You’ve probably heard of the saying “motivation doesn’t last”'. It comes from the saying “expectations are resentments under construction”, which basically means that if you expect something will happen or someone will behave in a certain way, you’ll be resentful when they don’t live up to your expectations.
Consequently, it makes sense that lasting motivation comes from within and relates to things that are deeply important to you [your values, your passion, your priorities].
If you know your why, it can help keep you going even when the going gets tough.
What is your why?
This might sound overly simplistic, but you'll find that having a firm grasp on your why will help you stick with any resolution.
In fact, research shows that people who have clear motivations are much more likely to achieve their goals than those who don't have a strong reason behind their decisions.
Therefore, before you start your resolution-building journey, take some time to reflect on what it is that drives you, and then set yourself up for success by finding a meaningful purpose when doing a new project [family, kids, friends, self-care, or some important moment you want to be prepared for].
When you use this concept in exercising, try to find-out what motivates you and discover how to harness it to meet your goals and make lasting changes in your life!
How to find your why?
Finding your why is an important part of starting and maintaining a healthy exercise routine. It’s well known thar we should be moving every day, but it’s hard when you don’t have the right motivation.
Either your goal is weight loss, build muscles, or simply feeling better, you need to first understand what’s behind that goal.
What do you want?
What are you trying to achieve?
And how achieving that goal would influence in your life and in who you are?
Be honest with yourself when answering these questions to set realistic goals. Make sure your goal is aligned with your why.
If your goal isn’t something that resonates with your deeper desires, chances are high that you will lose along the process as time goes on.
Questions to ask yourself to understand your why
Having a clear why can help motivate you to exercise and be consistent, especially when times get tough.
You can ask yourself some important questions, so you can understand the meaning behind your decision to start an exercise routine.
Why am I exercising?
How does exercising benefit me?
What would make me the happiest?
Why is this goal important to me?
Why now?
The use of these questions is important to find your why, without having to look at what others would say, think or want. It gives you the opportunity to find a meaningful purpose with no external interference.
If you can’t answer those questions clearly, it might be worth thinking on the opposite way, for example why you don’t already exercise regularly.
A lack of knowledge or guidance is a common reason why people are not consistent with their workouts.
Setting goals & strategy
Once you know the deep meaning behind your decision to start exercising, it is time to set small achievable goals inside a big plan. This way, when you achieve your short-term goals and start tackling medium-sized goals, they will seem much more realistic than they initially appeared.
Understanding that it’s going to take time and hard work is crucial, and over time, as you succeed in achieving goals and milestones, your confidence in yourself and abilities will certainly grow. You will transform the initial motivation that was based on your why into a pleasurable, long lasting, and healthy habit.
How to start my exercising journey?
If you're interested in transforming your health thorough exercising but needs help to find a way to become your best-self, work now with a specialist personal trainer!
4REAL counts with Gold Standard professionals to deliver you a personalized support and guidance to your wellness journey. Click here to find more information about our plans.
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