Are you having issues procrastinating or staying motivated? We all do from time to time… It is part of the human condition. The underlying issue many times is that we tend to focus on the negative work vs the positive outcomes. This in turn will shut your motivation down and you will procrastinate to get work done.

What do I mean by negative work and positive outcomes?

Negative work: The mundane work associated with obtaining a goal. Right now, as I type this, I am working… Sitting here typing on a keyboard is not the most enjoyable activity. I would rather be binge watching Game of Thrones. But it is work that is necessary to achieve a desired outcome. The same goes with cleaning a house, starting a business, going to school, etc… There will always be work that is not enjoyable in life.

Positive outcomes: The result of the negative work. I am only on my 3^rd paragraph of this article. I still have more work to do. But what is keeping me motivated? Thinking about the outcome it will produce. If it just helps one person reading this to start a new business or negotiate a new salary, then the work was worth it.

To many people focus on the negative work that is required to achieve a goal rather than focusing on the positive outcome. YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE TO STAY MOTIVATED!

“My house is a disaster… It really needs cleaned… Ugh… I have to vacuum the entire house, then mop it, then clean the counter tops, scrub the toilets and shower… UGH this sucks! I will watch Netflix instead…”

See what just happened? Focusing on the negative work completely destroyed your motivation. Now you will procrastinate cleaning the house and instead be lazy and accomplish nothing as you live in filth.

“I can’t wait to sit down on my couch and watch Netflix in a super clean house! Everything will be so organized. The shower will be sparkling clean next time I use it. The countertops will be so clean I can eat right off them! The floors will be free of clutter and this will bring me an immense source of pride in my home!”

See what just happened? You focused on the positive outcome instead of the work required to achieve it.  THIS WILL MOTIVATE YOU. Instead of procrastinating about it you can focus on the outcome and get the work done!

This happens to many people wanting to start a business. They focus on the negative work associated with building the business from scratch. Guess what? It does take a lot of work, but it is short lived! Yes, you will need to create an LLC, a website, consent forms, market your business, etc… the list is long. It takes dozens of focused hours of hard work.

I bet this sounds exhausting to many of you. Is it already sapping your motivation?

If it is, then you need to instead focus on the positive outcome of the finished business! Imagine working 6-10 hours a week on a part time business and making a supplemental $10,000 a month! If that doesn’t motivate you then I don’t know what would.

Do you know how much work it takes to implement the elite nurse practitioner model? A lot! Building 2-3 side businesses, getting out of debt and lowering your personal/business expenses takes a significant amount of hard work. If you focus on the negative work that is required to implement what I advocate, you will always procrastinate doing it. Plain and simple.

Instead, focus on the freedom you will have in your personal and professional life. Focus on the healthy 5 figure side income you will be generating every month. Focus on giving your middle finger to the man! These things should get your blood pumping and kick your ass into gear. It has motivated many successful entrepreneurs and now I am passing this message along to my fellow nurse practitioners.

Do you fear starting your own business? Do not let these negative emotions dictate your conscious. You will focus on the negative and this will result in procrastination and lack of action. Focus on the positive outcomes instead!

Every time I have something that needs to be done in my personal or professional life, I must think about the negative work required to do it first. This is normal… You must know the actionable steps you need to implement to achieve a goal. When all that negative work begins to cause procrastination, I take a break and instead focus on the future fruits of my labor (positive outcomes):

“I want to fly first class to New Zealand next year.”

“I want to own a new rental property in 1 year.”

“I want to enjoy a $120 steak dinner next Friday.”

“I want to backpack through Peru for 2 weeks next year.”

This ALWAYS motivates me to get back to work. And guess what? I work even harder and before I know it, I AM DONE!

From cleaning your house to starting a business empire, focus on the positive outcome instead of the negative work. You will never procrastinate ever again and instead live a productive happy life!