Why You Should Stop Trying To Get Movtivated
The Motivation Rollercoaster
You know how it goes, you start exercising or a begin a new diet and you start out super motivated. You get to the gym five days a week, cut out all sugar, and you feel like you could keep doing this forever!
A couple of weeks go by and you get a flat tire coming home from work. You still have to get dinner on the table so you skip the gym to get your tire patched, and pick up take out on your way home.
The next day is your typical rest day and you already made plans, and 2 days later you are ready to get back into it…but suddenly you find yourself dragging your feet and wondering if you should even bother.
What happened?
Well, we can lose motivation for so many reasons. In this case, your routine was interrupted and you had been relying on that momentum to keep going.
The truth is, there will always be a compelling reason to skip the gym or eat that extra cookie or whatever self-sabotaging action you come across.
The truth is, motivation is an incredibly unreliable method to achieve your goals.
Instead of relying on motivation, which is unpredictable at best, I recommend that you focus more on developing self discipline.
Consistency is Key
If you are ready to get off the motivation roller coaster and really achieve your goals, you will need to develop self discipline. To do this, you need to create consistency in your routine.
For example, if your tire goes flat or your meetings run late or you forget your headphones, you can still honor your commitment in another way.
If you absolutely must skip the gym, do some simple body weight exercises at home to save time or go for a brisk walk after dinner.
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn
The point is that every time you push past the urge to give up and just choose to do it anyway, you are reinforcing a habit that will take you much further than motivation alone ever could.
3 Simple Ways To Create Discipline
Plan ahead.
Having a plan takes the guesswork out of making decisions.
For example, plan out your meals and grocery shopping at the beginning of the week. Even though it might take a bit of extra time on Sunday afternoon, you will be less likely to order delivery on Wednesday night after work.
Creating a solid plan is the first step to overcoming the motivation hurdle, because it eliminates decision fatigue. You have already made the choice before you have the chance to bail out.
Have alternatives ready.
Planning is great, but occasionally something will come up that makes you have to reassess and pivot. This is just a natural part of life, and you don’t have to give up when you hit roadblocks.
Instead, keep a list of alternatives that you can turn to when times get tough.
In our gym example, we learned that we could still get a workout in at home or by going for a walk, still keeping that commitment to being active. You can give yourself some alternatives in the kitchen by stocking easy meals like frozen vegetables or bagged salad kits.
Just start.
When all else fails, you are left with two options: succumb to your self-sabotaging urges, or push past them and do it anyway.
You may have heard this before, but if you can commit to just five minutes, you are highly likely to keep going.
So whether or not you feel like it, just roll out your yoga mat or lace up your sneakers and simply begin. Stop waiting for the siren call of motivation that may or may not come, just do it anyway.
Each time you overcome motivation and commit to your health, you are creating new neural pathways that reinforce those good habits.
Over time, you will realize that your inner strength is all you need!
