There is certainly something very energising and uplifting about sunny skies and spring bulbs and fresh air without the chill. And for me, this has been accompanied by a deep sense of gratitude – how thankful I am for each ray of sunshine, how beautiful each flower is and how free it feels to finally ditch the thermal underwear I’d been living in for nearly 5 full months!

And whether coincidentally or through divine guidance, I’m experiencing a rebirth of sorts – beginning a new chapter of my life, and giving birth to some dreams that I’ve wanted to nurture for a long while now. It feels like Spring poetry in action!

Alongside the gratitude comes a sense of the impossible becoming – not just possible – but something real! If the sun can rediscover Scotland after such a long bitter winter, and the daffodils and tulips can emerge from the dark soil so bright and happy, then maybe the incredible plans and ideas that I have can take shape too…

It seems like this time of year invites more curiosity, more creativity and more hope! And it is the perfect opportunity for us to give ourselves small gifts of time – to play with that curiosity and wonder and fun. To reconnect with nature and the explorers in our hearts. Because if we don’t allow ourselves to enjoy these moments now, then it is all too easy to miss out on them for the rest of the year.

In the same way that the flower buds form and then open to greet the sun, so too is this our chance to raise our faces to the warmth of new beginnings. And in my gratitude, and with the benefit of hindsight from a sunny day, I can also see that the winter (with its cold darkness that made me want to cocoon at home by the heater) had its purpose. It allowed me to regroup, gather my ideas together and prepare the space for new seeds to germinate. Each season has its purpose, and our dreams and goals experience the flow of seasons too.

So I invite you to get curious with me, just now:

• Just take a moment to think about all the (little or big) things you can be grateful for. If you need inspiration, try a quick walk in a nearby park or even a look out the window if your view is more than just man-made structures!
• Jot down a couple of words or thoughts about some impossible things that could become possible with the creative energy of this time of year.
• Decide to give yourself permission to enjoy 5 (or even 30) minutes outside the next time the sun is shining. What would you do to enjoy it?
• What ideas or goals might have been germinating over the winter that could start sprouting (if they haven’t already!) with a little bit of nurturing?
• What one habit or action or plan could do with a fresh perspective, to re-energise and uplift it?

Did you allow yourself to get curious and play with some of those questions, just for a few moments?

If not: then what would it take, for you to let your inner explorer be courageous this week? (Remember – you can always put your curiosity back under lock & key again later, if you aren’t wanting to live with such excitement all the time!) Would you still choose to pass up on the chance to enjoy just a little bit of the energy of this season if you knew it was your last chance for this year?

And: if you did allow yourself to get curious and play with even one of the questions above, then I’d like to acknowledge you for your Spring spirit, and offer you another question – What would you need to do to schedule in just a little bit of spring fun each week from now?

Wishing you warmth & joy!

Sam

P.S. Along with the brighter weather has also come the inevitable ‘spring clean’ urge – so I’m making sure I get as much time outdoors and in the fresh air, as I am indoors and tidying/cleaning/clearing out stuff!

“Do you think that the more formal process of goal setting works better for everybody, and everyone should use it to achieve more?”

Sam and Paul consider the options and situations where structured goal setting is really required, but admit themselves that they don’t always have to follow a rigid process to move towards their dreams.

Thanks Matt for a brilliant question!

When we started ActionPodcast in 2008 we didn’t know what it would lead to, we didn’t know if it would resonate with you, we didn’t know how long it would last. So we just got started, took small steps, and watched as it unfolded.

But we knew with absolute certainty that we needed to share our messages.

And today we achieved a major milestone of our 100,000th podcast download, now listened to by people in over 25 countries.

Our experiences as coaches — in helping people find their passions, breakthrough fears and old habits, reconnect with their authentic purpose, create compelling goals and dreams for their future – has taught us many lessons about generating confidence, pride and conviction to keep moving forward. And it’s given universal insights into how to successfully navigate through change.

Our experiences in our own lives – four different people with four very different backgrounds, challenges, achievements and disappointments – has reminded us time and time again, that you can ALWAYS change your destiny. Your past provides lessons but it doesn’t determine or limit your future.

So in blending our unique perspectives with our shared purpose in helping you to continuously move forward and create a future of happiness and success, we continued to take small steps of everyday action.

Slowly but surely people like you were thanking us for the little boost, the extra insight and the profound a-ha! moment that we helped them discover. Small steps towards exciting futures.

Your fellow blog reader let us know that they know longer feel overwhelmed or stressed by what used to cause so much anxiety. Small steps towards more calm.

Podcast listeners said thank you for easing their pain in times of deep loss. Small steps with gratitude and acceptance.

Readers of our eBook shared their excitement of trying – and succeeding with – one of the 80 tips, tricks and perspectives shifts. Small steps for more energy and enthusiasm.

