Struggling to Get Motivated?

What if I told you…

Motivation is overrated, because it’s unreliable.

We wait for motivation to spur us to action, but we have it backwards.

Instead of waiting for motivation to strike, just get started!

I had a couple conversations with different people over the last couple days, and a common theme was "losing motivation" or "needing to get motivated" or "not having motivation."

There's a lot of talk about motivation in the health & fitness industry -- maybe too much. Getting motivated, staying motivated, heck, I even did a series of "Motivation Monday" emails and Instagram posts so I'm part of the problem

Real talk: Motivation is overrated. Because sometimes -- maybe even a lot of times -- we just aren't motivated.

The fitness industry might view this as a failure. We must stay motivated to reach our goals, right? If we're not motivated, that must mean we're lazy, or we don't want it enough, right? Just gotta gather up that motivation so we can get to work...

What is motivation, anyway? Psychology Today calls it "the desire to act in service of a goal. It's the crucial element in setting and attaining our objectives."

We might need motivation to set goals for ourselves, but we need more than that to actually get there.

We need systems. We need routines. We need habits.

Motivation is cool and all, but sometimes we just don't have it. Life happens, there's other stuff going on, there are distractions, and there's no pressing desire or urge to eat healthy or go to the gym.

That is normal. That is ok.

More than a constant source of motivation, we need a well-designed system to make it easier to take the actions and make the choices that will ultimately move us closer to our goals.

For example, I work out most days of the week. This is not because I pop out of bed every day excited to pull on leggings and start throwing weights around. It's also not because it's my job, because since COVID I'm not teaching every day.

I work out most days because it's a habit. I used to have a workout program with a set number of workouts each week, which meant if I skipped a day, I wouldn't get all my lifts in. Even when I didn't feel motivated, I didn't have to think about it. There was a workout waiting for me, and I just had to show up and follow the plan.

Think of it this way: When you wake up in the morning, are you super motivated to go to work? Maybe sometimes but many times, it's probably just what you do at a certain time Monday through Friday (or whatever your schedule is) because you're getting a paycheck. It's a routine. You don't have to think about it; it's just what you do.

We set and follow so many routines in our lives, sometimes for years at a time. We might get up at the same time every day and make coffee and brush our teeth. We might always shower first thing in the morning or right before bed. We do these things without thinking.

We can do the same for fitness, nutrition, and health. By removing the guesswork, making a plan, and forming a new habit, we're more likely to be successful, no motivation required.

If you're struggling with motivation, try making a schedule instead. Decide when you'll go to the gym or work out at home. Write it down. Put it in your calendar. Tell your gym buddies so they can hold you accountable. And don't stop to think about whether you want to do it or not. Just stick to the plan.

When you do that the majority of the time, you'll create a solid routine so even when something comes up at work or at home, you'll be able to get right back on track. You might even feel, dare I say, motivated to do so. And when you stick to a consistent routine, you'll have a better chance of reaching your goals, and you might even feel more excited to keep working towards them.

Don't wait for motivation or inspiration to strike. Set a routine -- even if it's just the same healthy breakfast every day or at least 15 minutes of walking -- and stick to it 80% of the time, and you'll likely see more results than if you're waiting for the Gym Fairy to sprinkle her Magical Motivation Dust on you.

Need a workout plan or guidance creating a well-balanced schedule you can stick with? Get in touch!