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6 Lessons You Can Learn from The King of the Jungle

Do you watch documentaries on lions? If yes, then you must have seen that they dominate their territory and are apex predators.

Lions are among the strongest swine in the world, and no one dares to confront or challenge them. They are called’ rulers’ because they have a touch of royalty in everything they do .

From eating habits where 20 -2 5 royal members dine at the same to subjugating immense districts.

A lion ever has a bold posture and lives like a true-blue ruler.

Life of Lions

But their life is full of hazards and questions. There is less room for faults, as one mistake may manufacture them lose their life, reign, or offspring.

Also, hunting is not an easy assignment; their success rate is only 17 -1 9 percentage. Compared to human being their difficulties are bigger since they are never get a second opportunity.

Lions Have Evergreen Motivations

But, have you ever seen a depressed lion or one who wants to give up? They ever struggle to hunt and regulate properties, but they never cease.

Sometimes they failed to meet hunting a zebra, a gazelle, and a wildebeest. But do they give up? No. They try hard and succeed in hunting.

Survival String

So, what motivates them to not surrender to the stern life? The refute is survival. The only thing that keeps them moving is existence.

Many lions lose their reign, children, and rulers to other lions, but they never give up on life. Let’s learn motivation by lions.

Here are six life lessons learned in the prince of the jungle:

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Lear Motivations by Lions-Lesson 1. Your goal is the only way to survive

Set a life goal and work hard to achieve it; consider that there are no alternatives. As lions are born to hunt and regulation; acknowledge that you are born to accomplish your life goal.

Consider your purpose and work as a source of reason. They will preserve you going through good and bad times because renown is temporary, but piece gratification and appreciation of achievement are permanent.

Lesson 2. Fail and derive

Lions flunk eight out of ten epochs in the chase, but this moves them fine-tune their skills; thus, they can catch bigger prey to feed their family.

Likewise, we should also embrace our failings and derive each time we face them.

We must study and analyze our collapses and make sure to not repeat them. As Jack Ma has rightly said,” If the guy exclusively checks himself, yeah, something wrong with me here, something wrong with me there.

Then, this guy has hope .” Likewise, we must follow this law of nature:’ Evolve and survive’ to achieve success in life.

” Everyone wants to eat, but few are willing to hunt .”

Lesson 3. Focus is crucial

When lions go on a hunt, they make less noise and focus on the prey. They ever have an element of surprise and obstruct everything low to make their raid successful.

Now imagine, if a lion represents racket, will they be able to hunt? The react is no! So, what do we learn? Too much talking makes us lose focus.

Don’t tell everyone about your goals and “what you’re doing”, keep it low-grade and totally places great importance on your aim .

Lesson 4. Always trust one another

A pride of lions always back each other in good and bad times. Rather in tough phases as an individual they contribute more to the survival of the pride.

We were necessary to learn that strength is in the parcel. It’s necessary to not smash each other’s rely for a short-term gain. Also, we must support each other in overcoming tough problems and situations.

Lesson 5. Survival is everything

Lions don’t damage anyone without any intellect. But, when someone tries to mar their territory, life, and family, they leave no stone unturned in give a tough combat.

Likewise, we should concentrate on our own betterment. Nonetheless, if someone is trying to ruin our vocation or life, then instead of getting disillusioned we should fight back and overcome such smotherers.

” The world is a jungle. You either battle and dominate or disguise and vaporize .”

Lesson 6. Have fun in life

Lions go through a coarse life filled with everyday challenges. But they don’t let them devastate their everyday moments.

They always enjoy every minute with their dignity members. They play with each other and take care of everyone.

You should also make sure to relish each instant of their own lives. Leave your stress and annoys in your workplace, and when you are at home, relish the time with your family.

 

Takeouts:

Lions educate us to dominate problems in living and live like a genuine win. As someone has rightly said,” If size actually mattered, the elephant would be king of the jungle .”

