Let's face it. Whenever we have a long term goal that requires consistency to achieve we are going to hit a time period that we just don't feel like doing the work. We may begin to doubt ourselves. We may want a break. We might feel lost. It's vitally important to have a plan for these moments. Stumbling and falling down is fine. We all experience setbacks and hardships. But you have to be able to adjust after a failure to keep moving towards your goals.

I always know I'm going to become terminally lazy about halfway through any cycle or semester. So I start ahead of time. When I was in college I would get the syllabus early from my professors and begin reading 2-3 weeks before the term began. That way, when I got lazy, I didn't fall behind. I pulled even. I knew this about myself because I was also extremely honest with myself about my own habits.

You have to know your own weaknesses and plan for them. If you lack motivation cover your binder in something that keeps you feeling pumped or pushes you to keep going. If you get motivation from the stories of others follow inspirational Facebook pages or blogs like HONY, Goalcast or Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talks. Make a goal board in Pinterest. Go for a walk, put on a song that get's you going and dance to it. Whatever works for you, find it and use it. Because there is no pride in education, just in the outcomes. Don't be too proud to do whatever it is that helps YOU succeed.