Why You Should STOP Relying on Motivation to Get Better Results

You need to stop relying on motivation.

Nobody is perfect.

There may be a few people in the 1% that wake up and stay motivated all day everyday.

But for most of us, sometimes doing the things we want to do, or the things we know we should be doing, doesn’t come that easily.

So tune in, today’s insight is all about why you should focus on being consistent rather than being motivated. And how we can implement this mindset into our fitness journeys.

Take a look at this illustration.

It’s from Liz Fosslien, and in her words, she is an expert on how to make work better.

On the left, we have what relying on motivation looks like. As you can see it comes in waves. The motivation comes, we take some action, then it fades and our work flatlines.

Compared to the right, where relying on consistency is all about small incremental upward shifts in our output and quality of work.

The motivation trap and how to escape.

What is the motivation trap?

Similar to what we’ve just covered, the motivation trap is where we are in this almost stagnant state. We tell ourselves we’re waiting to feel most motivated, or we hype ourselves up and create a plan of how we are going to start next week.

We see it all the time with people’s fitness journeys. Motivation is high at the start, then when the excitement and novelty wears off, they start going to the gym less, nutrition takes a backseat etc etc.

So how do we break out of this trap and start becoming a more consistent person with our fitness goals?

The answer isn’t groundbreaking and you probably know what we are about to say.

You need to take action.

Not rocket science huh?

But let’s explain.

Trick your mind: Create your own motivation through taking action.

The surprising thing about motivation is that it usually comes after starting an action, not before.

We think that motivation comes after watching an inspirational video, reading a motivational book, or even consuming Mo7ion content 😉 .

But as author James Clear (Atomic Habits) says “active inspiration can be a far more powerful motivator”.

So overcoming the friction at the beginning, even with small steps can be a far more effective way of creating motivation and momentum for yourself.

Once you start, the whole thing feels much easier and more enjoyable.

Time to implement consistency vs motivation into your fitness journey.

For those of you who struggle with consistency in your training, nutrition and recovery, it’s time to take control and stop waiting for motivation to hit. Instead let’s create it ourselves by doing what?

Taking action.

Don’t feel like going to the gym?

Commit to just 15 minutes. Once the time is up, leave if you want. But there’s a high chance that once you get going you’ll want to keep working out and finish strong.

Struggling to stick to a clean diet?

Commit to one day out of your week where you eat healthy and organic. Once you realise how good it makes you feel you’ll be more motivated to do it more often.

(Btw - Free sample meal plan here if you need help)

Can’t be bothered to get on your recovery work?

Again, commit to just 5 minutes of stretching, yoga, breath-work… whatever suits you best, and watch how that turns into 10, 15, 30 minutes as you consistently take small action steps every day.

Again, this post isn’t rocket science.

It’s just the way our brains work.

When we exercise our body releases endorphin which are “feel good chemicals”. They boost our mood and brain function and also help receive stress and pain.

So by starting the task of going to the gym or getting any form of movement in your daily routine, whether a 45 minute gym session or 10 minute walk, we are actually creating all the motivation we need just by getting started.

As always, thanks for reading.

Let’s stay consistent and create our own motivation.

-826.

(P.S., you can subscribe to our newsletter with more fitness, nutrition and recovery tips here)