Similarly, every animal’s life is full of fight, and we can learn a lot from them to become successful and prosperous in our own lives. So next time you watch a documentary on lions, try to learn from them.

How will you become a lion in your everyday life? Comment below!

Source: addicted2success.com

10 Reasons You Need to Write That Book You’ve Always Thought About

Europe is breathing a sigh of comfort over Germany.

I’m willing to bet that many of you out there have was just thinking about writing a diary.

You may have even started scribbling down a few projects.

Perhaps it’s a myth work, the next 50 Shades of Grey, or perhaps you want to write the next tell-all exposure on the life and experiences of Donald Trump.

You are likely to consider writing the next enormous self-help book, akin to “The Secret” or “How to Constitute Pals and Influence People”.

According to a study done virtually two decades ago in 2002, 81% of Americans were of the view that they had a record in their own homes.

This has meant that nearly 260 million people want to write records in the US alone.

Approximately 600,000 volumes were released in the US each year, and many of those are self-published.

Few sell more than a few forgeries (the average is around 250 imitates exchanged).

Hitherto I’m here today to tell you to write that work that you’ve had on your attention and to dive into the realm of self-publishing.

 

10 Reasons You Need to Write That Book

Here are 10 reasons you should make that move and write a volume once:

1. It meets you think more clearly

When you first think about writing a diary, it may seem like a daunting exercise.

It is an agitating suggestion, sure, but the more you consider how to actually get started, the harder it becomes.

When you actually pick up the confine (or the laptop) and start typing, you will come to realize just what a elucidate outcome the writing process can have on your mind.

2. It helps you direct your originality

Writing may be one of the purest forms of ego construction and creativity available to humans.

We all learn to write from an early age, yet few of us cultivate the ability of self-expression through writing long past our early childhood.

Good bibles, nonfiction or myth, sounds into the reader’s minds by telling artistic fibs and tapping into mental personnel related to specific sensations.

The work you write is not necessary too dry or boring.

Think about how you are able to make it interesting and then lead full-steam ahead.

“The obstacle in the footpath grows the track. Never forget, within every deterrent is an opportunity to improve our condition.”- Ryan Holiday

 

3. It gives you a sense of purpose

Every November, nearly half a million people take on the challenge of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

The challenge is for writers of all ages, talents, and skills, and capacity to set aside time out of their busy planned to write like mad for the purposes of the month.

The goal is to reach a stupid number of words (50,000) in a few periods as is practicable.

Taking on a challenge of this magnitude, or simply naming a deadline for yourself in your front on a certain number of sheets to write in a certain sum of the period, can provide you with an incredible appreciation of purpose and drive.

4. It Forces You to Go Ahead

Most people who write volumes don’t do so as part of their full-time profession.

They don’t have large betterments or big budgets to spend on market and PR.

Instead, they have to work on their writing, to foster and strategy around their once-busy lives.

Judging to write a book compels careful planning and attention to items.

It also pushes you to outline a plan for when to publicize your volume and when to start marketing.

5. It causes you

Once you have an outline in place for your diary and a schedule for how many statements you need to finish each day (or how many slices of your diary you need to complete) you will be surprised by how motivated you become.

Just having a set of tasks to complete which align so closely with an artistic try is incredibly fulfilling, and will be very motivating over the course of your writing.

 

6. It Establishes Good Habits

The creation of good habits is a positive byproduct of sketching, planning, and writing a bible.

By scheming out your activities, you develop a deeper expressed appreciation for the occasion and the time you spend on certain tasks.

You will make an effort to be more productive, to cut out things that are of less appraise to you, and to prioritize those circumstances which will help you achieve your next purpose or project.

All positive things lead to the development of good habits.

7. It develops new contacts

Don’t mistake the process of writing a volume with the process of revising a journal.

When you write on a schedule, you may not feel like writing, but the sheer personnel of will you employ to get the words out on a daily basis will be a strong motivating make.

