| When asked during an interview how he managed | | | | some of the best. If you want to quit |
| to reach the top as a professional | | | | smoking, read a dozen books written by |
| bodybuilder and Hollywood actor, Arnold | | | | ex-smokers on how to quit the habit. If you |
| Schwarzenegger replied with a single word, | | | | want to start a business, then start |
| "Drive!" All great success ultimately begins | | | | devouring business books. Go to seminars on |
| with an idea, but what makes ideas become | | | | occasion. I advise that you feed your mind |
| reality is the fuel of human desire. An idea | | | | with some form of motivational material |
| by itself can give you a temporary feeling of | | | | (books, articles, audio programs) for at |
| inspiration, but burning desire is what gets | | | | least fifteen minutes a day. This will |
| you through all the perspiration necessary to | | | | continually recharge your batteries and keep |
| overcome the inevitable obstacles along the | | | | your desire impenetrably strong.When you |
| way.Take a moment to think about the goals | | | | absorb material created by an extremely |
| you've set for yourself. (You have set goals, | | | | passionate person, you'll often find yourself |
| haven't you? If not, go read the article on | | | | feeling more passionate as well. A great book |
| setting clear goals.) How committed are you | | | | I read was Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard |
| to achieving these goals? Under what | | | | Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks. As I read the |
| conditions would you give up? What if you | | | | book, I was absolutely amazed at how someone |
| could significantly increase your desire to | | | | could be so fanatically enthusiastic about |
| achieve these goals? What if you wanted them | | | | coffee. Other enthusiasm-building authors |
| so badly that you knew with absolute | | | | speakers I highly recommend are Harvey Mackay |
| certainty that you would absolutely, | | | | and Zig Ziglar.5. Replace sources of negative |
| positively never ever give up? When you are | | | | energy with positive energy.Take an inventory |
| truly 100% committed to reaching your goals, | | | | of all the sensory inputs into your life that |
| you move from hoping to knowing. If you want | | | | affect your attitude -- what you read, what |
| something badly enough, then quitting is | | | | you watch on TV, the cleanliness of your |
| simply not an option. You either find a way | | | | home, etc. Note which inputs influence you |
| or make one. You pay the price, whatever it | | | | negatively, and strive to replace them with |
| takes.Those with an intense, burning desire | | | | positive inputs. I'll give you some good |
| to achieve their goals are often referred to | | | | places to start. First, avoid watching TV |
| as being "driven." But is this special | | | | news -- it's overwhelmingly negative. Do you |
| quality reserved only for a privileged few? | | | | really need to hear about the woman who was |
| Certainly not. With the right approach, | | | | mauled to death by her neighbor's dog? Fill |
| anyone can cultivate a deep, burning desire | | | | that time with positive inputs instead, like |
| within themselves and move to a state of | | | | motivational tapes and CDs. If you like to |
| total commitment, knowing with certainty that | | | | watch movies, then watch movies that are full |
| success is as inevitable as the sunrise.So | | | | of positive energy, such as light-hearted |
| how do you cultivate burning desire? You | | | | comedies and stories of triumph over |
| begin with an outside-in approach, altering | | | | adversity. Avoid dark, tragic movies that |
| your environment in ways that will strengthen | | | | leave you feeling empty afterwards. Dump the |
| your resolve while eliminating doubt. If you | | | | horror books, and replace them with humor |
| take the time to do it right, you'll | | | | books. Spend more time laughing and less time |
| establish a positive feedback cycle, such | | | | worrying. If you have a messy desk, clean it |
| that your desire will continue to increase on | | | | up! If you have young kids or grandkids, |
| a daily basis.Here are eight steps you can | | | | spend some time playing with them. Some of |
| take to cultivate burning desire to achieve | | | | this may sound a bit corny, but it will |
| any goal you set for yourself:1. Burn the | | | | really help increase your overall motivation. |
| ships.I'm not going to pull any punches with | | | | If you have a hard time motivating yourself, |
| this one. If your goals are really important | | | | chances are that your life is overflowing |
