1. Focus on what you're getting rather than what you're giving up.

Make self-talk affirming ("I can, I will, I want to," not "I screwed up, so now I have to..."). Set goals that are positive and uplifting, have a clear image of what you stand to gain. Use the pros you've identified to motivate yourself

2. Take pride in the doing

Whatever your goal, you'll reach it by doing first one thing, finishing it well, then take another, then another. It's much more motivating to pay attention to what you're doing than to keep checking on how much further you have to go. You can't guarantee results, but you can take action—and give yourself credit.

3. Break big, complicated endeavours into small, manageable chunks.

This piece of advice is probably given some more often than any other and for good reason too. First, looking at the big picture is scarier than homing in on one element of it. Second, small steps take less willpower—which increases your odds of success in the end. Finally each little victory makes the next step easier to take. You can learn you can do it. And that knowledge helps you do it again.

4. If you haven't put your willpower to the test for a while, don't go straight for a goal that's of major importance to you.

Build up your willpower muscles first. Try turning off you car radio and tuning in to your surroundings during one morning commute each week. Or don't eat dinner in front of the TV two nights out of seven. This way, you can test your own ability to abstain, and decide what level it is at.

5. Do a long-term goal check.

Are you shooting for unattainable standards or taking on tasks that can neither be done nor be dumped? Although you don't want to aim too low, trying to look like Kate Moss when you have an entirely different body type is unrealistic. Instead of washing the willpower you have (and setting yourself up for failure), bring aspiration back down to earth.

6. Make sure what you're aiming for is what you really want.

You need to ask yourself, is this my idea or someone else's? . It's tough to stay motivated if a goal isn't important to you personally. "In a larger sense, when you know and regularly remind yourself that what you really want from life is self-respect, health, peace of mind, a loving relationship, then doughnuts, zoning out in front of the TV, or seeing who can drink the most tequila shots, becomes less important—and easier to resist.

7. Have a plan.

Take some time to explore alternatives and plot out strategies for reaching your goal. Choosing how you change strengthens your commitment. Come up with several options, he suggests. Two choices are better than one, and three are better than two. (Four or more may be too over-whelming to be helpful, however).

8. Go public.

We tend to keep quiet about the changes we're trying to make, because we're afraid we might not actually make them. But our efforts to protect ourselves from failure and humiliation weaken willpower. Making a public commitment has the opposite effect. It not only strengthens our resolve but also creates a potential support group. People who know what we're trying to accomplish can offer us encouragement, sympathy...and an occasional, well-deserved kick in the pants.

9. Diminish defiance.

Many of us don't like being told what to do or how to be. If someone is on your back, you resist—even if that someone is yourself. Anything you do to reduce that resistance boots willpower, so try calling what you're doing an experiment, and give yourself permission to leave the lab at any time. Or agree to do or not do something for 20 minutes. If you don't want to continue when your time is up, you can stop. But you'll often be on a roll—and want to keep rolling.

10. Give yourself a break.