Not merely that, the more you write, the most likely it becomes that you will develop new joinings, recalls, or notions that you’ve never had before.

As you write, something may become clear to you which has been shrouded in a puzzle for years or decades of your life.

By writing, you will uncover these new contacts and change your whole way of thinking.

“The three huge criticals to achieve anything profitable are: Hard part, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.”- Thomas A. Edison

8. It attains you more interesting

Writing a journal will see you more interesting.

Not exclusively will it give you something to talk about at parties, it will help you understand these new challenges that countless people face when it is necessary to motivate or challenges at work or in their personal lives.

By writing a book, I would argue that you will become both more empathetic and energetic in your interactions with others.

 

9. It opens up more doorways

When you devote a significant quantity of time writing something, possibilities are that you are a dedicated and trustworthy mortal.

You are labeled a self-starter and someone who can be self-motivated to reach big destinations.

By telling parties you’ve written work, you will open doors you didn’t even know were entrances in the first place.

People will want to speak with you, have lunch with you, pick your ability, learn from you. The sky’s the limit.

10. It drives a deeper understanding

Ultimately, writing a book allows you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself, of others, and of countries around the world around you. I would argue that writing a journal is both a selfless and a selfish act in that it allows you to run your body and soul into something which may benefit the world as a whole.

In 2002, a generator and prof at Northwestern University by the name of Joseph Epstein told books in an Op-Ed in the New York Times that they should never write that diary.

A spate has changed since 2002, and looking at countries around the world now I would indicate strongly for the opposite.

People should be investing more go thinking about, and writing the books they have buried inside.

Exclusively then will we be able to develop a truly terminated viewpoint of countries around the world and of humanity?

What journal is on your subconscious that you haven’t started yet? Comment below!

Source: addicted2success.com

5 Ways You Can Develop Unbreakable Mental Resilience

Building unbreakable mental strength was my ultimate goal for many years. Even as a girl, I knew that with emotional toughness in place, nothing can permanently break me. I set myself up for a task. My mission was to find ways and tools which I can use to become mentally and emotionally strong, in control, and ready to face anything. If you think that’s easier said than done, that’s two of us.

In the beginning, I experienced lots of failures and errors since I didn’t understand that being tough or looking tough are two different powers.

I was trying to build this image of a “street fighter” which wasn’t working because it didn’t come from within.

My second task was to share my experience with anyone I met. I understood that with proper tools and perspective, we all could build ourselves into resilient and strong individuals.

 

5 ways you can develop unbreakable mental resilience and gain control of your life

That’s why I want to share with you 5 ways you can develop unbreakable mental resilience and gain control of your life:

1. Increase your tolerance for pain

If you want to effectively train your mind in becoming resilient, you need to increase your tolerance for pain. You do it by letting go of how things should be and accept what is. No expectations, no feeling of entitlement.

It’s a perspective matter. When you feel entitled to something better or easier in life, you are putting yourself in a position where your expectations don’t have to be met. This situation causes hurt and loss of control.

When you are at peace with the ups and downs of life, knowing that some fights are involved, you are gaining more control over how you feel and think.

Your tolerance for adversity increases since you are focused more on a solution than on the presence of your pain.

“You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” – Shonda Rhimes

 

2. Create a powerful support system

For most of my life, I believed that I can handle everything on my own. I wanted to become the strongest among all my friends and family, always independent, never needing help.

Soon, I found out that this was a terrible idea while trying to develop emotional resilience. The truth is that we need each other, we need our support network

Part of developing mental resilience is knowing when to ask for help and bury the ego. There is strength in admitting that you feel vulnerable and need someone’s hand.

Feeling love and support is the best medicine while dealing with hardships. Your role is to choose who you let close to you and who you can trust. Based on my experience, it isn’t hard to figure it out.

 

3. Take responsibility for your feelings

You and I know that blaming is easy. It takes a weight off your shoulders, it eases the pain and it creates excuses. But it doesn’t build mental resilience.

