First things first. Stop making excuses. Your excuses will kill you. What will you do when all your excuses are gone?

Now. If you want to get motivated, you have to figure what it is you’re getting motivated for. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?” Be specific. Figure out what it is EXACTLY that you want.

Once you have the goal in mind, evaluate your current situation. Don’t lie to yourself, and wish it could be different. Be honest and figure out where you are now. One of the smartest people I’ve ever known told me, “To know how you’ll get where you’re going, you need to know where you are.” The only way you can do that is with an honest appraisal of your situation.

You know where you’re going. You know where you are. Now, you have to commit to walking the path between the two. You have to want it. You have to NEED it! Know that this is what your life is, now. Commitment to your goals is essential for sustained motivation.

I’ll tell you what commitment is NOT, however. It is not a strict adherence to how you’ve always done things. Want different results, you gotta try different approaches. It’s not a blind following to how other people say it should be done. They’re happy being mediocre: you want more. Commitment is a firm resolution to reaching your goal (strategy); how you get there needs to stay flexible (tactics). Firm strategy, flexible tactics.

Also, don’t sell yourself short! You’re amazing! There’s no one else in the universe like you. Not a single one. Even if you’re a twin, there are differences that matter. You’re capable of change, and you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t believe it, too. Recognize that you have a whole heap of awesome just waiting to be used.

These are the first steps you should take when thinking about setting new goals, and getting yourself motivated for change.