There is a reason Motivation kicks off the MAP to Fitness series. Your motivation is the engine that powers your journey. It’s the root of the journey, the X that marks the spot. When our destination is clear and our motivation engine is fully fueled and finely-tuned, there’s very little that can stop us. However, our motivation engine is a complex machine that requires maintenance. During those inevitable moments when momentum slows, the effort and energy required to regenerate momentum towards our destination can make us vulnerable to a full-blown engine break-down.
So before beginning your health and fitness journey, equip yourself with five fine-tuning tools to keep your motivation engine running strong: What, Why, Who, When, and Where.
WHAT is motivating you?
WHAT is your primary motivation? Is it weight loss, gaining strength, fitting into your favorite jeans, or something else? Whatever it is, take a moment to ensure this is crystal clear. If you’re not yet sure about your destination, you’re not even ready to leave the parking lot.
WHY are you motivated to change?
Once you’ve clarified your primary motivation, uncover why it is so important to you. When you reach a point in your journey when your motivation slows—and you will—your WHY can act as a fuel injection to get you back up to speed. For example, weight loss is a motivation for many, but simply wanting to lose weight isn’t enough. Why do you want to lose weight? Maybe you want increased energy for family, improved self-confidence, or to set a healthy example for your children. Maybe all of the above. Your fuel-injecting WHY’s are the personal and powerful boost you need to keep going.
WHO motivates you to do better?
Identifying and surrounding yourself with people who inspire you is like keeping your engine’s owner’s manual handy at all times. Whenever a little fine-tuning is needed, a quick reference will ensure things keep running smoothly. So, WHO inspires you? Your spouse, children, co-worker, Facebook friend, or celebrity personality? Perhaps a number of people inspire you in different ways. Whether these people know they are an inspiration to you or not, harness their influence to your advantage. Identify their healthy habits, how they position themselves for success, and the ways they overcome obstacles. Their responses to adversity are proof that we can overcome our own challenges. If that person did it, so can you.
Some people may motivate you to eat better or exercise more by their own example. Some may motivate you with inspiring words of encouragement. They should be staples in your day-to-day. Learn from them, harness their influence, and allow their healthy habits to rub off on you until they become your own.
WHEN and WHERE is your motivation strongest–and weakest?
There’s no question that certain WHENs and WHEREs either support our motivation to succeed or compromise it. For example, when I put a workout off until the evening, it has a tendency not to happen at all. In this moment, my motivation engine sputters because I’m running on empty—I’m more motivated to go home to see my family than I am to workout. We all have our own motivation-sputtering moments: like when you’re trying to improve your nutrition, but keep encountering tempting opportunities to indulge on trigger foods that compromise your goals, or when you’re trying to get into the swing of a new exercise routine but your work travel disrupts your rhythm.
Instead of finding your motivation on empty when a challenge is presented, take advantage of every opportunity to fuel your motivation so you’re prepared when a surprise situation strikes. This may mean avoiding environments where you know you’ll be tempted, packing snacks or lunch to ensure you have healthy options available at all times, packing your workout gear during work travel, or choosing restaurants that have great-tasting, healthy options. Let each good decision you make build on your motivation to do the same next time. Just as it’s important to capitalize on moments when your motivation is strongest, it’s also important to practice making good decisions when your motivation weakens. Structure your day around when you’re most motivated. Not only are you likely to make a good decision at your motivation high-point, but one good decision tends to lead to another.
The investment you make in defining your motivation and equipping yourself with the tools to maintain it can make the difference between those who start a journey and those who reach their destination.
Stay tuned for the next article of the MAP series: Accountability. It’s the force that pulls you along, should your motivation-engine need a hand.
What motivates you? Share with us in the comments!