Motivation 101: A Beginner’s Guide

By admin on Jun 22, 2008 with Comments

“Dang, I haven’t been to the gym in a month. I was on a roll for a few weeks, but then, I’m not sure what happened.”

Sounds familiar, huh? You’ve said something like this before. It may not have been about going to the gym, but rather about some other daily activity. Perhaps you decided to practice a foreign language for an hour each day. Maybe you wanted to read for at least 30 minutes each night before going to sleep. It was going well and then…nothing.

We all know what happened – you lost motivation. The joy of starting something new wore off. Your accountability partner stopped holding you accountable. The excuses are plentiful and they all start with the phrase “What had happened was…”

Whatever it was, the good folks at P.O.S.H. are here to help you get back on (and stay on) the horse. How are we gonna do that? Drum roll please…

The Process:
1. Find one of those rubber bracelets that were all the rage a few years ago (think: Lance Armstrong “LIVESTRONG”). A rubber band will do just fine.
2. Put it on your wrist

The Rules:
1. If you complete your task during the day, then keep the bracelet on the same wrist
2. If you DO NOT complete your task during the day, then switch the bracelet to the other wrist

The “game” is to see how many consecutive days you can keep the bracelet on the same wrist.

The bracelet serves as a constant reminder of the desired activity (going to the gym, practicing Spanish, reading the Wall Street Journal, etc.). Believe me – the reminder is constant. Every time you look at your watch or write something down or point at something, you’ll be reminded. The goal is to condition your mind, so that these “tasks” become “behaviors” and you’ll no longer need the bracelet to remind you to do something.

Make it fun! Tell your friends, family, and coworkers about it. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Salud!

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