Motivation and Change: Creating Your Daily Success Program

I get some of my best ideas for my column from my clients.

One idea that really seems to work for one of my clients is having a daily success program. What's a daily success program? It's simply a daily routine designed to create a successful, well-lived day, and a successful well-lived life as a result. More than a daily schedule or day planner, a daily success program is designed to help you create a compelling day, keep you on track with your goals, wake up each day excited to begin the day, and go to bed at night feeling like you have had a day well-lived.

I realize that's a fairly bold statement, but read on to see if, and how, it could work for you.

What do most people think of when they first wake up in the morning? Usually something like, "Is it Saturday yet?" or "How many times can I hit the snooze button and still be to work on time?"

Not a great way to start the day.

I wonder what would happen if you awoke each day and asked yourself questions like:

What's great about today?

What am I grateful for today?

What am I looking forward to today?

What can I contribute today?

What small steps can I take today that will have a lasting positive effect in my life?

If nothing else, it breaks the pattern of waking up like a grouchy grizzly bear.

After a positive start to the day, how do you keep your momentum going?

Answer: Think small!

What's that you say, how do you achieve anything thinking small? Because that is the only sure way to achieve any lasting long term change.

Here's what I mean: Most people set out thinking big, try to do too much at once, can't do it all, get frustrated, and then give up. Sound like anyone you know? Perhaps like the person who stared back at you in the mirror this morning?

The Power of Persistence and Thinking Small

In the battle between the rock and the river, the river always wins. Not because it is stronger than the rock, but because it takes persistent small actions. By taking small actions each day, momentous change can take place.

So here is another tool to add to your daily success program: pick a small action to take each day to improve your life. If you just do 1% better each day, you will build incredible momentum, and become virtually unstoppable.

But what if I don't know what to do? First off, as I tell my 2 kids, stop whining! Now that I have got your attention, it's crucial to get it that you do not have to know what to do before you get going. Try different strategies, if they work, keep doing them. If they don't, keep trying other strategies.

Remember this

success comes from good judgement
good judgement comes from experience
experience comes from bad judgement.

One of the quickest ways to be successful is to get a lot of experience. Sure, you may blow it every so often, but that's just another lesson in what not to do.

Another tool to add to your daily success program is what I call "the must do's" and "the must not do's." What are three things, unique to your own situation, that you must avoid each day? What are three things that you must do each day? Once you get into the habit of thinking this way, it becomes a success habit.

At the end of your successful day, it can be helpful to reflect back on what you have noticed and learned that day. Ask questions such as:

What did I learn today?
What did I contribute today?
How can I improve on today?
How can I make tomorrow even better?

If you practice and install these four simple routines:

wake up questions
small actions
"the musts", and
day-ending questions,

you will notice an almost immediate difference in your attitude, your energy, and your results. So what are you waiting for, get going and get growing!

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

---

How to Stay Motivated

You've read a book that motivates you to action; you've... Read More

Hanging On In There - How To Carry On When Your Motivation Is Flagging

"I will persist until I succeed. Always will I take... Read More

How To Beat Procrastination At Work

Listen. If you don´t beat procrastination at work the long... Read More

Two Months, Two Actions: First Steps to Success

Susan stood on the scale the other day. She had... Read More

Your Growing Edge

You've probably heard the term "leading edge" used to refer... Read More

Spring! Time for Love and New Beginnings

Prepare, prepare, prepare! The horizon screams of spring and the... Read More

Stop Procrastination - Just do it!

What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started... Read More

A Burning Desire

"Mommy, he's doing it again." I yelled as I came... Read More

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not

If you want to be a winner you have to... Read More

Two Ways to Feel Fear

In a memorable Depression-era radio speech on the radio, President... Read More

7 SECRETS To A Great Life

A great life doesn't happen by accident. A great life... Read More

How To Be Motivated Without A Motivator

Many professionals spend their entire careers working under managers or... Read More

10 Things To Do This Summer

Looking for a summer project? How about working on who... Read More

Don?t Let Motivation Cause You to Fail

Yesterday my teenage son Matt came home with a less... Read More

8 Super Ways To Avoid Procrastination

We are all guilty of delaying what needs to be... Read More

Step Out

Living your successful life requires you to step out. I... Read More

Finding Your Authentic Path

"Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light." ~... Read More

Discover The Spark That Motivates You In Business and Life

Can There Be Any Other Business Like Your Own Business?"Whatever... Read More

Making Decisions

You lost your job. Your partner left you. Your car... Read More

If It Feels Good, It Must Be Right

Copyright © 2003 Priya Shah Is it... Read More

If Theres Money in a Dead Mouse...

My 4 year old son was very excited. I had... Read More

Are You Addicted to Selling?

The definition of Motivation in Webster's Dictionary: Motive - the... Read More

Making the Invisible Visible: The WOW Behind the HOW!

"We must be the change we wish to see in... Read More

Get Things Done: Take 21!

Ever begin doing something that you do for a few... Read More

Whats Your Aging in American IQ? Take the Quiz and Find Out.

TRUE or FALSE1. Older adults have more mental health problems... Read More

Motivation: If Today Were the Last of All Days

"If today were the last of all days........" - Marilyn... Read More

How Much Risk Is Too Much To Take?

The ladder was braced against the railings going to the... Read More

Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist?

I have been giving some thought lately to optimism and... Read More

A Book Review: Great Resource for Group Facilitation

Anyone who is a leader or member of a group... Read More

Persistence

One of the keys to being successful in anything you... Read More

Are You an Achiever or are You an EXCUSIOLOGIST?

It would be a fairly safe bet that if you... Read More

We Are Trying To...

How many times have you heard this in your life?... Read More

Even Though

As often happens following one of the Best Year Yet... Read More