1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about a little trick you can use 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: to stay motivated to achieve monthly goals. Making progress toward 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: any goals can be challenging. That's why we're always looking 6 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: for ways to be more disciplined and consistent. A few 7 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: episodes ago, we talked about the ten minute trick. Whenever 8 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: you're resisting doing something a workout, practicing the piano, writing 9 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: your novel, challenge yourself to do it for ten minutes. 10 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: If you're still unhappy, you can quit. Most likely momentum 11 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: will take over and you'll keep going, but even if 12 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: you don't, ten minutes is better than nothing. Today's tip 13 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: is about another little trick for making progress. This one 14 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: comes from Before Breakfast listener Elizabeth. She writes that she 15 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: wants to work out five times a week each month. 16 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: That works out to times depending on how the dates fall. 17 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: So she says she makes up a phrase with the 18 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: appropriate number of letters letters. Each time I work out, 19 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: I earn a letter towards that phrase. The month she 20 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: wrote me about this tip, her phrase was you will 21 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: own this workout. That's twenty one letters in case you're counting. 22 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: Each workout brings her one letter closer to completing the phrase. 23 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: As you can imagine, she hates to end the month 24 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: with the phrase stuck at you will own this war, 25 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: and so it gives her a little kick to keep 26 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: going so she can assign herself the next letter. I 27 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: love this idea. You could come up with lots of 28 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: motivational phrases in the arrange. That means that this is 29 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: a perfect match for things you intend to do several 30 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: times a week, be that exercising, meditating, using a language app, 31 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: writing in a journal, doing morning pages, or another freewriting habit. 32 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: Here are a few sample phrases. I am always getting stronger. 33 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:29,639 Speaker 1: The world needs this story. My mind is calm amid chaos. 34 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: So come up with the phrase. Then find a way 35 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: to physically give yourself a letter for each completed session. 36 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: You could use those magnetic letters that kids play with 37 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: on refrigerators. Each time you look at the fridge, you'll 38 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: see yourself getting a little closer to phrase completion. Or 39 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: write each letter on a chalkboard or whiteboard. When you 40 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: complete the phrase, take a little time to savor your 41 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: accomplishment and then dream up the next phrase. Ideally, your 42 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: goals have their own intrinsic rewards, but it never hurts 43 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: to get a little extra push. Do you have a 44 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: trick that helps you stay motivated. I'd love to hear 45 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: about it. You can email me at Before Breakfast podcast 46 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: at I heart media dot com. In the meantime, this 47 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 48 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear 49 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 50 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 51 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. That's b E the 52 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 53 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart 54 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out with 55 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to 56 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: stay hang in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 57 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, 58 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 59 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.