Friday 26 September 2014

Stay Focussed

We are motivated by two very powerful forces. One is to obtain pleasure, the other is to avoid pain. The more powerful motivator is to avoid pain, but pleasure is just as important.

In order to get yourself to do things focus on the outcome that you want, not on the outcome that you want to avoid. For example, don’t tell yourself that you won’t eat that chocolate cake, say that you will only drink water until lunch. If you tell yourself not to eat that chocolate cake, your subconscious mind will only hear “eat that chocolate cake,” and you will.

So, for me I don’t tell myself not to spend anything, I just focus on the goals that I have set for myself. I focus on larger goal of obtaining debt freedom and the more immediate goal, of leaving the money from the second paycheque of October in my account.

As I do focus on these goals I envision the pride and pleasure I will receive by not having the stress of these debts. I daydream about who wonderful the feeling of freedom will be, once I get there. As well I pause and think back to the hamster wheel of running paycheque to paycheque and the pain and near constant stress that was.

This is how I keep motivated and on track. This is what keeps me going and not doing something stupid like buying something large and unnecessary. Perhaps this little trick can work for you too.

For me it seems to be working, as my impulses for large purchases is dying away quickly. Their fleeting pleasure pales in comparison to achieving my greater goal: freedom.

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