Day 7: Picture this

Now that you have got clarity on your goal we can begin to look at keeping your motivation high.  One simple technique is to keep your goal in mind at all times.  You have already begun this process by writing down your goal (Tip 3, Jan 3rd).  You can carry this around with you or place it somewhere where you will see it frequently.  (I used to have a set of goals on my shaving mirror so I would see them at least once a day).

Another thing you can do is:

Tip 7:  Make a visual image of your goal

This technique works best once you have made your goal SMART.  Once you have got real clarity on your goal, it can be useful to have something which sums it up for you in a succinct way.  A good way of doing this is to create a visual image of your goal, something that represents your achievement (or what is known as your 'desired state').  It might be a picture of that car you promised yourself,  or the house you really want to buy.  I've known people who buy an item of clothing that they can't get into but are aiming to!  The key is to make the image powerful, compelling and aspirational.  In keeping with Tip 6, therefore, make sure that your visual image is something that you are moving towards rather than away from.  So, if your goal is to drop some weight, a picture of your ideal body shape on the fridge door will work better than one that is of a pig or you at your least glamorous!  Ideally, each time you see your chosen image it should connect with positive emotions and strengthen your resolve to keep making progress towards your goal.