Do it for the rise!

It seems perfectly simple: get motivated, get going, get more. But reality is often a different matter. Ever set a goal you really desired, only to feel your motivation fizzle like a balloon losing air? Then all you could think about was the work, boredom, or overwhelm.

Whatever happened to that initial eagerness? It turns out that what you think tells the mind what matters. As soon as that workout, paperwork, or action becomes boring, difficult, overwhelming, tedious, time consuming, it is. In the end, the only possible prize is relief when you’re done.

It also turns out that concentration can keep that balloon floating high. Concentration is an attention getter and keeper skill. It corrals all those automatic tendencies to react to flashy things – like message dings – and all those thoughtless doubts trying to keep us couch glued. Then, it recasts those energies into a laser focus about what we really want.

The first step is to pay attention to your attention! As strange as it sounds, we can actually watch our minds at work. That’s how we recognize we’ve made a spelling or math error. So, check out what your mind is saying. Are the temptation calls truly important or reminders for rest & relaxation? If yes, take care of yourself; if no, schedule them for later. Are the negative thoughts true? If yes, change the way you work: make it more interesting or less stressful. If no, replace the half empty glass for one that’s refreshing. Think about what’s interesting, new, useful, beautiful, or valuable in the goal.

The second step is set up for success! That’s what springboard divers do. There’s no jumping into the deep end. It’s all about position, balance, focus, and that small jump before launching into the dive. That’s what singers do. There’s no just belt it out; it starts with drinking water or tea, warming up, breathing, and even humming. That’s what golfers do. They focus their eyes and mind on the ball and set the club, perfectly faced, alongside of it. Then they execute the shot, doing their best to have the club meet the ball in the pre-set, sweet spot.

Setup is the prime mover. It focuses scattered thoughts and energies on the true goal. It’s the cause to the success effect. For tasks and goals in our life, it’s all about gathering tools, finding resources, previewing the job, finding easy-do subtasks, identifying the best methods, and/or visualizing success. In short, it’s concentrating on how to let the balloon rise!