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To motivate other people you have to start with yourself. This applies in any situation where you want to motivate others: parents, leaders, managers, supervisors, etc. I’m talking about long term motivation, of course, not just a quick fix. Here is a list of stuff you should get right first so you can then get others motivated.

• Have a clear vision for what you want to achieve – if you don’t really know what you are trying to do how can you expect others to get interested? Don’t just put it in terms of benefitting yourself or the organisation you represent either – most people find it really hard to get excited about working hard to line the pockets of somebody else.
• Work at least as hard as you want everyone else to work – if you seem to be having an easy time while everyone else is working hard they will hate you for it. Most of the time you will need to work harder than anyone else (see the next bit of advice).
• Work as smart as you want everyone else to work – if you want people to be organised then get more organised; if you want people to be more relaxed then be more relaxed; if you want people to be less stressed then make sure you are less stressed yourself. Good managers want the best from their workers and this means that they must show others how to work in the way they work. If you are working very long hours and getting very stressed out then your staff will end up the same.
• Be a leader not a follower – you must take the lead in everything. Don’t expect anyone else to be more motivated than you are.
• Get excited about your vision but not obsessive – people pick up on the excitement of others. You need to get excited about what you are trying to achieve if you hope to motivate others. However, no one likes to be around those who have a one tracked mind (it can get pretty exhausting and annoying). You need to show that you understand how important other things are as well – take an interest in what motivates the people you are trying to motivate.
• Get to know people – you need to know what it is that motivates your people. Each one of us is different and we get motivated by different things. Take some time to get to know the people you are trying to reach.
• Become a good communicator – you need to get your vision across to others and this involves good communication skills. Don’t rely on the inspirational words of others but instead find your own that are relevant to your vision. I’m all for the odd inspirational quote but they won’t inspire people to work hard at what you want them too unless you find good ways of getting your message across – often and in different ways.

Long term motivation is not about high powered speakers or shouting or being dynamic it’s about being a good leader.

Short term goals are excellent but to have real control you need a long term plan. Lack of control is a main component in high levels of stress. Gain more control with a little planning.

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Overview

Discover what a vision statement is and why it is important and then get some help on how to develop your own.

What is a vision statement?

A vision statement is a description of where you see your life in the future. It could be the near future or it could be a long time in the future. It should be a very lucid description so that the description will help you feel what that future will be like. It should be very positive and its language should make good use of the present tense so that the description sounds like it has already been achieved.

Why bother with a vision statement?

A vision statement serves several purposes:

It is a source of inspiration. By describing the situation in a tangible way it provides a source of encouragement when things get a little tough.

It is a source of motivation. It helps you remember why you are doing certain things and the kind of life that you are determined to live in the future.

It help you achieve. Your brain will start to develop plans for how it can achieve what you are describing. I know it sounds a little like mumbo-jumbo but the brain starts to take on the kind of life that is described to it. The more real you can make the description the more this will work.

It helps you get support. Write your vision in such a way that you are able to share it with others. When you show your vision statement to others they will start to think of ways that they can help you get what you want. The vast majority think of how they can help others and by sharing your vision with them you are opening up a whole new world of possibilities. This doesn’t mean you can sit back and let others do all the hard work for you but just that others will help you if you show them what you are trying to do.

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