You need to learn how to take responsibility for your feelings when someone else hurts them.

There is a difference between those who are at fault and those who are responsible. Let’s say that your partner cheated on you which broke your heart and caused you pain.

It’s your partner’s fault, but it’s your responsibility to deal with it. I know, it may sound unfair, but this is the only way you can build your emotional toughness on a feeling which scares you the most and that’s pain.

 

4. Learn to be alone

Some of us are pretty scared of being alone. That’s why we keep the TV on even when we don’t watch it, scroll through our feed 45 times a day, or always seek some company just to maintain the noise.

Spending some time alone allows you to think clearly, without distractions, and on a much deeper level.

I am not suggesting that you isolate yourself from others, but time alone, combined with only 5 minutes of meditation, will help you in gaining better control of your feelings and overall mental state.

Schedule your alone time. Reserve 1 hour, twice a week just for yourself, your thoughts, and your feelings. If you haven’t tried meditation, there are tons of videos online which will teach you the basics.

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi

 

5. Love those who hurt you

Two weeks ago, I read an article about letting go. According to Buddha’s teachings, the best way to let go is by loving those who hurt us.

At first, it pissed me off. I thought to myself, “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read in my entire life.”

Then I took a deep breath, stepped out of my ego, and admitted that it made sense.

Think about it this way, when you truly let go, when you forgive, you are gaining more control over your feelings and mindset.

And that’s one of the most important things in building mental resilience. You take away the power of someone else who gained it through hurting you.

Once you overcome the feeling of anger and the need for retaliation, the action of the other person won’t control you.

 

Conclusion

Having the right perspective on pain, surrounding yourself with people you can trust, and taking responsibility for your feelings are basic components of your inner toughness.

The best thing about it is that even when you fail, you will manage to recover pretty quickly because you are built this way.

Don’t focus on your ego, it’s one of the most common reasons which stops you from growing. Have faith and accept the fact the everything in your life has a purpose.

It’s how you choose to use it which defines who you are.

How do you build mental strength? Comment below!

Source: addicted2success.com

12 Tips to Propel Your Self-Motivation to It’s Highest Peak

Motivation plays a significant role in your performance as well as the success of your career. There are many ways for you to get the motivation to do your job well and achieve the goals you have set for yourself. People derive motivation to work well from diverse sources including fear, rewards, growth, and development as well as from social influences.

Nonetheless, the best incentive to perform your duties comes from within you. Self-motivation is the drive to achieve goals without the supervision and the influence of other people.

When it comes to meeting your desired results motivation and ability are paramount. They make things happen.

 

Use the following 12 tips to keep yourself motivated:

1. Set high but real goals

Set a real goal, identify what you want to achieve, and determine ways to go about attaining it. Divide your goal into various subgoals to make it easier for you.

Setting personal goals keeps you focused on what you want to achieve both in the long-term and short-term. Whenever you face challenges, remind yourself why you are doing that task in the first place.

Understand your abilities and do not set unrealistically high goals as doing so will set you up for failure and demoralize you. Clearly defined real goals are easier to focus on and monitor. They make it easier for you to measure your achievements as well as progress.

 

2. Seek feedback

Be open to any feedback, whether positive or negative as it is right for your motivation. Positive feedback makes you want to keep up with excellent performance and even causes you to have the incentive to work even harder.

Negative feedback might lead you to stress. And if it happens on a regular basis it most likely will lead to depression. The key is how you treat your stress and depression.

Take it as your best advisors to go forward. Take the negative feedback positively and let it give you the drive to want to improve your performance and surpass the expectations of your reviewer.

 

3. Get rid of unnecessary habits

Quite often you will find yourself doing things that get in the way of you achieving your goals. Maybe you have the habit of going to work with a hangover on Monday mornings after partying during the weekend.

If you know that is what gets you down and makes you unmotivated, get rid of that habit. Minimize the things that distract you from working in top condition.

