If you could only do one thing to stay motivated, it would be to keep a positive approach in every situation. It is not easy, and it is very common for most people to focus their energy and attention on things that are not important at all.
When you get caught up in the “little things” and lose sight of the big picture, you will lose much of your precious emotional energy very quickly. The first thing you can do to reverse this cycle is to be very clear about your priorities in life.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. At the end of your life, what do you want to have accomplished?
2. At the end of your life, what will you want to have contributed?
3. At the end of your life, what do you want people to remember you for?
These three questions will redirect your attention from the here and now to the big picture.
When you get a long-term perspective on your life, you’ll find that the little things that are bogging you down right now don’t mean much in the bigger scheme of things. Once you have answered all three questions, write a description of what you want to achieve with your life. In other words, decide what your MAIN purpose in life is.
Then the next time you’re upset, remind yourself of your long-term direction and ask yourself, “Does this really matter considering what I want to accomplish?” If the answer is yes, then completely invest your emotional energy. If the answer is no, then don’t waste precious time and energy worrying about it. Drop the problem and move on.
Once you are clear about your long-term purpose, you will find that many things you were not sure about before will become clear to you.
The negative things that used to bring you down will seem insignificant in your new perspective. With this clarity, you will find it easy to focus on the good things in your life right now.
If you ever feel discouraged with the results you’re getting, ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing right now moving me closer to my primary purpose in life?” If the answer is yes, then don’t give up! Keep doing the things that work for you and make changes to the things that don’t. If the answer is no, then that’s good too. You have identified that you need to redirect your focus and time elsewhere.
Ultimately, you have to BELIEVE that you are going to achieve your main goals in life and FOCUS on the positives until you do.