It’s a common belief that those who are driven are the most likely to succeed and will get what they really want in life. The fact is there are times when everyone feels less motivated and loses sight of their goals or their dreams, making it difficult to move forward. Motivating yourself is critical if you want to achieve your goals. The good news is there are simple yet effective ways you can re-energize and motivate yourself.

Have a goal or goals that you want to achieve. Knowing what you want to achieve, and the steps you are going to take to get there, often makes it much easier for you to motivate yourself to move forward toward where you want to be.

Create an action plan that outlines how you’re going to achieve your goal. For example, if you plan to write a book but find yourself consistently procrastinating when faced with the blank computer screen, plan to write at least 500 or 1,000 words a day so in a few months you will have a completed first draft.

Set deadlines to complete one of the steps or tasks you have created for yourself. By identifying individual steps to realizing your goal, instead of looking at your goal as one huge project, you will be less overwhelmed and become more likely to succeed.

Reward yourself for a job well done when you meet or even exceed your deadline. Meeting a deadline is an accomplishment and shows that you can get things done when you are motivated, so enjoy your success.

Take care of yourself by eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting enough sleep each night. When you feel good, you’re going to have a much easier time motivating yourself to get things done.

Work on your goals at a time when you are at your best. For example, if you are a night person, concentrate on your goals at night and vice-versa if you are a morning person, so you can maximize your energy.

Don’t give up. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get motivated, so accept that that is going to happen from time to time.