Whenever you find yourself craving that beer, drink a glass of water instead. It is good for your health.

“Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” – Winston Churchill

 

4. Continue learning

Just because you are out of school does not mean you stop learning and adding to your knowledge. Surf the internet or take courses that can increase your expertise.

The more informed you are, the more you boost the development of your brain. You are exposed to new ideas, gain new skills and can reason better based on facts. Consider setbacks as an opportunity to learn. Never stop learning.

 

5. Celebrate all your achievements

Winning, no matter how small, deserves to be rewarded. Whenever you achieve your desired aim, get yourself a present.

It could be that beautiful new dress you have been salivating for at the mall or even something big like a car. Rewarding yourself keeps you motivated to achieve the next big thing.

 

6. Take risks

You can never achieve something extraordinary if you stay in your comfort zone or keep doing regular stuff and not taking risks. Fear of taking chances limits your potential for growth and the rewards you could get by doing so.

Not being sure what will happen next keeps you motivated to work on the task to achieve your desired results. Taking risks involves evaluating the rewards and losses you might encounter by taking on a particular challenge.

 

7. Take regular breaks

You are not superhuman. The only way for you to perform at the top of your game is to take a moment and rest. Studies have shown that working continuously with no rest may result in a decline in your productivity.

Take a vacation and enjoy yourself without the pressure of work every once in a while. When you go back to the office you will come with renewed enthusiasm for work.

 

8. Treat yourself gently

Your friend bought that new house and you are still living in a rental. So what? Don’t compare your achievements with other people’s. We all have different goals and priorities.

Accept the notion that there are people who are more affluent or smarter than you are. People are different. Accepting leaves you the space to explore other opportunities that are suited for you and focus on yourself.

 

9. Deal with your setbacks

Success is not a smooth path. On your journey to achieve your goals, it is nearly impossible not to encounter failure or other setbacks. Develop resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from unfavorable situations.

Develop the skill to cope with challenges. Admitting your failures help you keep motivated to rise above the challenge.

“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” – Michael John Bobak

 

10. Set deadlines

Self-imposed deadlines keep you focused on your goals. You need to set realistic timeframes for each subgoal to push yourself to focus and achieve it without becoming overwhelmed.

Once you accomplish a subgoal, you get even more motivated to meet your larger goal. Set dates to complete tasks and stick to them.

 

11. Procrastination is a motivation killer

Distractions and fear of failure are the main reasons we procrastinate. Face your challenges head-on. By putting things off until later, you might be delaying your success.

Keep yourself motivated by doing things in time.

 

12. Impress yourself

Do you know who is the hardest to impress? Yourself. There are times when you doubt your ability to meet a particular objective. But with the right mentality and attitude, you can do things that can leave you wondering how you did it.

Love what you do and have the passion for achieving your goals that do not depend on the bar set by other people. Doing impressive things builds your self-confidence and motivates you to do even greater things.

A self-motivated person is a good performer at his/her job. The above tips will help you focus on your work and stay motivated to be more productive at what you do and in so doing enable you to earn that promotion you have been yearning to get.

How do you motivate yourself? Comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

Source: addicted2success.com

A Step by Step Process That Will Help You Make the Impossible, Possible

We have all been there, looking at something and wishing we had it. The girl, the car, the money, the family, the lifestyle…but then we tell ourselves “Yeah, but that’s not me”. The people who get that are cut from a different cloth and we keep telling ourselves that until it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We waste the wings we got believing the entire time that we can’t fly and that it’s impossible for us. We don’t even see our wings most of the time.

 

1. The Invisible

This is the area we know nothing about since it’s is not even on our radar. We don’t know that it exists, only when we discover (by accident) or someone else tells us that, do we move the needle from the Invisible to Impossible.

Let me give you some examples of The Invisible.

