We all have lulls in life. We all have times when nothing seems to be moving forward. Perhaps we aren’t making progress professionally. Or maybe a relationship problem isn’t getting resolved, despite our best efforts. We might have a health issue that isn’t improving.

It is easy to get discouraged when we don’t get what we want right when we want it. Waiting is hard. It is especially hard when we are doing all the right things, and yet we aren’t seeing any results.

During these down times, most people give up. And who can blame them? What is the point of trying to achieve our goals when we don’t seem to be making any progress? However, there is a point. The people who achieve Big Goals are the ones who keep trying, even when trying seems downright stupid.

If you are in one of these lull periods, don’t stop working to achieve your goals. Success may be just a day or a week away! Below are some ways to stay motivated, even when you currently can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Plan for Success: When a woman is pregnant, she and the father of the baby plan for its arrival. They buy baby clothes, diapers and a cradle. They make arrangements for child care and to take maternity leave (and perhaps paternity leave). The baby isn’t here yet, but that doesn’t matter. They expect the baby to arrive, and they plan for a future life that includes a wee one.

Similarly, to stay motivated to achieve our goals, we need to expect to be successful and plan for it. For instance, let’s say that you are battling an illness. You’ve told yourself that once you get better, you will take a trip to Paris. Even if you don’t yet have a perfect health report, start planning that trip now! Expect to get better. Research Paris hotels, the best time of year to visit, and the quaint cafes and restaurants where you will dine. Planning your trip will help keep you to stay motivated as you work toward good health.

Or, let’s say that you have a job as a cashier. However, you would like to have a job in management. Start planning to be a manager. Begin using a day planner. Watch videos and read books on management techniques. By preparing for your future job, you will be able to stay motivated as you work toward that promotion.

Planning for success helps us stay motivated. It helps us to stay mentally engaged while on the journey toward achieving our goal.

Invest Time and Money Toward Your Goal: Let’s face it. We only give our time and our money toward those things that we think are good investments. If we really believe in our eventual success, we will consider time and money spent toward that goal to be a good investment.

Let’s say your goal is to become a professional photographer. On the road toward making that dream a reality, you might consider paying for photography classes. Or you may want to save money each month to purchase the best camera equipment that you can afford. Investing time and money toward your dream will help keep you motivated while while you work to become a full-time photographer.

Or maybe your goal is to lose a certain amount of weight. Show that you believe in your ability to get to a healthy weight by investing in a gym membership and going 5 days a week. Or buy a pair of top-notch sneakers so that you can walk an hour a day comfortably. You may want to set aside extra time each day to cook healthy meals.

By putting your money and time toward your goals, you say to yourself (and to the world) that you believe that your goals will be achieved. That kind of personal commitment will allow you to stay motivated, even when the path toward achieving your goals is longer than you would like it to be.

Tell Someone About Your Goal: It helps to be accountable to another person when trying to achieve a specific goal. If a dream is only in our heads, it is a dream that we easily can forget about if it becomes inconvenient or just too hard. However, if, for instance, a friend or family member says every so often, “Hey, Jane. How is your novel coming along?”, you are more likely to keep working on that novel!

Of course, you want to tell your dream to someone who is trustworthy. There are plenty of naysayers in the world. Lots of people are happy to tell you how hard it is to achieve dreams. Don’t share your goals with those people! Let them live in their world of mediocrity.

Instead, share you goal with someone who is your cheerleader. Someone who really wants to see you succeed. That person will encourage you in the right way. In fact, it always helps to share your goals with someone who has achieved their own success. Successful people know that there are obstacles that get in the way of achieving any dream. They also know that we can go over, under and around obstacles. That is because they’ve done it themselves! So, they will encourage you, even when things seem hopeless. And they’ll help you get past your final hurdle (or two).

If you currently are in a lull in life, and your dreams aren’t being achieved as fast as you’d like, don’t get discouraged. Stay motivated! Keep planning for your success. With time and perseverance, you will see your dreams come to pass.

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Email: yourmorningcupofinspiration@gmail.com

Books: “The Secrets to Success for the Working Mother” by Meerabelle Dey (https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Success-Working-Mother/dp/1546329544 )