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LOSING MOTIVATION?

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LOSING MOTIVATION?

Nobody is motivated 100% of the time. We have all fallen into a slump at one time or another in life and in the gym. This is the time of year when many people start to feel a lack of motivation. We begin spending less time working toward the goals we set, and we start to forget why we even started. We often just look at the end result we want without having a time frame or a plan, so we remain demotivated. Often it is very difficult to climb out of that slump and get back on track.

How can we increase motivation when our tasks seem like the last thing we want to do? The best place to start is goal setting. If you use goals correctly, they can be a great way to set your vision toward the future, even while stuck in a rut. Below you will find a few tools designed to transform that distant goal into the here-and-now motivation you need to get started. You'll also learn about the differences between motivation and determination, and why both are equally important.

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Use Imagery
Imagine what it will be like when you reach your goal. What you will feel? What you be able to do? How will your self-image change?

Use Timelines
Set a timeline for yourself that is appropriate. No, you aren’t going to lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks, and you will be very unmotivated when you fail at that goal 2 weeks later. Setting the goal of losing 20 lbs in 2 months is a much more achievable timeline.

Accountability
Tell someone about your goals so they can help remind you and keep you accountable. Hire a professional to help! Get a workout partner to drag you to the gym when you don’t want to go. This can save you when motivation alone isn’t cutting it.

Set a road map
Setting up small goals that lead to your larger goal can work as a road map. Moving from goal to goal can progressively lead you to your major end goal, all while seeming attainable and controlled and not crushing your motivation.

Great! Your goals are set and being used as a tool for motivation, now what?

Be patient! It can take anywhere between 18-254 days to create a new habit, depending on the person. That's a big jump! In most situations, it takes at least 2 months to create a new habit and setting your expectations for a minimum of 2 months of habit building is a great place to start.

Change things up but stay consistent:
Consistency is key to creating a habit and creating a determined mindset. But with lack of variety it might cause you to lose motivation due to boredom. Avoid this in the gym by changing up your programming. Take a break from the cardio and hit some weights. Change your cardio from low intensity steady state to high intensity interval training. Run in a different park. Ride your bike around a different part of town. If your goal is working out 5 days a week, it will be much easier to stick to that goal if you change up the workouts.

Motivation versus determination:
We naturally kill our motivation by following the path of least resistance. We cheat reps and skip sets in our workout. We skip workouts and that leads to us skipping more workouts. We start thinking that maybe its not worth the effort or that maybe we just aren’t meant to reach our goal. Or we are doing great and feeling motivated, then BOOM! We sustain an injury, get sick, life happens and slows our progress. This can set us into a downward spiral that can be hard to get out of.

Our motivation got us started, but it is our determination that will see us through to the end. Determination is the relentless pursuit of our goals; it is refusing to stop until we reach the goals we set for ourselves, no matter what road blocks get in the way. Increase your determination by making decisions that are set it stone, that you will not break. Follow the plan that you set for yourself. If you fall off track, get back on track NOW. Stick to the plan! Stop worrying about things that don’t serve you well and will not matter in the long run. Deal with the immediate issues that prevent you from getting one step closer to your goal. Set a laser focus on your 'why'. Your 'why' can act as your guiding light when you feel like you can’t go on.

In summary, motivation fades but is an amazing tool to get started. When motivation fades, hold tight to that determination that you set out with. With proper set up, you can create your own driving force to reach the goals you set for yourself, no matter the obstacle.

If you need help with accountability contact us and we can help!

Have a great rest of the week and as always, Stay Relentless!