When it comes to having a goal in mind it’s usually the excitement of what we want to accomplish that gets you going. It’s that spark of motivation that was probably birthed from some brilliant idea. It’s so exciting you can’t wait to get started. The idea of the end goal sparks the fire. The question is, how do you keep that flame burning?  Especially when the reality is, most people let the flame die shortly after getting started.  Why does this happen?

That’s because old habits die-hard and developing a new one is not easy.
We all have habits. Things we do every single day. Sometimes without even thinking about it. Do you ever find yourself on auto-pilot? That’s what happens when you don’t think about it anymore and it’s like second nature. In order to keep the motivation going, you have to develop a habit that once performed consistently, will become a habit.  In order to cultivate your goals you have to formulate new habits. It’s not always easy trying to do something new, but this is something you will need to do in order to keep the motivation going.

As Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act,but a habit.”  This theory applies to almost anything we do.  When you work on developing your habit, you will eventually be so good, that the ideas which motivated you will come to fruition.

If you want to learn a few steps on how to develop a habit, check out this interesting article by Gregory Ciotti, author of Sparring Mind, a study of human behaviour, productivity and habits. CLICK HERE: http://99u.com/articles/17123/5-scientific-ways-to-build-habits-that-stick

Or check out this 10-step guide by Gaiam Life: http://life.gaiam.com/article/10-steps-starting-new-habit-and-creating-lasting-change-your-life.

The most important part of developing lasting change is writing things down.  Once you do that it’s the first step to reaching your ultimate goal and ultimately keeping your motivation on a daily basis while developing a new habit.

Good luck!