I've posted about motivation many times, but I recently ran across this short and sweet recipe from Omar Periu, one of the world's top motivational speakers. The toplines are adapted from my conversation with Omar, but the commentary is my own:

1. Always act with a purpose.

If you don't know why you're doing something, you're making that part of your life utterly meaningless. String together enough meaningless acts in your life and your entire life will be literally pointless--without a point.

Starting every action with a review of your purpose, however, puts everything you do into context. Having a purpose for every act keeps you aimed at your life goals rather than cooling your heels.

2. Take responsibility for your own results.

Most people misinterpret this concept. They think it means taking the credit when things go well and taking the blame when things go wrong. But taking responsibility is not about blame or credit; it's about what you do next.

If you're responsible for your own results, you take ownership of whatever future that emerges from those results. You continue to move forward towards your goals, even when you encounter setbacks.

3. Don't wait for perfection, just do it now!

Perfectionists are the hugest losers in life because they either expect things to be perfect before they take action or, if they do take action, they can't enjoy whatever happens because it's not the perfect outcome.

The real joy of achievement doesn't come from what you achieve but from your efforts in trying to achieve it. The only thing that's perfect in this world is that you're perfectly free to take action. Now, as in right now.

4. Eat wisely because success takes energy.

Our civilization currently suffers from a self-induced plague of obesity, caused by the mass consumption of addictive food products that give people life-shortening diseases after first making them listless and drained.

I'm not saying you don't eat the occasional donut. However, if you want the energy to act, the energy to achieve your goals, you need to give your body the kind of fuel that can create that energy. And it's not refined sugar.

5. Surround yourself with motivated people.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that the people around you influence your behavior. They define what you consider "normal" and thereby either bring you up (or down) to their level.

If you hang around people who are energized, purposeful and committed to making a difference in the world, that's what you'll consider "normal." Being motivated will stop being something that you do and instead become who you are.