If you are anything like this author, cleaning is somewhere toward the bottom of you favorite spring activities (perhaps just before taxes, but not by much). When psyching yourself up to undertake a task, how do you get yourself in the right state of mind? Do you use self-talk, reminding yourself how much happier you will be when the task is completed? Do you put on your favorite song and use it as your rallying anthem? Do you wait until the last moment (say, the day before your in-laws arrive) and let stress be your motivator? Knowing what motivates us can help us harness that energy for success and keep us working toward our goals.