Depending upon who you ask, it takes 21 to 66 days to build a habit from scratch. In my case, it’s been about 660 days and counting since I said I wanted to get into better shape. If an upcoming vacation (and the prospect of wearing a ….gasp! …bathing suit) isn’t enough to get me motivated, what will?
Visual cues can be powerful motivators. MindTools suggests Treasure Mapping to increase motivation. Treasure Mapping creates a visual representation of what you will see and feel when you’ve achieved your goal. Include how you’ll celebrate your accomplishment.
“Treasure mapping helps bring you goals to life and gives you a clear image of what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it.
First clarify you goals and what you need to do to achieve them. Then visualize these. Choose images to represent how you see your achievement and make a collage; and use this as a constant reminder of what you want to achieve.”
This mapping process doesn’t lay out HOW to get your “treasure.” However, it is a good tool to help you build motivation to take the necessary steps to meet your goal.
Marla Tabaka posted “Visualize Your Way to Success” on Inc.com. Tabaka says this is how visualization works:
Visualize your goal “treasure” now – and keep that image in a place where you will see it frequently. Harness the power of cognitive dissonance to help you maintain focus and motivation. If you’re like me, you could use all the help you can get!
Need help getting and staying motivated? Contact Humanergy
Photo from stock xchng.