• Ibrahim Hamato – A table tennis player with no hands. He plays using his mouth and neck, but the biggest surprise is how he serves.
• Building a 15 story hotel in 6 days in China is an everyday activity.
• Charlie Munger reads 500 pages per day. Considering that the average book is around 250 pages, that means he reads 2 books a day or 650-700 books a year. An average American reads less than 4 a year.

The Invisible now becomes visible. You know that it’s happening somewhere out there but not here, not where you are, not in your life. So that’s why the Invisible becomes the Impossible. “Oh wow, that’s amazing. But it’s impossible for me.” So welcome to the second stage.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

 

2. The Impossible

This is the area of get-rich-quick schemes. This is where the hagglers mostly operate, promising to give you something that would move you from the Impossible area to the Actual area, but it doesn’t work like that in real life. You are not accustomed to that kind of lifestyle and you can’t handle the jump.

If you need proof of that, just look at what happens to the lottery winners who go from rags to riches. The suicide and depression rate within that group is one of the largest in the country, and the paradox is that they were happier with their lives before they won the lottery.

All of the steps need to be taken in order and you can’t jump through them. You need to feel each and every single one of them and figure out how to get from one to another. From the area of the Impossible, you start questioning how. How do I get there? How do I move ahead? This asking leads you to the mindset shift (from fixed to growth mindset) needed to make something impossible, possible.

 

3. The Possible

When you shift your mindset from a fixed to a growth mindset, that’s when you reach the Possible area. You start believing that it is possible FOR YOU to achieve that. It is no longer something that exists out there for someone else and it’s no longer for the people you think are made from a different cloth.

You start believing (and proving to yourself) that there is no “made from a different cloth.” You realize that there is just hard work, perseverance, and belief. Now, the biggest hurdle has been jumped and it’s time to give your mindset shift complementaries.

The complementaries are based on knowledge and skills. When you start working in the area of the Possible, that’s when you step into the next area of the Probable.

 

4. The Probable

This is where you mix your mindset shift and the belief that you can do it, with the necessary knowledge and skills to do it. This is where your Why and How gets its What.

In the area of the Probable, you learn the What of the craft. You learn how to make your dream and your vision a reality. This is the part where habits and everyday (compound) actions take place. This is one of the longest periods because most skills take so much time to become second nature.

If you want to achieve your vision and dream, you need to attain mastery in the field which would bring you there. Mastery simply takes time, but don’t be discouraged, you are now on the right path and success is inevitable.

Just keep on pushing, keep on working, keep on grinding and believe it will happen. When it happens, you will begin to enter the last phase.

“No one gets very far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day.” – Elbert Hubbard

 

5. The Actual

This is where your vision and your dream become a reality. This is the end goal you will feel, touch, smell, and live through. But only if you believe, work for it, and achieve mastery.

This is the place where dreams come true but it isn’t a magical place that fell from nothing. It is a product of your beliefs and the hard work you put in for years until you saw the desired results.

At that moment, the hard work and perseverance finally pay off in the best feeling in the world, the feeling of accomplishment. The moment when you conquered not the people around you or the environment, but the moment when you conquered yourself.

And because of that, you are now living your dream in the reality.

 

What’s next?

On to the next goal you have. The circle never stops, the only thing that changes is our position on it. I have obtained the Actual in one area of my life, but in the other one, I am still at the Probable phase so there is still a lot of work to do.

How about you? Which area of your life’s dream are you in and how would you continue your pursuit towards the Actual? Share with us below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

Source: addicted2success.com

2 Things You Need to Know: How to Hack Motivation With Avoidance and Approach Goals

Motivation is a sneaky beast. It can hide in plain sight, and it can express itself when we least expect it. Motivation (and its frequent companion inspiration) can often elude us for days, weeks, or years, only to jump out in an instant with such force that we drop everything in order to capture it before we lose the moment.

Oftentimes, these random “attacks of motivation” happen with little warning, when we are least prepared to take advantage of them. For instance, how many of you have had a moment of clarity or have felt motivated to act on some idea while in the shower?

