It’s what you’ve been searching for…
It’s the thing you believe is holding you back from losing weight…
It’s what you believe stops you from going to the gym in the morning…
It’s the missing link to sticking to a meal plan or diet…
What is it?
MOTIVATION!
And no matter how much you have of it, you ALWAYS want more.
But we’ve got it all wrong…
Motivation isn’t something you FIND in the back of the fridge or next to the dumbbell rack at the gym.
It’s not something you find in a coach, a workout buddy, or Instagram “influencer.”
In fact, the key to more motivation isn’t something external at all.
The journey to increasing your motivation starts from within.
Fighting the Subconscious
When you believe something, you make it true.
If you believe you’re too busy to train (whether or not it’s true), you aren’t going to train.
If you believe you’re too tired to have a good workout, you’re not going to have a good workout.
It’s not just about training either!
If you believe you’re too stressed to stop eating junk food, you will continue to eat junk food.
Same goes for a belief about a lack of time and meal prep.
If you simply wake up and believe you won’t have a good day, there is NO WAY you’re having a good day.
But the flip side is also true!
If you believe you’re on the right path for change and for becoming a better and healthier version of you, convincing yourself to do the things necessary to achieve it are WAY EASIER! You will do whatever it takes and make the most of every training session and meal.
Unfortunately, these beliefs don’t just change with a flip of the switch.
These beliefs lie so deep that most of us don’t even realize it, let alone want to admit it.
The most powerful beliefs live DEEP within your subconscious mind, which is WAY more powerful than your conscious mind. The conscious mind can override the subconscious when you’re motivated and your eyes are locked in on the prize; however, the subconscious beliefs will almost always win.
It’s not to say you cannot change the subconscious story to match the conscious mind, but it takes a lot of digging, self-reflection, and observation to rewrite the story.
It’s a process many avoid and leave up to their conscious mind to repeatedly try to override, but rewriting the story of the subconscious is the key to changing your behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and overall physical state.
Move Beyond External Motivational Factors
As people desperate for change, we look everywhere for motivation.
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The internet.
Books, podcasts, and speakers.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why you’re ALWAYS having to look for something new for motivation?
You look at that beautifully fit female on Instagram and you fly off the couch on Monday, but by Thursday you don’t even think twice about staying put on the couch.
Do you wonder why you pay for a coach to motivate and direct you but still deviate from the plan on Friday after being so fired up on Monday morning?
It’s because the image of that IG female is external.
That coach and his or her words are coming from the outside.
All of the places you go to for motivation are external.
Motivation can be divided into two categories:
- External – Derived from outside sources like people, sounds, and digital media.
- Internal – Derived from within through an individual’s thoughts or beliefs.
Both types of motivation hold value, but the reliance on external motivation alone will never work.
Have you ever watched top-level athletes or performers?
Before any major performance or game, they’re cool, calm, and confident.
Outsiders suggest it’s arrogance, but it’s a sense of ease and a focus on the present moment and action.
That’s because they’re relying on internal motivation.
Yes, the fans, crowds, and opponents motivate them, but in reality, it just fuels the internal motivation.
They’ve dug so deep into what motivates them to take part in this game, action, or performance.
They understand themselves at a deep internal level.
They’ve harnessed it into a mindset that’s often defined as a state of flow, which allows them to take every step necessary to achieve their goals.
In order to restore your motivation, not just temporarily, but for life, you need to build a motivated mindset.
Building a Motivated Mindset
Step 1: Adjust Your Perspective
Perspective: A particular attitude towards or a way of regarding something; a point of view.
The fastest way to losing your motivation is to focus on matters and events outside of the present moment.
When it comes to health, I see 1 of 2 things from clients:
- A locked in focus on the end destination and how far you have left to travel.
- A regretful look on past events whether it be successes or failures.
Building a motivated mindset doesn’t just begin by focusing on the present moment…
It expands beyond that, and requires you approach every moment without bias.
It means that you separate every moment from the next.
That every situation, moment, and experience is a new opportunity to learn, grow, and move you forward.
