Personal Development Plan

Every Sunday, as I think about the upcoming week, I envision that THIS week will be THE week for when I will finally eat better, exercise more, and be less stressed. I can see myself eating salads every day and jogging on the beach at night. I stand sideways in the mirror and suck in my stomach, imagining how flat my tummy will be by this time next week. These self motivation techniques get me hopeful and I start having motivational thoughts such as, "This is the week that I will eat healthier, get more exercise, and be a happier person."

But, inevitably, by Wednesday (OK, maybe Tuesday), my personal development plan begins to wilt, just like all the salad greens in the fridge. The motivational thoughts I had at the beginning of the week are gone. Instead, all I want to do is eat some pizza and watch TV. By the end of the week, none of the things on my personal development program have been accomplished; nothing has changed in my life. If you are anything like me, it is very common to feel guilty or frustrated about giving up. Figuring out how to get motivated again can be a challenge.

Change is hard. It is much easier to do what you have always done and just wish for different results. We all want instant gratification and so it is tempting to give in to our desires and cravings.

But, there is a big difference between instant gratification and long term happiness. Instant gratification often leads to guilt or frustration. Lasting happiness comes from resisting temptation and following through on your personal development plan. How can you tell if you will be gratified or happy?

The next time your motivational thoughts start to fade and you just want to give up, ask yourself this question: If I do this, how will I feel two hours from now? This question works for almost every situation: If I eat this cookie, how will I feel two hours from now? If I watch TV instead of exercising, how will I feel two hours from now? If I eat fast food for lunch, how will I feel two hours from now?

A good personal development plan should include self motivation techniques, which will give you the motivation to remain committed to your goals.

What is one of the best ways to get motivated?

Positive self talk is a very powerful self motivation technique. Learn to be aware of what you are saying to yourself and treat yourself with love and kindness. Negative self talk will bring you down and it can quickly derail you from your personal development plan. Positive self talk will keep you energized, hopeful, and focused on achieving your goal. For example, if part of your personal development plan is to start a new career, which is typically a slow process, it can be tempting to resort to negative self talk when you get frustrated by how long it is taking to change jobs. Instead of saying, "No one wants to hire me", try saying, "I am proud of myself for trying a new career path. Instead of staying stuck, I am taking action. The right job is out there and when the time is right, it will be mine."

Remember that everything starts with just one step. You can't do 200 sit-ups without doing that first sit-up. If you can only do 30 sit-ups today, remember that that is 100% more than you were doing yesterday, and tomorrow you can do 35 sit-ups. If you have never eaten salads before, start by having a small side salad with your meal and after a few weeks, the side salad will become the main dish. The point is to take action and just get started. Don't over do it, or you will quickly lose motivation and give up. Just get started and build from there.

Another great self motivation technique is to play up your successes and play down your failures. Expect that there will be times when you will give in to temptation or when you will be too tired to exercise. Don't be beat yourself up over occasional slip-ups. In my opinion, guilt is not a productive or helpful emotion.

A technique that I love to use is to literally play a movie in my head that is made up of all the successes I have had on the way to achieving my goal. For example, when I am tempted not to exercise, I play my "Jogging on The Beach" movie. The movie image projection in my head is very large, taking up the entire screen, just like in a movie theater. In the movie, the sun is setting and the wind is rippling through my hair. I feel stronger and more empowered each time my feet hit the sand and my head is clearer with every deep breath that flows through my lungs. This movie really helps me stay motivated to keep exercising.

Take the movie playing one step further and play a movie of yourself as already having carried out your personal development plan as a success. Envisioning yourself crossing the finish line is an energizing self motivation technique. People tend to naturally do this when they are learning a new language. You may only learn a few basic words, but almost everyone then plays a movie of themselves talking fluently in the new language. A popular movie theme is to see yourself as a tourist in the native country, fluently ordering food in a restaurant, which impresses both your date and the waiter :) Is losing weight on your personal development plan? If so, then envision yourself at your ideal weight, trying on clothes, getting more dates, or just feeling more confident in your healthier body.

If you envision it, then you can achieve it. Seeing yourself as already having achieved your goal is a great way to stop laziness and maintain motivation.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it (links are in a pretty box below). I would greatly appreciate it :)