It takes motivation to work towards something most people won`t achieve. It takes motivation to do the work day in and day out, even when you aren`t seeing results. It takes motivation to network, become well connected, and make yourself a household name.

So how do you stay motivated? How do you keep pushing forward regardless of the circumstances?

Today I`m going to share some strategies to help you stay motivated and achieve anything you want in life.

Find Your Calling

You`re never going to be able to stay motivated unless you`re doing something you feel called to do. I didn`t choose writing -- writing chose me. If the path you`ve chosen has more to do with material gain than meaning, you`re setting yourself up for failure.

There are days (like today) where I wake up and I`m low on ideas, energy, and creativity, but I write anyhow. I`m able to push through "the resistance," because I`ve found something I know I`ll enjoy doing for the rest of my life. If you`re looking for more guidance on how to find your calling... I wrote an entire book about it.

Motivate Yourself Every Day

"People often say that motivation doesn`t last. Well, neither does bathing - that`s why we recommend it daily." -- Zig Ziglar.

I listen to podcasts, TED talks, and audio books on a daily basis. I do this to keep myself motivated. You encounter negativity every day which can suck the motivation out of you. If you don`t refill your motivation reservoir it will run low. Find a way to be inspired every single day.

Keep A Journal

Keep a journal to write down your thoughts, goals, ideas, and dreams. In my journal I write down three things I`m grateful for every day. I also write ten ideas every day to foster creativity. I write about anything that comes to mind. It`s something I can go back to when I`m lacking motivation or ideas. There`s something about writing your thoughts down that helps you know more about yourself and keep you on track.

Turn Envy On Its Head

It`s easy to be jealous of someone who you think is more successful than you are. Instead of wallowing in envy, why not try to figure out how they became so successful? Why not just ask them? Smart people seek out people who are more successful than them to find out what they know. They read their stories and steal their knowledge. More often than not, successful people share their secrets to the public. Your arrogance is keeping you from humbling yourself enough to learn from what they`ve done.

Use Short Time Blocks To Focus

Willpower doesn`t last for an entire day. Instead of trying to be a hyper motivated person 24 hours a day, block out short periods of time where you can be focused. For me it`s two hours every morning when I wake up. For you it can be as little as 30 minutes if that`s all you can handle. An hour of focused work is better than three hours of distracted work.

Habits Trump Motivation

Motivation isn`t the problem. Habits are oftentimes the dream stealing culprit. Bad habits destroy your chances of living your dream life.

Bad habits aren`t easy to shake either. But it`s necessary to eliminate them if you want to be successful. The key is to work on forming good habits slowly. Find a positive habit that creates an 80/20 result -- this means you should find the habit that has the most "bang for the buck." I don`t use motivation to write. I`ve created a writing habit. I do it on a daily basis.

Focus On Rewards

Goals aren`t all they`re cracked up to be. In fact, focusing on goals too much may cause you to not reach them. Instead, focus on the rewards of achieving your goals. Your goal is to work out more, but your reward is looking great naked. Your goal is to make more money, but your reward is the freedom to do what you want when you want.

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