How many of you have perhaps had a similar feeling when going for a run or driving to work? Motivation can come at any time and in any way. Unfortunately, the very randomness keeps us from being able to act effectively to get more done. So what do we do to take hold of our lives and guide our own sources of motivation?

To get more done in less time, we need to understand the power of two types of motivation. Once we explore each of these types of motivation, we must learn to set goals around both to create positive feedback loops. This will make it easier for us to develop stronger motivational habits and take control of what motivates us.

 

Types of Motivations

While there are many ways to define motivation, today I will focus on two types: avoidance and approach motivation. The way we will define both types of motivation provides an in-depth look into how we see the world, and ultimately how successful we will be in it.

 

1. What is avoidance motivation?

Avoidance motivation is part of what makes us human, and it is integral to our survival. This type of motivation helps us avoid negative experiences across psychological, physical, and social boundaries. It’s what told us to run away from saber-toothed tigers or to not dive into shark-infested waters looking for food.

Clearly, avoidance is a good way of staying safe in a world of unknowns. Unsure about what your boss thinks about your last project? It’s best not to ask to avoid disappointment or emotional trauma. Considering whether to apply for a job in another country? Best to avoid it in case you like the culture.

Unfortunately, avoidance motivation often has negative consequences. It makes us more likely to avoid tasks that we know rationally will be positive experiences for us. It makes us avoid going for that big promotion we aren’t necessarily qualified for. It makes us not get on that airplane to travel to that new country and experience that new culture.

“Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.” — George Whitefield

 

2. What is approach motivation?

Approach motivation is any type of motivation that drives action and forward progress towards a certain outcome or activity. It’s what pushes the nerdy high school kid to talk to their crush in the hallway. It’s what drives the explorer to see what the view looks like from the top of the tallest mountain.

It’s the itch the traveler gets when they go too long without taking a trip. It’s what inspired humans to explore outer space. Rather than avoiding certain activities, approach motivation drives individuals to explore and become more productive in their day-to-day existence.

When we consider approach motivation, the most often cited examples relate to feelings of opportunity, fulfillment, and exploration. When you see an opportunity to achieve some goal that falls along Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, you are more likely to take action.

When you see the opportunity to grow your pool of resources, that may motivate you to take action (strengthening your ability to provide food and shelter to yourself and your family). Similarly, you may see the opportunity to gain recognition or acclaim through appearing on television or writing a blog post.

This feeds your ability to achieve self-fulfillment, belonging and perhaps even self-actualization.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson

So how do we take this information and action? How do we make it useful on a day-to-day basis?

The best way to leverage the lessons of approach and avoidance motivation is to set goals that align with each type of motivation.

Take the following approach to help guide you on the path to taking control of what motivates you:

First, understand the difference between avoidance and approach goals. Most people will find that they tend to avoid activities that are unpleasant to them, all the while approaching those activities that are most enjoyable or fulfilling.

Let’s think of approach goals as positive (i.e. finishing a project ahead of schedule, finding a new job) and avoidance goals as negative (i.e. avoiding drinking too much, avoiding talking in public).

Avoidance goals are goals for reducing, avoiding or eliminating undesired outcomes. While these goals are powerful, they are often harder to accomplish. You may want to cut down the number of sweets you eat each day, the number of cigarettes you smoke, the total time you spend watching Netflix.

These types of goals work, sometimes, but they are much more likely to stick if you spin them to an approach goal with a positive spin.

Approach goals aim to guide someone to reach or maintain the desired outcome. People are more likely to commit to completing tasks and taking part in activities that are positioned in a positive light. Approach goals become more potent motivational goals because they focus on action and activity around what can be done to reach a goal.

If you want to get better at setting and following through on your personal and career goals, make a point of creating both approaches and avoiding goals and be aware of the subtle differences between both.

Do you have any approach or avoidance goals that have been particularly challenging to reach? Would love to hear about them!

Source: addicted2success.com