Jump Start: Self Care September: Day 14

It’s Day 14 of the Jump Start and Day 7 of Get Organised and Get Motivated Week. Seeing as it’s the final day of this week, and you’ve been so patient, I’m going to let you in on my biggest motivational secret of all time. Yes, it’s the showstopper. Here goes.

I’ve been asked many times what the secret is to getting motivated. The question is usually this, in fact: ‘How do I get in the right state of mind to get started on what I want to achieve?’

So here’s the big secret.

Are you ready?

You sure?

Really, really sure?

Okay, enough mucking about. Here goes.

The answer is this: You don’t.

If you wait until the right state of mind or the right pumped-up mood comes along before getting started, chances are you’ll never get around to it. States of mind and moods come and go, and more often than not you can’t control them all that much, so don’t even try.

Turns out people mostly ask the wrong question in the first place.

The real secret is this: block out the time, and get on with it. Being in the ‘right kind of mood’ helps, but it is absolutely not essential. Forget going around listening to The Eye of the Tiger, pumping your fists in the air, saying ‘Grrrrr, you’re a winner!’ into the mirror, or ordering unlimited power and success from the universe (trust me, you won’t even get a takeaway curry delivered if you carry on like that).

Most days, my ‘positive mental attitude’ barely exists, and some days my attitude downright sucks. But it’s still perfectly possible to get things done.

What are you putting in your schedule today, whether you’re in the perfect mood or not?