Aim High but Start Low are one of the best motivational books I have read. It is not just a collection of high achieving quotes; it is also an eBook full of practical exercises to help you achieve your goals. The author, Mike Albers, a personal trainer and fitness expert has used his extensive knowledge in the health and exercise field to design a comprehensive system that teaches you how to set and achieve goals that lead to success. In fact, the main theme of the book is that you must start small in order to achieve long term goals.
There are two types of people when it comes to setting goals-people who think they can achieve anything they set their minds to, and those who know what they are capable of but set their goals low. Albers has observed that most people do not focus enough on their actions to see consistent results. His research has shown that people tend to measure their success or failure based on what others think of their results rather than on their own efforts. He believes that it is much easier to get someone else to accept your intentions and goals, especially if you offer incentives such as a free training session or a discounted rate for using their services, than to try to convince them of your capabilities yourself. Therefore, it is much more effective to tell someone about your expectations and goals, and then if they cannot or will not meet them, offer incentives to encourage them to do so.
The eBook talks about how setting short term goals can be just as effective, if not more so than long term ones. Long term goals can take years to achieve, whereas short-term ones are often achieved in a very short period of time. Albers has conducted studies that have shown that only 10% of people who set short term goals actually complete them. However, once you have completed the task, you will feel much more motivated and are thus more likely to actually live up to the expectations you had set for yourself.
Successful people have a higher "self-esteem." This is because they are more convinced of their abilities. Albers advises people to "set goals that you can reach within a month." It is easy to get caught up in attaining these goals quickly and hence fail to focus on what is really important. "The most common mistake is to set goals that are too high and unrealistic," he says.
In order to get motivated, you may have to give yourself a pat on the back often. Try to do this every time you feel good about yourself. When you tell yourself that you did something well, it gives you more motivation to keep trying. The key is to make these rewards last.
For some, the motivation comes from others. If you know someone who is successful and inspires you to be like him, try giving them a pat on the back each time you meet them. You could also go out of your way to do small things that show that you appreciate his achievements as well. These simple gestures can boost your own morale and motivate you to do better next time.
When a person has set lofty goals but is not paying attention to his own needs, problems will soon follow. "Goals without a strategy are like a tree without leaves. They may look great from the ground but they won't grow very far," says David Norton, author of Getting Things Done: A Guide to Making Effective Plans. Most people get stuck in a low motivational state because they are not paying enough attention to their own needs. This is especially true for people who get stuck in a low-reward, low-payoff cycle.
Even if you cannot pinpoint exactly what is holding you back from achieving your goals, you can still work to change your negative thinking patterns. You can do this by learning how to say no. When you say no, you are exercising self-control. You are showing that you are an independent person with the ability to manage your own life. When people around you tell you that you can't do something, it gives you the push to go after your own dream.
