Every morning I used to wake up not knowing how to start the day. I would get up forcing myself to start doing something but for some reason I just couldn't.

If I really didn't need to get up then I would lie in bed for hours just thinking about what I could do and what my life could be like but for some reason I seemed to lack any personal motivation to be able to do anything about it.

I would think about all the things I would love to do like learning to play the guitar or getting fit to run a marathon or learning a new language or improving my concentration levels to be better at my job but I just couldn't motivate myself to achieve any of these things, occasionally I would have enough self motivation to start a class but then stop going after a few weeks for no apparent reason and then end up being mad with myself and feeling frustrated.

Below are 5 self motivation tips that can be used to help you become more active and productive everyday.

1. Before going to sleep, try to think of the good things that happened during the day.

Always try to celebrate the day, the achievements you have made, the things you have dealt with and conquered. A good night's sleep leads to a good outlook the following morning. It also prevents you from waking up in a bad frame of mind.

2. Have something to look forward to when you wake up each morning.

Think of the happy and good things that are going to happen on that day. Doing this will surely set your mood and mindset for the rest of the day. If this is difficult think small, a nice lunch, a chat with friends, the drive into work looking at the scenery. How I motivate myself is thinking of the first coffee of the day, anything that will give you pleasure.

3. Have a clear idea as to what you want to do and what you want to achieve.

Smart goals are the key. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant or Realistic and Time bound. Whenever I create a SMART goal I write it down and keep it to hand so when I need a boost to motivate myself and when you need to motivate yourself take a look at it, sometimes I will pin it to my bedroom wall where I can see it every morning.

4. Discover the best way to motivate yourself.

Different people have different personalities and preferences. You just have to experiment and find out what gets you into action. You can get out and breathe some fresh air. You can play your favourite music, you can think of a person that inspires you the most or a great movie you have seen. Playing some loud rock music works for me.

5. Visualize the result once the job is done.

Just imagine the wonderful feeling you will have once your goals are achieved. Push yourself harder and focus on the positive results of what you are trying to reach. Nothing can beat the feeling of pride, satisfaction, and relief.

Try practising these simple self motivation tips everyday. Without you realizing it, you are on your way to a better self.

http://www.howtomotivatemyself.com by Steve Turner