When it comes to building motivation, there are some strategies that work for everyone I know. Getting clear on your 'why'. Setting goals (both short- and long-term), and tracking your progress. Planning ahead. Making a routine. Creating a habit. Ensuring you're having fun... to name a few. 

But there's one motivation strategy that's unique to your personality type, and knowing which type you are can make all the difference to you.

For instance:

Do you go to great lengths to meet your commitments where others are concerned? Whereas do you find your own priorities often get relegated to the bottom of the pile - or sometimes don't get done at all? Even those things that you want to do? 

Are you great at meeting deadlines set by others, not so good at making or meeting deadlines you set for yourself?

Does the thought of letting someone else down spur you into action, but letting yourself down isn't so compelling?

Can you always take time for others, but not for yourself?  Do you often struggle to say 'no'?

If so, according to research by New York Times bestselling author, Gretchen Rubin, what drives your motivation personality is external accountability. You need external accountability to truly feel - and sustain - your motivation.  

You can use this insight to fire up your motivation and make sure you get what's important to you done.

How?

Organise your life so that you have external accountability in every area that matters to you.

For instance

• Want to exercise more? Hire a personal trainer; buddy up with a friend and agree to text each other when you've done your daily exercise; choose a class with a teacher and classmates who’ll notice if you’re not there.  
   
• Want to eat more healthily? Join an online nutrition programme, with the support of a nutrition coach and group forum to check in with each day.
   
• Want to read more? Join a book group; enrol in a literature course.
   
• Find you're 'busy busy busy' but never doing the things that will advance your career? Start by identifying how you can align your own goals with those of your boss, department, or company, and what tasks you can do each day that will meet those goals. 
   
• Run your own business and want to stretch yourself more? Gather a virtual team around you to act as sounding boards and inspiration partners; hire a coach or mentor; take on students; book clients in before you're ready to deliver.

The key is to identify what will push your external accountability buttons and use that to harness your natural motivation to get what's important to you done.

Would you like to discover the strategies that work best for you, and your motivation personality? Do you also want to know the risks and pitfalls of your motivation personality, and how to avoid them? Perhaps you'd like to know about the other three motivation personalities too, so you can better understand colleagues, family and friends? Then why not get in touch? I'm here and ready to help.