Action Steps

1. Celebrate your Successes

When you achieve one of your goals, take the time to celebrate. Even if it’s something small. If you drop a size or nail a test, reward yourself with an item of clothing you’ve been eying, flowers, or a trip to the movies. Taking the time to celebrate success reinforces the behaviors that lead to success.

2. Set One Goal Every Morning When You Wake Up

Make this a goal that you can achieve that day, like “I will have that conversation with my mom that I’ve been putting off” or “I will finish that assignment that is hanging over my head.” State the goal to yourself in your mind, picture yourself finishing it, and then reward yourself when you do. Doing this will build a habit of goal setting which will serve you well.

3. Chart Out One Perfect Day and Live it.

We’re not talking about the kind of perfect day where you eat your favorite foods and watch your favorite movies. This perfect day is all about lining up everything you want to get done and doing it all. It can be hard to motivate ourselves to tackle responsibilities. They can seem overwhelming. But if you only need to stay on target for one day, you’ll be able to find the motivation. Make yourself a reasonable schedule for work, time at the gym, diet, and recreation and spend a few days preparing for your perfect day before you tackle it. When the day comes, make that schedule reality. Saturdays are a great day for planning a perfect day – you can reward yourself with a lazy (or fun) Sunday when the perfect day is done.