Our clients challenged us on “Why small steps? I need to move fast, I want more, now!” We encouraged them to start with small steps for easy wins and to overcome recurring setbacks. Small steps to build momentum.

So today we’d like to turn the table and thank YOU for your ongoing support of us, for your feedback and enthusiasm you’ve given us, for the gratitude we have for all our listeners and readers, for the exciting future you’ve encouraged us to move towards.

We send you 100,000 thank you’s and look forward to our next 100,000.

Don’t get us wrong, small steps aren’t always the only solution.

But they often are the starting point.

Are you looking for new direction and new inspiration this year? Instead of asking others for advice, how about asking yourself these 10 power questions. They’ll give you insights and guidance towards creating the life that you really want.

1.  If tomorrow was your last day on Earth, what would you wish you’d done in your life (but haven’t).

2. Do you have a recurring vision or dream about a particular place, job, activity, people?

3. What do you feel you were put on this Earth to do?

4. What do you care deeply about?

5. Name 5 things you are really good at.

6. Ask 5 people what they think you’re good at.

7. If you had a week all to yourself without any responsibilities, what would you do?

8. What’s the most important decision you are facing right now? What stops you from making it?

9. If I told you that you had unlimited time and resources and that you could do anything you want in life, what would that be?

10. What are the first steps you can take towards doing the work or leading the life you’d love?

Inside your heart is a dream that may yet be unfulfilled. By focusing on what you love, rather than what you feel you should be doing will give you greater energy and insight. One easy way to start is to write non-stop for about 20 minutes, listing all the things you love doing. I did this recently and it was very revealing! Begin using your imagination to create, rather than clinging to a belief system that holds you back. Every single thing you see in the world today was created initially by someone’s imagination. As Lennon himself said: “Imagine…”

All of it actually, as I was born in 1970, October 5th to be precise. So
those of you quick off the mark will realise that very, very soon I’ll
be hitting the big 4-0.

As a child, I can recall thinking that in the year 2000 I would be 30
years old. It blew my mind to think that I would be a fully grown man
then, maybe even married. I even remember thinking ‘I wonder what I’ll
be like when I’m 40?’. But that was just a step too far for my young mind
to comprehend.

In my teenage years, I wished 30 would come quickly as I felt that being
a teenager I wasn’t taken seriously. It was a frustrating time. Feeling
old enough to understand the world I lived in, yet still treated like a
child without a clue.

In my 20s, I went a bit wild, to say the least. It was a rather ‘busy’
and hedonistic time that showed me glimpses of another world. That world
could have easily swallowed me whole, chewed me up and spat me out as
nothing but a quivering wreck or worse. Thankfully, I did manage to
survive my own escapades. And I learnt that what could best be described as addictive behaviour, if left unchecked, could have been the ruin of me.

Then I hit 30. It was the magical age I had dreamed of as a child. So
now I’m at the end of my 39th year, what did it really hold for me?

Everything I thought it would. I finally found and married my partner.
Whenever I look at the ring on my finger I feel proud. Especially as
being gay and married to a man is a triumph of the age we live in today
and that we reside in the UK. I live in an amazing apartment in central
London, with views (albeit obstructed) of the world famous Tower Bridge.
I became a coach, which has allowed me the privilege of being there for
people at a time when they needed help the most.

I created ActionPodcast.com with four amazing people, and it has taken us on the
most amazing journey of exploration, and the most exciting thing is that
it’s really only just started!

This proves to me that if you have the courage to dream, the rewards
will be greater than you could possible imagine.

What are your two magic words?

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

Fear not, my friend. There is a better strategy to find that motivation, and more precisely, to discover your ultimate motivation.

There are four dimensions to motivation as illustrated in the graphic on the right. Let me explain.

4 dimensions of motivation

External motivation comes from things or people outside of you, such as your family, your boss, and the economy. Are you going through med school because your parents want you to be a doctor? Are you motivated to save money because there is a recession?

Internal motivation comes from within you, when you are inspired to do what you want to do and go after things that are important to you. You exercise because it makes you feel healthy and vibrant, you apply for that job because you like the challenge and growth opportunities.

Push motivation is often doing things because you have to, and if you don’t you’re likely to feel some sort of pain. You stop smoking because your doctor says you’re lungs will stop working, you work extra hours because your boss needs that report done. It’s as if someone (likely yourself) is pushing you from behind. Think of your daily To-Do list! Most of that is likely a ‘push’ to get stuff done.

Pull motivation is usually from doing things because you not only want to but also because you are inspired to. You are literally pulled into that compelling future, like a magnet drawing you towards a really exciting experience, result or achievement. Think about your bigger aspirations like having a beautiful family life, or traveling to new countries to explore and learn about different cultures.

