Sometimes life can feel like a stationary bike. You can keep pedalling, but you still feel like you are not getting anywhere. It's easy to feel bored, burned out, unmotivated, or unsatisfied with everything.
You can't always control the world around you. That's a fact. What you can control is your reaction to that world. You are about to learn how to better handle whatever comes your way by learning how to motivate yourself .
Motivation is quite simple defined as "a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way". It is what drives you to do the things that matter.
So it makes sense that, if you are feeling unmotivated to do something, it's probably because you haven't clearly defined your reason for wanting to achieve that goal, or potentially you don't believe that goal to begin with.
In order to get motivated, you need 2 things;
Find your Why
In order to find your motivation, you need to first dig deep to determine the reason why you want to achieve your goal.
When it comes to health and fitness goals, I find that the main reason for feeling unmotivated it because the reason or purpose is just not strong enough.
It's not as bad as having no reason at all, but you need to be honest with yourself and determine if the current reason you want to achieve your health & fitness goals is enough.
You can use questions such as:
Why do I think my goal is important? Why do I feel like this matters? What will achieving my goal allow me to do that I can't currently? Who will this help?
The reason may be because you want to live every day in pain-free health for as long as possible. That is a great reason! Or perhaps it is to set a good example for your kids, to live an active lifestyle and be role models. These reasons are both inspiring and powerful!
If the reason if due to external pressures, then in the majority of cases it's just going to lead to a lack of motivation. If you are doing it because you feel like you should look a certain way, because someone told you that you should or gave you negative feedback, or because you feel you are being judged, then you need to re-evaluate that reason.
Why do YOU think your goal is important?
At the end of the day, if it's not a true and honest reason for yourself, then there is no real desire to achieve this goal. The motivation needs to come from within first, before it can affect change in your life.
Believe in yourself.
Once you find your WHY, it's time to become a believer. Believe in yourself and the goal that you want to achieve. This is where we can begin utilizing our motivation and making the magic happen.
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."- Jim Rohn
It's not something that happens overnight or even in a week, but once you have found your "Why", You will find it easier to set small goals and work on building up your belief every day. The more days you complete successfully, the stronger it becomes . Remember: A little bit of effort everyday adds up.
If you can motivate yourself to take positive action and focus on your "Why", then achieving your goals will become far easier .
But there are instances where we all feel unmotivated, regardless of our reasons why. It's completely natural, especially when your progress might be slower than expected, or your hit a few unexpected hurdles. If this happens, then don't panic! There are a few simple steps you can take to help yourself get back on track.
Step 1: Identify what is holding you back. Is it something you can control? If it is then you can take steps to fix it. If it isn't, then you might have to "pivot" and find an alternative solution that will keep you on track.
Step 2: What is working?
At this point you may be wondering, "what do I need to do to start back up again?". Remind yourself what was good about it and what works for you. What gets you started? What keeps you going?
If those parts of the habits were working, focus on bringing those back to the forefront, and connect them to your initial "Why".
Step 3: Find out what stops you!
Once you know what motivates you, the next step is to address the reason why you are feeling unmotivated right now. Whatever it is, make sure you know the root of why you are feeling unmotivated before taking action. It might only be a minor tweak to your current strategy that is required to get back on track. That might involve something as simple as practising some positive self talk, being kinder to yourself, or just making yourself a higher priority that external issues or expectations,
All of these methods have been used by a variety of people throughout the world to help overcome those moments where they may feel unmotivated or off track. It all comes down to finding what works for you. Once you do, you can come back stronger and more motivated than ever!
"Your body is your slave; don't let it dictate to you how many days it wants to do absolutely nothing." -Doug Larson
If everyone was motivated, the world would have no problems . Rather than being stuck being unmotivated yourself , why not relight the fire by reminding yourself that your actions can help inspire others.
It starts with YOU! Motivate yourself to make positive changes in your life and help motivate others along the way. You never know who needs a little push, whether it be your family, friends, your kids, co-workers or even someone you don't know yet. If you are given the chance to encourage someone else's journey, then fuel your motivation to get back on track, and be the support that others need.
"The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand." -Vince Lombardi Jr.
So what can you do today?
If you are aiming for a goal, make sure it gives you purpose, direction, and something to work towards. Remember that this has to benefit and feel good to YOU or else there is no point of doing it. When you have a goal, it is crucial to always be working towards it. If that means you need to write your goals down in order to keep yourself accountable then do it! The only person you need to prove anything to is yourself.
