Do you find yourself reading and watching motivational content online for hours at a time but never take action? You watch the videos with uplifting orchestral music and deep male voices telling you to conquer the world, yet you just keep watching more and more videos. At the end of the day, nothing gets done.

Motivation is all about getting yourself pumped up to do the work. This way is often unsuccessful because motivation relies on the state of mind and trying to change it all the time, which won’t work. It’s like a leader pumping you up for war but he doesn’t give you a plan to work on. All words, no strategy.

Do the work even if you don’t feel like doing it.

Being disciplined and sticking to your schedule is immensely powerful and gives you the results you need, unlike motivation which will eventually fizzle out. I’m gonna say it again because it is so important: do the work irregardless of whether you “feel” like doing it. What has to be done, has to be done. Motivation may work a few times, but fails in the long run. Make a plan and do the work no matter whether you feel motivated or not.

Forming good habits requires dedication to the schedule and builds discipline. School and work teaches us discipline by incorporating deadlines and punctuality and we often forget those lessons as we grow up. When you form a habit, you do what is required day in and day out. No excuses.

Who actually liked brushing, showering and sleeping on time as kids? Nobody! But we formed the habit because our parents told us to. Now these habits are such an integral part of our lives that we feel weird not doing them.

Create a schedule and stick to it. The time will never be right. You will never magically feel motivated to get it done.

Next Sunday’s article will be about eliminating bad habits and building good habits. Stay tuned!

Book recommendation for this week:

The Slight Edge is a way of thinking, a way of processing information that enables you to make the daily choices that will lead you to the success and happiness you desire. Learn why some people make dream after dream come true, while others just continue dreaming and spend their lives building dreams for someone else. It’s not just another self-help motivation tool of methods you must learn in order to travel the path to success. It shows you how to create powerful results from the simple daily activities of your life, by using tools that are already within you.

In this 8th anniversary edition you’ll read not only the life-changing concepts of the original book, but also learn what author Jeff Olson discovered as he continued along the slight edge path: the Secret to Happiness and the Ripple Effect.

This edition of The Slight Edge isn’t just the story, but also how the story continues to create life-altering dynamics—how a way of thinking, a way of processing information, can impact daily choices that will lead you to the success and happiness you desire. The Slight Edge is “the key” that will make all the other how-to books and self-help information that you read, watch and hear actually work.

Click on the image to buy!

Check out the list of book recommendations on top of the home page titled “Best books”. If you are on mobile devices, click on “Menu” on top of the home page and then “Best books”.

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