| enough to you, then you can start by burning | | | | with too many sources of negativity. It's far |
| the proverbial ships, such that you have no | | | | better to happily achieve than it is to feel |
| choice but to press on. For instance, if you | | | | you must achieve in order to be happy.6. |
| want to launch your own business, you can | | | | Dress for success.Whenever you pass by a |
| begin by making the commitment to quitting | | | | mirror, which is probably several times a |
| your job. Write a letter of resignation, put | | | | day, you get an instant dose of image |
| it in a stamped envelope addressed to your | | | | reinforcement. So what image are you |
| boss, and give it to a trusted friend with | | | | currently reinforcing? Would you dress any |
| firm instructions to mail the letter if you | | | | differently if your goals were already |
| haven't quit your job by a certain date.One | | | | achieved? Would you sport a different |
| Las Vegas casino manager made the decision to | | | | hairstyle? Would you shower a bit more |
| quit smoking. He didn't feel he had the | | | | often?Although for years I enjoyed the ripped |
| personal willpower to do it alone, so he took | | | | jeans and T-shirt look, I noted that when I |
| out a billboard on the Las Vegas Strip with | | | | visualized myself in the future, having |
| his photo on it along with the words, "If you | | | | achieved certain goals, I was dressed a lot |
| catch me smoking, I'll pay you $100,000!" Was | | | | more nicely. With some experimentation I |
| he able to quit smoking? You bet! (Ok, bad | | | | found a style of clothing that looks |
| pun.) This is called willpower leveraging. | | | | professional and is also comfortable. So I |
| You use a small bit of willpower to establish | | | | gradually donated my old clothes to charity |
| a consequence that will virtually compel you | | | | and replaced my wardrobe with clothes that |
| to keep your commitment. As Andrew Carnegie | | | | fit the new identity I was growing into. |
| once said, "Put all your eggs in one basket, | | | | (Consequently, there's a Salvation Army store |
| and then watch that basket!"In the classic | | | | with quite a stock of gaming industry |
| book The Art of War, Sun Tzu notes that | | | | T-shirts.) I learned this idea from an |
| soldiers fight the most ferociously when they | | | | ex-Navy Seal, who stressed to me the |
| believe they're fighting to the death. A good | | | | importance of taking pride in your |
| general knows that when attacking an opposing | | | | appearance, and I can say with certainty that |
| force, it's important to create the illusion | | | | it makes a noticeable difference. So make |
| of a potential escape route for the enemy, so | | | | sure the clothes you wear each day are |
| they won't fight as hard. What escape routes | | | | consistent with your new self-image.7. Use |
| are you keeping open that are causing you not | | | | mental programming.This is a Neuro-Linguistic |
| to fight as hard?If you don't burn those | | | | Programming (NLP) technique that will help |
| ships, you are sending the message to your | | | | you associate strong positive emotions to |
| subconscious mind that it's ok to quit. And | | | | whatever goal you're working to achieve. Find |
| when the going gets tough, as it inevitably | | | | some music that really energizes and inspires |
| does for any worthwhile goal, you will quit. | | | | you. Put on your headphones and listen to it |
| If you really want to achieve your goals, | | | | for fifteen to twenty minutes, and as you do |
| then you've got to burn those ships to the | | | | this, form a clear mental picture of yourself |
| ground, and scatter the ashes. If you're | | | | having already achieved the results you want. |
| thinking that the average person won't do | | | | Make your imagery big, bright, vivid, |
| this, you're right -- that's why they're | | | | colorful, three-dimensional, panoramic, and |
| average.2. Fill your environment with desire | | | | animated. Picture the scene as if looking |
| boosters.Let's say one of your important | | | | through your own eyes (this is very |
| goals is to lose weight. Get some poster | | | | important). This will help you form a |
| board, and make your own posters that say, "I | | | | neuro-association between the positive |
| weigh X pounds," where X is your goal weight, | | | | emotions elicited by the music and the goal |
| and put them up around your house. Change | | | | you want to achieve, thus strengthening your |
| your screensaver to a text message that says | | | | desire. This is a great way to begin each |
| the same thing (or to some equally | | | | day, and you can even do it while lying in |
