I remember clearly the first time I had the eye opening realization that I could be successful and prosperous. It was several years ago as I drove my Toyota Corolla from Utah to Florida. Before leaving on the trip, I loaded my laptop with several audiobooks--one of them happened to be "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. Listening to that book was a turning point. I knew that I would never think the same way about money and work again.

I arrived excited to try out the things I'd learned and to change the course of my life, but something happened. I didn't. For the next year, things went on pretty much the same as they had the past years. I soon forgot the lessons I'd learned and more importantly, the way I felt listening to that book in the car. It wasn't until much later that it occurred to me that if I was really going to make a difference it would take a much more constant form of motivation.

I discovered that it is absolutely essential to provide yourself with external motivation every day. Most people, by nature, don't have the internal drive to stay constantly motivated and inspired. There is nothing wrong with that! It is something that can be easily overcome by providing outside stimulation.

Once I realized what I needed, I put a plan into action to keep myself motivated. It wasn't free, but to me it seems like the best money I've ever spent. These materials keep me excited, growing and learning and postive about life.

• Audiobooks: For me, audiobooks have been the best motivation of all. My commute is only about 15 minutes, but that adds up to half an hour a day and combined with the time I spend listening while doing dishes, mowing the lawn or doing other mindless tasks, it really adds up! I got a subscription to Audible.com and get two books a month--normally each is about 6-10 hours long and most months I finish both books. The topics I choose vary from buisness to biography to religious. Almost all are non-fiction. Check out the book reviews section of this site for a growing list of reviews.
• Magazines: I subscribed to several motivational magazines. Specifically: Inc, Business 2.0, Money, Entrepreneur and Fast Company. None were more than $12 for a year. In retrospect, five was too many to digest each month. Of the magazines I've read, I'd recommend Inc and Business 2.0.
• Books: Check out the reading list that Kurt compiled of books to start with. I'd recommend purchasing them on Half.com or Amazon.com where you can usually get them for a much lower price than at a bookstore.
• Friends: I began to value the friends that had ideals similar to mine more than ever. If I ever have a day where things aren't falling into place, I don't hesitate to call a friend who is also on the road to being successful and talk for a few minutes. Motivation is contagious!

The most important thing is to find what motivates you and do it every single day! By doing this you won't lose your drive and vision on the road to success.