Have you ever been sitting in a meeting or classroom and the speaker is going on and on. You feel your eyes starting to glaze over as you drift into a daydream of your favorite vacation spot. Then all of a sudden the meeting or class ends and you missed critical information.

Staying focused and motivated to accomplish a task can often be extremely difficult. In this article I will hit on 5 things that I and many others use to improve my focus and motivation.

#1. Meditation

If you have never tried meditating then you probably don’t see the benefits that can be obtained through the practice. Meditation can help reduce stress, calm anxiety, and focus your thoughts.I have been practicing meditation for about 6 months now and have had seen some awesome results.

Before I started meditating I was having difficulty sleeping. Now, I listen to a 30 minute deep sleep guided meditation every night and usually fall asleep in the first 5 minutes. Besides using meditation to improve my sleep habits, I also use it to center myself in the morning and throughout the day. These meditation sessions are usually between 5-20 minutes and they help calm my busy and sometimes scattered mind.

It’s important to note that meditation takes practice and may be frustrating when you begin practicing. It will be surprising how difficult it is to keep your mind focused and not think about 100 different things. But not to worry because as you know everything takes practice.

The app that I use to practice meditation is called Insight Timer. It’s a free app that offers a large selection of guided sessions. My personal recommendation to anyone starting out is to take their free course “Learn How to Meditate in Seven Days”. This course will walk you through the basics to set you up for meditation success.

#2. Read

I’ve mentioned this in prior articles but I truly believe that reading is essential for personal growth. If you are struggling to find motivation to start something then you should try reading about it.

Reading about things that interest you will increase your subject knowledge and it may just spark some motivation to get you started or keep going. Reading can also be a form of meditation and can improve your overall mindfulness.

Reading is like taking your brain to the gym. If you don’t go to the gym you will never get that body you always dreamed of. Likewise, if you never read then your knowledge level won’t improve. Moral of the story is to treat your brain like your body and exercise it. This will help you grow mentally, gain a better focus and improve your motivation.

#3. Strategize

A lack of focus can be due to a lack of strategy. If you have a goal that you are trying to accomplish then you want to make sure you create a blueprint that will get you there. The initial strategy that you make may change over time, but it’s a guideline that will keep you on track.

When you create your strategy make sure to include checkpoints or micro goals. For example, lets say your goal is to gain 1,000 followers on instagram and you have a strategy to get there. A micro goal may be getting to 25 followers. When you hit this goal you will gain some motivation because you can see that your hardwork and strategy are paying off.

#4. Network

My father always told me, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and as I’ve gotten older I couldn’t agree more. If you want to stay focused and motivated to accomplish your goals then you should try networking more and find people that can get you to the next level. When networking you have no other option but to be focused. If you are speaking to a potential client you will need to be locked in to display confidence and competence in your business.

If you are sitting in that business meeting again and your eyes begin glazing over and the day dreams start hitting, then maybe you need to find a job that interests you. Networking with others can help you find that job that you love. A job that you feel motivated to go to every day. Those meeting settings that would bore you are now completely different. You are engaged and you are focused. Challenge yourself to strengthen your current relationships and try to connect with someone new everyday.

#5. Take Action

I’m not sure if there’s anything out there that’s more motivating than taking actions to accomplish your goals.

For example, Gina and I became really interested in real estate investing. We started by educating ourselves through reading and listening to podcasts. We created a strategy for the type of real estate investing that we wanted to start with and set micro goals for savings. The two of us meditated to maintain our focus which in turn led to increased motivation. We networked with people in the industry; investors, agents, and lenders. Finally, the combination of everything listed gave us the confidence to take action. We found a house, made an offer and the rest is history.

Being able to take action or what some call taking the leap of faith is what you need to do to be successful. There is nothing more motivating than taking action and accomplishing your goals.

BONUS!!

Another great piece of advice to increase your level of focus and motivation is to get enough sleep. This may sound silly, but take sleep seriously your body and mind need time to rest and recover. Get a good night’s rest and wake up the next morning as the best version of yourself.

Closing Thoughts

I really hope that these tidbits help you to stay focused and motivated in everything you do. Whether your goal is to be able to stay awake in class so you pass your final, lose 100 pounds, or create a real estate empire, these 5 tips will help get you there. Remember that focus and motivation are key to your success.