Three Secrets of Driven People

The start of a year is always about motivation. So, regardless of what you wish to accomplish in the next 12 months, what you really need to adopt that could help are these three secrets of motivated people found in Real Simple Magazine.

  * Secret #1:  Anticipate speed bumps in your plan.  Before trying to accomplish your goal, plan for potential pitfalls and either anticipate them if you are able to, or produce a strategy to handle them if they arise.  Peter Gollwitzer is a professor of psychology at New York University, and he says that individuals who are ready for obstacles are more likely to stick with their ambitions than people who don't.  For example, perhaps your primary goal is to go for a jog every morning.  What if you wake up one day and it's pouring rain?  Have a plan like, "If the weather's bad, I'll spend 20 minutes running up and down the steps in the hallway or jumping rope and doing jumping jacks, in place of skipping exercise altogether." This helps you stick to your new routine.

  * Another secret of driven people:  Let others in on your goal.  James Fowler is a political scientist who studies social networks at the University of California, San Diego.  He says others can help reinforce your behavior.  On average, it's difficult to abandon a dream when you're conscious that people are tracking your progress.  For instance, 25-year-old Stephanie Samarripa from Dallas, Texas wanted to lose 20 pounds, so she designed a web blog and asked her friends to read it, so she would remain accountable.  She weighed herself every week and announced the results on her blog.  Samarripa says the positive suggestions people leave help keep her going - and keep her on track.

  * Finally:  Challenge yourself, and change things up.  It's difficult to remain enthusiastic when everything stays the same.  That's the statement from Frank Busch, who's coached three Olympic swimming teams.  To sustain his athletes inspiration, he constantly changes and surprises them - adding a new exercise to their workout routine, or providing them with a rest from a scheduled practice so they can recharge.  So, if your aim is to end that novel you commenced, try writing in a different room, or using a notebook instead of your PC.  The more you change things up, the more driven and inspired you'll be to stick to it.


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