Ok, I get it Chris, so what’s the secret for my ultimate motivation?! (I hear you say…)

Well, we all are influenced by those four dimensions but genuine, heartfelt, from-the-gut, powerful, inspirational, and lasting motivation will always come from the Internal-Pull quadrant of motivation. When you can generate a vision for what you want in your future – be it related to your health, relationships, financial, career, spirituality, or any big or small aspect of your life – you will find motivation to take action comes swiftly and effortlessly. And THAT is the Ultimate Motivation. The other quadrants will happen as a fact of life. But if you want to grab hold of your life and create the life you’ve always wanted, you have to focus on the Internal-Pull type of motivation with a compelling vision and plan, and stop waiting for someone else to poke you into action.

Ok, I get it Chris, sounds exciting! But how do I do that?! (I hope you say…)

You don’t have to DO anything differently, you just need to THINK differently about the situation. Ask yourself these simple questions and through those answers you can uncover a deeper, more meaningful, longer lasting and inspiring motivation to keep you marching forward towards your dreams.

• What good feelings, outcomes, results will I gain from this situation/experience?
• What bad feelings, thoughts, outcomes will I eliminate from this situation/experience and what will benefits will that bring to my life?

Write down your answers (don’t just think them). Read them out loud daily with full emotion and passion and soon you’ll find you are automatically taking the actions you need to stay on track and inspired.

Leave us a comment and let us know how this works for you.

So why do we so often eschew the idea of a road map for our lives? It’s very easy to drift from job to job, location to location, relationship to relationship, without a clear plan of action. Back in my twenties, I did just that. My life fell very much into the… “Well, I’ll see what comes up’ category. I had no grand plan of action, no specific goals (other than to earn enough cash to pay my mortgage, buy clothes, eat out, travel and have fun). It was fun, but somewhat precarious. And often I felt like I was going nowhere – fast!

Set your course
The million-dollar question: how can you reach your destination, if you don’t know where you’re going? Having direction doesn’t mean you can’t change your destination whenever you want. Or revise your goals. Allow yourself to be flexible. A great starting place is to make a list of your short term (1 week to 6 months), medium term (6 months to a year) and long term (1 to 5 years) goals for each of the following areas of your life: Career, Family, Environment, Spiritual Life, Relationships, Creativity, Friendships. Then look at each area again and mark each one from 1 (least satisfied) to 10 (most satisfied). This will instantly tell you the areas that require your immediate attention.

Realistic plan of action
Once you’ve established the area(s) you’d most like to change, then set yourself weekly, realistic and achievable goals to take yourself to your final destination. It’s important that you keep these ‘journey’ goals achievable. Baby steps. This will keep you motivated. For some, their goal may to become fit. Even joining a gym can be a major deal for many, so don’t run before you can walk! Take your time to build up to that half-marathon. But do nudge yourself out of your comfort zone. Regularly.

Resources and options
What resources do you already have that can help you achieve your goals? Do you have friends who can help you? Are there colleagues at work who can supportively nudge you in the direction you’re headed? What have you done in previous jobs that you can take with you as a skill set into your next position? Take a look at all your options for success. Brainstorm. Then pick an action point that’s the easiest for you to achieve that week. Then another one… and so on.. Challenge yourself. And reward yourself with each success.

Values and beliefs
Goals are great. But you won’t achieve them unless your values are in alignment with your beliefs. Values are the things that we get out of bed for. The things that motivate us. This could be family, money, recognition… Make a list of your top 10 values. Things you will do anything to achieve. Then put them in order of hierarchy. Then make a list of 10 things you’d do anything to avoid: this could be loneliness, embarrassment, recognition. If you see a clash between your goals and your values, then redefine your goals. For example, if one ‘going to’ value is recognition, but you’d do anything to avoid rejection, then you are unlikely to put yourself into career or job position where you will be held up and judged on your performance. No matter how hard you try, it simply won’t work. Another example: an employee who is given a promotion involving regular international travel will have a values collision if his main priority is his family, whom he will rarely see as a result. There will be tension and a lack of happiness.

Results
The key to succeeding in reaching your goals is to firstly identify them – what do you love? What would you love to do? Where would you love to live? What kind of relationship would you love to be in? Then take regular, committed action towards achieving them. Daily, weekly, monthly… Small, achievable steps taken regularly will give you the confidence and motivation to change every area of your life – successfully. You will begin to trust in your own innate ability to make the right choices in life. As a result, your dreams most certainly will become reality. Focus with laser-like intensity and commitment on your desired results, and your subconscious will do all it can to bring that goal to you. It really is as simple as that. Whatever you focus on, you will attract to you.

This is a universal law.