Willpower is an essential factor in achieving success. Often, however, it just isn't enough. At some point, discouragement will creep in & drain your motivation - hindering you from reaching your objectives. It's up to you and you alone to find techniques that will help you keep that drive.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to make a Vision Board & Personal Improvement contract for yourself. These two techniques are key to staying consistently motivated. Read on to see why...

It’s helpful to visualize your goals. A clear, hi-def image of what you want to achieve keeps your mind laser-focused on getting from where you are to where you want to be. SEEING is believing! Whatever it is you’re working towards, make it visual. It can be something material, like a car, or a concept or quality you desire to attain, like personal freedom.

How to Make a Vision Board

What You’ll Need to Get Started:

• Large poster or bulletin board
• Tacks or invisible tape
• Several magazines, pictures from the web, & newspapers

1. Cut out pictures & word clippings of what you want to achieve.

2. Post them to your board, and hang it in a place at work or at home where you can see it often.

3. Look at it every day; you want to keep the images of what you want crystal clear in your mind. They’ll help you overcome any fear or discouragement.

Your Personal Improvement Contract

Make a contract with yourself. Its purpose is to clearly state where you want to be & what you want to achieve, by a certain date. According to many motivational research sources, the three percent of people who write down their goals are far more triumphant in achieving them than those people who only keep mental lists.

Writing your goals makes them more psychologically powerful. We think of contracts as “legally binding;” that may be one more thing that helps you feel more accountable.

Include a reward for ever milestone you accomplish.

Everyone likes to be rewarded for completing a good job. Giving yourself a little treat after each step you take could serve as the added edge you need to keep pushing forward when you face an obstacle. Something as simple as a pat on the back, telling yourself “good job,” or ice cream for dessert may do the trick.

Considering that reward is essential to motivation, you should learn to give yourself encouragement by rewarding yourself.

How are you motivating yourself today? Please share your tactics in the comments below. You never know who you might help!

*NOTE: This hub will be updated with a special link that my Hubbers fans can use to get an Improvement Contract Template. It's 100% FREE! That's right; download the template, create your own, share it with a friend.

It's your Life...Make it a GREAT One!