While music is a very subjective thing, it can be exceptionally motivational. Sometimes a song is all you need to get you out of that bad funk and into a good one.
Music is incredibly powerful and can conjure up an image, good or bad, and sometimes it can remind you if a really great time. The songs of your life are personal, but here’s a list of songs that will elevate your mood and put you in that winning frame of mind to have a great day. Songs that I hope will, either by the sound or the lyrics, will get your mind or your body moving to a good rhythm to make your day a little bit better.
I’ve tried to include something for everyone in this list of great songs, but for a very specific reason: because you need to pick one. You need to pick one of these songs as the one you are going to use to kick-start your positive mind-set. Pick one song, and make it your song.
Listen to it while thinking about times when you felt really powerful, unstoppable, like you could take on the world, like you alone have control over how you feel and no external factor can change how you feel.
You can even think of a time when you felt really attractive, and like you had the world in the palm of your hand, or when you felt like you did something really good or benevolent for someone else. Whatever makes you feel strong, powerful and great.
Relive that feeling while listening to your song. Really relive it. Feel it, how you felt, what you thought, what you could see or smell, what was around you. Or if you can’t think of a specific time – make one up, where you are all that you want to be, how would that feel, how would that look.
Then reinforce that feeling by listening to your song again every time you feel great, successful or powerful. When you feel like you've achieved something, done something good, feel great or whatever puts you in a positive frame of mind.
After a very short time this song becomes your motivator, and every time you hear it – every time – you will feel that same way. This is an exceptionally powerful technique that requires minimal effort but gives maximum impact in only a few minutes with little or no cost (99p at most or free if you use YouTube or Vevo, or already own the song).
If you don't feel like doing this and doing yourself a favour then just do me a favour: whether you feel like it or not, listen to one of these songs before you start your day and see if it doesn't make a difference. Go on. I dare you.
10) Back In Black, AC/DC – July 1980
9) Immigrant Song, Led Zeppelin (come on, who doesn't love a battle cry?) – November 1970
8) Fighter, Christina Aguilera – March 2003
7) Move On Up, Curtis Mayfield, 1970 – or can be substituted with Touch The Sky, Kanye West, 2006
6) Ali in the Jungle, The Hours – November 2006
5) Lose Yourself, Eminem – August 2002
4) Killing In The Name Of, Rage Against The Machine – November 1992
3) Song 2, Blur – April 1997
2) Gotta Fly Now (Theme from Rocky), Bill Conti – February 1977
1) Can You Feel It, The Jackson Five – September 1980
Alison Mulligan is a senior account manager at ERP recruiter Maximus
