So you got your motivation mojo working, good for you. Perhaps you were encouraged by the words of a motivational speaker or got a blunt dose of truth from a friend or family member. Like the quote goes "Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working", half hearted attempts equals half hearted results. Lets turn those motivational attempts into full time rewards with these 6 tips.

1. Remember the pain points. In sales jargon, pain points are problems that come about when the solution being offered is not taken. Try to keep in mind all the things that could or will happen if you don’t stay the course. For example, if you were once motivated to go running three times a week, think about what will happen if you don’t give your heart the exercise it needs.

2. Don’t play leapfrog. Feelings of motivation can sometimes slip into the category of finding the next high. Instead of bouncing from goal to goal, make sure you finish what you start before getting motivated about something else. For example, if you really like language and made a goal for yourself to learn French, learn it before you switch to learning German, and then Italian, or whatever else.

3. Know Thyself. When you try to accomplish goals that other people set for you, your motivation can wane. Take a look at your goals and make sure they’re goals you have for yourself…not goals that other people want you to achieve. If they’re not, you may want to set them aside and reassess where you’re going.

4. Visualize. Picturing the end result of your goal can go a long way towards continuing your motivation to succeed, and it has some seriously awesome side effects. The positive energy you build around that imagery will affect you at a subconscious level, while the mental affirmation that you can achieve it will do loads for your self confidence, which will also help you stay the course.

5. Let go of stuff beyond your control. When it comes to motivation, it can be easy to give up because things don’t’ go according to plan. Learn to let go of things beyond your control, otherwise they’ll reduce your motivation to succeed.

6. Get organized. If you want to stay motivated, you need to work a little bit to keep the motivation alive, otherwise it will just slip into the traffic stream of life’s feelings that inevitably comes over everyone—just like happiness, sadness, or anger, motivation will just be another feeling unless you concretize it. Put your goals on the calendar and make an action plan.