nicely when he said:
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
You really can accomplish your dreams
Are you finally ready to achieve those important goals? You know the ones I mean, those goals that you know will transform the quality of your life. Maybe all you need is a proven plan and a little motivation.
In this short webinar, world class achievement coach Gary Ryan Blair lays out his proprietary 10-point massive achievement plan. He outlines precisely how to start fast, stay focused, and accelerate your performance to achieve massive results. We are about to begin a brand new year and that means a chance for a fresh start. I am going to make it amazing, how about you?
