Focus and motivation are two of the most elusive but essential skills that we all need.

On the days when you feel like you’ve mastered focus and motivation, you’re soaring. Then, on the other days, when you kind of just have the blahs, it’s tough to barely get through your to do list.

So here are 5 of the best focus and motivation tips to keep you going!

#1. Just do it as Nike says!

The first step is always the hardest.

Your mind will come up with all sorts of reasons to prevent you from taking that scary first step toward your goal.

All sorts of questions will run through your mind – what if I fail, what if I’m not good enough, what if people think I’m a fraud?

None of these mean you are a coward, though. It is just your brain’s way of defending yourself and our brains are hardwired to be more negative and always on the lookout for “danger” that they are to be more positive.

Sometimes, though, you have to listen to what your heart has to say and just do it.

Try to ignore your brain’s warnings, and get past the first hurdle.

Go with your gut and once you take that first step, it will all be a lot easier from there.

Make some notes of even the smallest progress you’ve made. When you check even one thing off your list as complete, your brain rewards you with the “dopamine” pleasure chemical and you’ll want to keep going.

# 2. Create a plan, but the process does not have to be physical.

You might have imagined that taking action is something physical you have to do.

But, sometimes you don’t even have to lift a finger.

Consider the act of planning.

You don’t really want to try and achieve a goal without a plan. It’s kind of like running a marathon without any previous training.

When you create your plan, take into account all the potential consequences of your actions. Then take a look at all the possible ways you can reach your goal.

Think of it like going on a trip. There are lots of ways to get to where you’re going and your objective will determine which one you will choose.

Goals are the same: Instead of always asking questions like either or or, sometimes ask yourself, ‘why not both?’

Here is a terrific book to help you get motivated, focus and take action.

#3. Do conscious breathing and EFT tapping.

i remember once when I was getting ready to present to a large audience. Normally I was not nervous or anxious, but for whatever reason, this particular day I was.

Sometimes it’s just natural to feel a bit uneasy about doing something to reach your goal because it can feel a bit risky.

Risks can either end up with success or failure, and no one wants to fail.

But conscious breathing can make a huge difference because it calms your nervous system.

You can take a deep breath, inhale for a count of 5, hold for 5, and exhale for a count of 5. This will clear your mind and calm your nerves. Make sure your stomach extends on the inhale and and comes back in on the exhale.

The other thing that makes a huge difference is something called EFT (emotional freedom technique) or tapping.

Tapping on various meridian points has been clinically proven to reduce stress and anxiety, and calm the amygdala (the fight or flight) area of your brain.

Here is a video for how to use tapping to clear your emotions, and put you at your very best.

#4.  Learn from the most successful people.

Take a page from the playbook of the world’s most successful people.

While you may think that you are the only one suffering a certain kind of problem, but you are never alone.

With just a tad of research, you will find something in common with both ordinary and extraordinary people. Use the search engines for a quick bit of inspiration.

Find a well-known person who struggles with the same thing you’re struggling with. At some point in their lives, they’ve all had problems and I’m certain you can find one who overcome whatever their frustration, anxiety or problem was, and you’ll learn a lot you can apply to your own life.

#5 Take easy baby steps at first.

Don’t compare yourself to others, nor push yourself to achieve the same things with the same exact amount of focus and motivation that another person has.

You’re completely unique, so go slow, and take baby steps.

You’ll find that by taking the pressure off yourself, and doing just a little bit each day, you’ll achieve your goal in a way that you can be proud of.

Now that you know these 5 best focus and motivation tips, here is a PDF book called Focus, Motivation Action that will give you the boost you need.

Use the strategies inside and you’ll have a much easier time with focus and motivation on demand, whenever you need it.