| motivational imagery). Get some magazines, | | | | bed when you first awaken if you set things |
| cut out pictures of people who have bodies | | | | up the night before. You should cycle the |
| similar to what you'd like to have, and put | | | | music periodically, since the emotional |
| them up around your house. Cut out pictures | | | | charge you get will tend to diminish if you |
| of healthy food that looks good to you, and | | | | listen to the same songs each time.Keep in |
| post those around your kitchen. If you work | | | | mind that this form of mental programming is |
| in an office, then alter your office in the | | | | already being used on you by advertisers. |
| same manner. Don't worry about what your | | | | Watch a fast-food TV commercial, and you'll |
| coworkers will think, and just do it! They | | | | note that the food is big, bright, and |
| may poke a little fun at you at first, but | | | | animated -- spinning burgers, lettuce flying |
| they'll also begin to see how committed you | | | | through a splash of water, ripe tomatoes |
| are.3. Surround yourself with positive | | | | being sliced -- and don't forget the catchy |
| people.Make friends with people who will | | | | tune. So instead of letting others program |
| encourage you on the path to your goals, and | | | | your desires for you, take charge and |
| find ways to spend more time with them. Share | | | | mentally reprogram yourself.8. Take immediate |
| your goals only with people who will support | | | | action.Once you set a goal for yourself, act |
| you, not those who will respond with cynicism | | | | immediately. As you begin working on a fresh |
| or indifference. If you want to lose weight, | | | | new goal, don't worry so much about making |
| for instance, get yourself into a gym, and | | | | detailed long-term plans. Too often people |
| start befriending those who are already in | | | | get stuck in the state of analysis paralysis |
| great shape. You'll find that their attitudes | | | | and never reach the action stage. You can |
| become infectious, and you'll start believing | | | | develop your plan later, but get moving |
| that you can do it too. Meeting people who've | | | | first. Just identify the very first physical |
| lost one hundred pounds or more can be | | | | action you need to take, and then do it. For |
| extremely motivating. If you want to start a | | | | instance, if you've decided to lose weight, |
| new business, join the local chamber of | | | | go straight to your refrigerator, and throw |
| commerce or a trade association. Do whatever | | | | out all the junk food. Don't think about it. |
| it takes to make new friends who will help | | | | Don't ponder the consequences. Just do it |
| you keep your commitment.Although this can be | | | | immediately.One of the secrets to success is |
| difficult for some people, you also need to | | | | recognizing that motivation follows action. |
| fire the negative people from your life. I | | | | The momentum of continuous action fuels |
| once read that you can see your future just | | | | motivation, while procrastination kills |
| by looking at the six people with whom you | | | | motivation. So act boldly, as if it's |
| spend the most time. If you don't like what | | | | impossible to fail. If you keep adding fuel |
| you see, then change those people. There's no | | | | to your desire, you will reach the point of |
| honor in remaining loyal to people who expect | | | | knowing that you'll never quit, and ultimate |
| you to fail. One of the reasons people fail | | | | success will be nothing more than a matter of |
| to start their own businesses, for instance, | | | | time.If you apply these eight strategies, |
| is that they spend most of their time | | | | you'll add so much fuel to your desire that |
| associating with other employees. The way out | | | | the fire will never burn out. You'll move |
| of this trap is to start spending a lot more | | | | towards your goals like a guided missile to |
| time associating with business owners, such | | | | its target, and you'll enjoy the process |
| as by joining a trade association. Mindsets | | | | because you'll be so focused on the positive |
| are contagious. So spend your time with | | | | rewards instead of the difficulty of the |
| people whose mindsets are worth catching.4. | | | | tasks. If you get enough positive energy |
| Feed your mind with empowering information on | | | | flowing into you, you'll soon have positive |
| a daily basis.Inspirational books and audio | | | | results flowing out of you. And you'll |
| programs are one of the best fuel sources for | | | | quickly become the kind of person that others |
| cultivating desire. Nightingale Conant has | | | | refer to as "driven. |