You can have the greatest dream in the world, the most fulfilling purpose, and the best education money can buy, but if you cannot get yourself motivated to put it all into action, you will never reach your goals. Motivation - that is, the ability to get yourself moving - is absolutely essential to any successful endeavor. If you sometimes lag when it comes to this valuable commodity, read on.



1. This may sound like weird advice, but energetic, motivated people need to take care of their health. If you feel draggy or unmotivated, you might be dealing with a bit of depression or other stress related illness. Try to get enough sleep, take your vitamins, and get some fresh air and regular exercise. You'll feel more like tackling those dream-related tasks if you feel good.

2. Plan your work and work your plan. Take the time to make a list of the things you'd like to accomplish. Hopefully, you have written out your goals and given yourself a plan of action, but just a to do list will make a difference. Prioritize the items on the list so that you will complete the most important ones. Sometimes just checking off the done items can feel like a great reward, and will motivate you to get started on the next one.

3. If you're really feeling lazy, here's an idea. Get a timer and tell yourself you only have to work for fifteen minutes. You can quit when the timer rings. Chances are, you'll get interested in the job, and will feel like keeping on with it when the timer goes off. It's even possible that you will have completed that particular task. Often, tasks don't take as long as we think they will. At the very least, you will have worked fifteen minutes. Give yourself a little break and then set the timer again.

4. Get to know when your most energetic times of day are. Are you a morning person? Then you might be better off handling those jobs that require brain energy in the early hours. Save the groggier afternoon hours for mindless tasks. If you're a night owl, that evening energy can be channeled into productive work.

5. Quit trying to be perfect. In fact, throw that p-word out of your vocabulary. Shoot for done and good enough. Feeling like things have to be done perfectly is an invitation to procrastinate. You don't feel like getting started, because you're afraid you won't do the job perfectly. Well, who does? Accept that no one is perfect, and get started.

6. Break the task into tiny steps. For instance, a writer can break articles down into a sentence at a time. Just write the next sentence. Young mothers with a mountain of things to do have been motivated greatly by this motto: "Just do the next thing."

7. Don't underestimate the value of giving yourself a pep talk. Take five minutes to pump up your resolve. Be your own cheerleader as you work your way through a series of positive affirmations.

These seven tips can help you get up and get going on those days when you really would just like to stay in bed and vegetate. So get up, get motivated, and get going!