No one can motivate you. Just like no one can stress you out, or reject you, you alone can allow yourself to be affected by outside influences. Therefore it's critical-especially in this profession-that you have a never-ending plan that keeps your outlook-and correspondingly, your performance-at sky-high levels. And there's one proven way to do that consistently.

Goals.

Everything of significance that you've ever achieved was likely first visualized by you as a goal. Great stuff just doesn't automatically happen.

To get more motivated, and stay that way, you need targets to shoot for. Here are tips for setting and reaching your goals, and staying motivated.

? Pick goals that you desire passionately. If you just mildly wish for something, you won't muster the drive to pursue it, and weather the storms you'll encounter along the way. For example, if you just wouldn't mind dropping a few pounds, that's not strong enough. If you feel you must lose 15 pounds because you absolutely refuse to go up another clothes size, and you've had it with feeling sluggish all the time, you'll do what it will take to shed the excess baggage.

? Pick goals you can see yourself attaining. Before you begin, you must be able to visualize the end result. Otherwise your subcon?scious will never buy into the notion you can accomplish it. People never rise above their own self-perception. If you can't see yourself earning $20,000 more than you do today, you'll never get there. Conversely, if you visualize yourself already there, you'll think of what you'll need to do to actually reach your destination

? Pick goals you're willing to work hard to achieve. Everyone would like to make more money. A small percentage are willing to do what it takes to make it a reality. That's part of the reason lotteries are so popular. Whatever you select as a goal has trade-offs attached. Only if you're willing to toil and sacrifice will you reach that goal.

? When setting your goals, remove your doubts. Most of us fly way too close to the ground. Doubts are not the result of rational thinking, but habitual thinking. Write out some of the self-limiting beliefs that are like lead weights strapped to your feet, and rewrite them in a positive, possibility-thinking way. For example, ?I've never been able to close the large accounts where the big commissions are,? could become, ?What I need to do is analyze what other people do who consistently close the large accounts, and work up my own strategy.?

? Take risks. Sure it's a bit spooky treading into territory you've never traveled, but it's also motivating! Plus, the only risks that aren't a bit scary are the ones you've outgrown.

? Don't let details get in your way. Fussing about the details burdens your thinking and fuels the fires of doubt. After setting your goal, immediately fire your machine in motion. It's easier to view the possibilities when you're moving, plus it eliminates worry. Don't worry about what happens in the middle of a jump-focus on the end.

More Motivational Tips

Recall your most motivated moments. When were you last fired up, storming toward something you desired with the intensity of an out-of-control freight train thundering down a mountain? What were you pursuing? This gives you a clue to what you really want. Can you-and are you willing-to repeat the desire and the tac?tics again?

Expect to excel. Ask winners and they'll tell you, matter of factly, that there was never a doubt that they'd achieve their lofty levels. Sure, they ran into road blocks along the way, but progress has a way of masquerading as problems, and they prodded along.

Act as if you've already achieved your goal. I asked a superstar rep to what he attributed his success, and he told me his life changed when he started acting like a top performer, even before he got there. He studied the people who pulled down the big numbers (and dollars), and copied their behavior . . . coming in early, not squandering phone time, asking for commitment more often . . . expecting to do well. The results followed.

Walk 25% faster. Don't laugh. Psychologists have proven body posture and movement affects attitudes. Ever see a slovenly loser walk with a spring in his step, like he actually had something important to do? No, they shuffle along. Conversely, watch the gait of achievers you admire. Their confident stride says, ?I'm coming from something I just achieved, marching over to conquer another challenge.?

Think ?Action, Now.? Rid from your vocabulary the words, ?tomor?row,? ?later,? ?one of these days,? ?someday,? and other wish-oriented vague terminology that typically results in ?never?-type of behavior. Any time you're tempted to lazily shove an achieve?ment-oriented task out to the ambiguous horizon, stop yourself and take action, immediately.