 Hi, and welcome to Seymour's World Commentary on Think Tech Hawaii. You can find all my commentaries and all Seymour's World episodes on the Think Tech Hawaii website. I welcome your comments by email, text, or phone. You can reach me at Seymour.Kazimersky at gmail.com or 808-551-3222. Today our topic is a matter of motivation. Have you ever set a goal for yourself that you were sure you would accomplish only to abandon it less than a day or a week or a month later? Like many individuals across this country, I did, and I continue to do so almost every day. Sound familiar? Of course. Like most of you, I have had to renew my goals over and over again. I would love to tell you that it worked out, and I'm still on that healthy lifestyle bandwagon that I'm doing everything I can, but unfortunately, I have made more trips to the drive-through window than I care to admit. Whether it is adopting a healthier lifestyle or saving money or quitting a bad habit, most of us have gone through the disappointment of not sticking to our goals. The common culprit is simple lack of motivation. According to statistics, approximately 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions each year. And how many do you think really could go through with them? Only 8% achieve the resolutions. However, lack of motivation is not just a problem related to New Year's resolutions. It's also a problem in work, education, and our personal journey. Did you know that 54% of workers in the U.S. and Canada reported feeling unmotivated or not engaged at work? Actually, 40% of U.S. high school students were actively disengaged in school. So what is behind the lack of motivation, and how do we solve the problem? I think there are a number of factors that lead to lack of motivation, and identifying them is an important step in overcoming them. The habit of procrastination. It's a common reason for not following through with our goals. Telling ourselves we'll start tomorrow, or waiting until the last minute, many times leads to not doing it at all. There is also the fear of failure. Avoiding doing something for fear that you might not succeed and embarrass yourself may be keeping us from achieving our goals. A lack of incentives and outside motivators may also be holding us back. Once the reason for our lack of motivation is identified, changing the way we think might be helpful in solving the problem. This is a practice used by cognitive therapists. Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that we think a certain way about an event. We develop a feeling about it, and so we act a certain way. For example, when I go through the drive-thru window, I think, I'll just treat myself today, and tomorrow I'll get back on track. Then I feel good and happy about my thought, so I end up buying the fast food. Afterward, I might tell myself I failed and feel disappointed in myself, so I'll act accordingly. By becoming aware of what your thoughts are, about your goals, you can learn to shift them, which in turn will change your behavior. The next time I drive by a fast food establishment and think of stopping, I can remind myself of the disappointment it caused, and refocus my thoughts towards my real goals. Then I will be more likely to go home and make a healthy meal. If you are guilty of procrastinating, then think back to what your results have been in the past. Did you have desirable or undesirable outcomes? If you had mostly undesirable outcomes, what will you tell yourself the next time a similar situation arises? Reminding yourself that maybe saving things until the last minute might not be the best choice is a great way to help shift your thoughts and get back on track. The same applies to fear of failure and embarrassment. If you are thinking that you're going to fail and make a fool of yourself, chances are you're not going to follow through. However, if you tell yourself there's an opportunity for growth and learning, you may be more inclined to continue pursuing your goals. Motivation is part of our everyday life. It is the driving force behind most of our decisions. By learning how to boost motivation and change our thinking, we can break the habits that hold us back from achieving our goals and attaining success. So what is the key to reaching our goals? Keep that motivation going. I hope this helps you have a great day. My name is Seymour Kazimerski. You're watching a commentary of Seymour's World. You can find all my commentaries and Seymour's World episodes on the ThinkTech Hawaii website. I welcome your comments by email, text, or phone. And you can reach me at Seymour.Kazimerski at gmail.com or 808-551-3222. Aloha.