Good morning everyone. I have been reading Steve's articles for a month or so and I have been enjoying them. I have never blogged before, and I finally worked up my nerve to add to the conversation. In my professional life, I an Organizational Development Consultant focused on career planning, leadership development and process improvement
I agree with the comment about the need to have a goal. Steve Covey, author, talks about the need to have a "yes" burning inside of you. The "yes" is your goal/purpose. It makes it easier to say "no" to those things that really aren't important, like TV. I don't mean to bash TV but I agree with Steve Pavlina that it can be a time waster.
I would add that it is very important to have a plan to achieve your goal. It doesn't have to be overly detailed, but I have found that if I know my next steps, then I will move towards them.
I also try to pay attention to what resistance I might be feeling--overt/covert. People tend to think that their internal resistance is something to be pushed down or conquered. I think it's something that has to be brought out into the light. Kevin Eikenberry, author, lists 5 steps to dealing with resistance:
1. surface it;
2. honor it;
3. Explore it;
4. build a plan for overcoming it;
5. Map the solution--create the plan.
Then repeat this process.
This advice has been helpful for me, I hope it is helpful for you.