Personally and professionally, I’ve found this to be difficult because of the pressure and desire to prove ourselves to others. This is where a further adjustment of your perspective is required.
Bring your focus inward, commit to proving this only to yourself, and really dig into the root reason as to WHY you want to make this change.
I recommend using the 5 Why’s.
Once you’ve settled on a goal, ask yourself WHY that goal is important to you. Then, repeat that process 4 more times to dig in to the emotional root of that goal.
Step 2: Build Awareness
Awareness: The knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists.
A motivated mindset is an aware one.
Today’s world is fast paced, and at nearly every second a new stimulus appears that draws our attention away from the present moment.
When our minds jump from place to place our focus is split as the mind moves from different tasks, thoughts, and actions. This is a recipe for disaster for motivation levels.
Motivation requires awareness regardless the distractions, and high-level motivation requires a near hyper-awareness.
The body sends constant signals, and when you’re aware and in-tune to these signals, you’re able to adjust and provide the body what it needs to maintain motivation.
Think of the times where you’re unmotivated.
For me, it feels difficult to catch a break and that everything is out my control. Most importantly, I’m so out of touch with the signals of my body that I’m actually confused by the lack of physical results.
It is important to note that awareness extends beyond the internal factors and into the external for it allows you to further gain perspective on your situation.
Here are my best recommendations to clients for improving their awareness:
- Keep a daily journal.
- Keep a log in your “Notes” section to journal thoughts and feelings throughout the day.
- Meditate.
- Spend time alone with yourself.
- Track Biofeedback.
- Have a coach or friend for accountability.
Step 3: Consistent Simplicity
Simplicity: The state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded.
What’s the fastest killer to motivation?
Complexity.
Exercise is simple.
Dieting is simple.
Fat loss IS simple.
Yet, when you commit to your health journey your first action is to look for the most complex tactic or tool.
Why?
Because the industry has grown to sell it as the fastest path to results.
Tony Robbins said it best – “Complexity is the enemy of execution.”
There is no need to overcomplicate your training, nutrition, or really, your life at all.
Complexity brings more factors in to play, requires more decisions to be made, and more steps for you to take. All of these simply lead to more mental fatigue, overwhelm, and lack of motivation.
Here are the simplest of training and nutrition strategies I recommend to clients:
- 3 10-minute walks per day.
- Eat 85% whole, minimally processed foods.
- Drink 1 gallon of water.
Step 4: Embrace the Challenge
Embrace: To take up especially readily or gladly.
One of the most difficult parts about motivation is that it typically rises AFTER a challenge.
Motivation is through the roof when the situation is right, stress levels are low, and you feel you have the physical and mental resources.
But there’s one major problem.
You WILL face other challenges.
And do you know what you need to do?
EMBRACE IT.
Do not chase comfort; it leads to complacency.
Welcome new challenges, so that you’re tested and presented with the opportunity to improve.
Most of us run from challenge because we feel it will drain our motivation, but in reality, if we have Steps 1 through 3 in check, challenge will ignite our motivation!
Here’s how I approach new challenges:
- Take a deep breath.
- Ask myself, “What can be learned or gained from this opportunity?”
- Settle on my first step.
Motivation is the thing we all seem to want more of, but I promise that if you move through these 4 steps (and revisit each often), you will no longer search for motivation but find yourself achieving your biggest goals.
But sometimes the missing link to motivation is accountability, and that’s where I come in.
Call it a shameless plug or ruthless sales pitch, but if you read this blog because you struggle to stay motivated, then I want you to CLICK HERE and sign up for a FREE Strategy Call. There are no commitments and no obligations to this, but a simple conversation to help you further discover your internal motivation to help you better achieve your goals.
About The Author
Jordan Davies is the Co-Owner of Complete Performance. Jordan has her B.S. in Exercise Science and Psychology, and her M.A. in Holistic Health Studies. She is a CSCS certified strength and conditioning coach, and a PN-1 and NCI-1 certified nutrition coach. She loves to study how the human body needs to be moved and nourished and making that fit to your unique lifestyle. Click Here Now to Apply for Coaching with Jordan.
