Background
In his book the Tao of Motivation, Max Landsberg describes a method of self-motivation called the VICTORY Cycle. This approach to motivation is a perfect example of how to motivate ourselves to achieve more.
Not only can the VICTORY Cycle be used to motivate ourselves, but it is also a great tool to motivate others too.
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The approach is highly practical, with one stage building on top of the next to provide enough motivation to achieve the things you want to achieve.
The VICTORY Cycle
Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is a 6 stage process (despite there being 7 letters – more on this further into the article).
VICTORY stands for:
- Vision
- Impetus
- Confidence
- Take the Plunge
- Observe
- Review
- You
The first 6 parts of VICTORY are drawn into a cycle, giving the model the name of the VICTORY Cycle, and You sits in the middle to represent this cycle being about you.
Vision
The first stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Vision.
To achieve anything, you first need to be clear about where you want to go. Creating a compelling vision of what your future looks like will help you to see what you need to achieve and give you something to win for.
Your vision should be clear, powerful and emotional in that you can close your eyes and see yourself there. Being able to do this on-demand will help to keep you moving in that direction.
Impetus
The second stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Impetus.
Having a compelling vision is one thing, but having a reason to achieve it is another. Having impetus or drive means having a purpose or reason for why you want to achieve your vision. What are the benefits of getting there? What difference will it make to your life, your health, your career.
Think carefully about this as, without purpose or reason, you won’t be able to achieve the motivation to get to where you need to get to.
Confidence
The third stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Confidence.
Is something holding you back from achieving the things you want to achieve? It’s probably you. Building the confidence to get you to where you need to be is paramount to success. Confidence comes from results. Confidence comes from knowledge and skills. Confidence comes from belief.
Think about what you will need to get to your vision. Are you missing skills or knowledge? If so, how will you gain them? You need to start making progress to see the results of your actions. This is where the next stage comes in.
Take the Plunge
The fourth stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Take the Plunge.
Put one foot in front of the other and get going. Take action to get started otherwise you will get nowhere. To begin to build the confidence you need to start taking action.
Map out what you need to do and make the first stages super simple. This will at least get you going. And, when you are going, there’s probably no stopping you if you can keep your vision and impetus in your mind.
Observe
The fifth stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Observe.
At each step towards your vision, stop and take stock. Take a look at how far you have come and celebrate success. This is a great way to continue building confidence. Check you are still on the right track and make any adjustments needed. Then, get going again and move closer toward your vision.
Review
The sixth stage of Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle is Review.
You’ve made it to your goal and should now be seeing the benefits. Celebrate your successes but also look back to understand how you might have done things differently. This will set you in good stead for your next goal, and the process starts all over again.
You
The ‘you’ sits in the middle of the cycle to represent that this process or journey is all about you.
Motivating Others
You can use Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle to help motivate others. By helping them to understand the cycle and then coaching through each of the stages, you can use this method to help others achieve their goals or use it as a motivational tool to get increased performance from your team.
Further Learning
If you wish to find out more about Max Landsberg’s VICTORY Cycle and more tactics of how to use this and other motivational tools, you may find a motivational skills training course will help. Take a look at our Motivational Skills Training Course for more details.
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