What to do when your "fire" dissipates!

You've felt that fire or spark of determination & hope when you decide on a plan or program you are going to begin. It could be a workout program, nutritional life style, or other self improvement goal. The anticipation of success & the relief of finally having a plan is intoxicating! You feel the excitement of being at a cross road in your life! You've decided to make a change & fight to be better, to live better.

I'm here to help you when that feeling dissolves, as it surely will with time. The first step is to make the most of that emotion, that feeling! Let it help you establish patterns & habits. When my alarm goes off at 5am each morning I don't lay in bed asking myself if I "feel" like getting up or working out. The radio starts playing & I get up out of bed before my thoughts even begin. I keep my mind quiet and blank until I'm in my workout clothes, pushing play on my dvd player. You choose what to let roll through your head! Push all negative, self defeating thoughts OUT!

With those habits in place, you are better prepared to continue on your chosen path when the feeling of motivation subsides. Those habits will keep you successful and while you notice the loss of that spark it will be regenerated by your continued efforts. My fire, as I affectionately call it, comes & goes. When I fall off the wagon & wait for it to spontaneously reappear I am always disappointed! However, when I continue with my established habits that spark returns as a result of my continued success & as a natural reward for persevering! It always returns! You may also need to improve or tweak your plan. Have you reached your goals and now need to set higher ones? Do you need a need challenge?

When your spark is dim what you need more than anything is that awesome post workout high! The powerful feeling of accomplishment, personal worth, and joy is my main source of motivation. If only I could bottle that feeling and drink it throughout the day!

Elbert Hubbard defines self discipline as "the ability to make yourself do what you SHOULD do, WHEN you should do it, whether you FEEL like it or not." Write that on a note card and pin it to your wall! Success isn't had by letting emotions & feelings drive our choices! Success takes self discipline and learning to use those emotions for your cause, but definitely not driving the process.