I didn’t feel like it this morning.
I wanted to go back to bed when my alarm went off.
Once I was up, I wanted to stop my workout five minutes after five minutes.
But I didn’t do those things.
I got up and finished my workout.
Why?
Because I want what I want more than I want comfort.
Health for life is available to most everyone.
And here’s the thing.
Once you’re in the rhythm, it’s awesome.
I love standing in the dark, wiping sweat off my face. Letting the feeling of completion wash over me at the end of a workout. It’s the best.
Here’s the good news.
It gets easier. You grow accustomed to it. It becomes what you do.
This happens because you’re developing self-discipline. You’re getting tougher. Grittier. Stronger.
Do you want to be those things?
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Let’s get started.
Your current patterns
Whenever we’re trying to change something, there are some basic things we need to do.
We need to figure out where we want to go or what we want to change. Then we need to figure out where we are.
In this case, you need to figure out your patterns.
I’m talking about your current patterns of exercise, sleep, bedtime and waketime.
Patterns are important to recognize because that’s your current and comfortable state. It’s what you’re used to doing, and it’s what your brain and body are used to.
All too often, when we make a change, we relapse and go back to our old ways. That’s because it’s comfortable.
Instead of waking up earlier, our body tells us it would be better to ignore the alarm and stay in bed. Instead of going to bed earlier, our mind tells us it would be a better idea to Netflix and chill for three hours.
Our minds and bodies love us, and they want to keep us safe. Familiar and comfortable is safe. Change can be dangerous.
In order to make change and then have it stick, we need to break old patterns and create new ones.
Achievement versus identity
Get excited about the new you.
The better you.
The best possible you.
Why do you want to start exercising?
What will exercise and fitness bring you?
People do change wrong. We think about it the opposite way.
We say things like, “once I’m established in my career, then I can have a better workout routine.”
That’s kind of like an athlete saying, “once I win the title, then I’ll start working out harder.”
We do that because we’re focused more on the goal or achievement, and less on the process and identity.
The problem with goals and achievements is once we attain them, we can feel lost.
The wisdom of focusing on the process and identity is that it’s never a finished product. It’s simply who you are. It’s something you can constantly get better at.
So, why are you looking for workout motivation? What is it that you want?
Why do you want it
What’s your “why?” We’ve all certainly heard this question at some point thanks to the great Simon Sinek.
And it’s a great question, particularly when we’re looking for motivation.
Take some time and think about why you’re considering, or currently, putting yourself through discomfort in the form of exercise. Why are you waking up early or changing your routine?
Getting clear on your motivation will help carry you through the tough times. The times when you don’t feel like doing it. The times when you feel like calling the whole thing off and going back to the way things were.
I don’t want you to go back to your old ways.
Keep your why top of mind.
Your workout goals
Let’s get specific.
What do you want? What are your workout goals?
Now, it’s really important you be honest with yourself. Don’t BS or sugarcoat it.
If you’re wanting to start working out because you want to be or feel more attractive, great.
If it’s because you want more energy to work harder, fantastic.
Or if it’s so you can keep you with your kids or grandkids, wonderful.
Spend some time and get specific into what you want. Put specifics and details around it.
If you’d like to dig deeper into this, you can access our Goals Course at no-cost.
Making it real: Handling problems
Why would we think about potential problems?
Because they’re going to show up.
Problems can show up as internal resistance from your mind and body. They can show up in the form of emergencies at work that keep you from a workout. They can come as family or friends questioning your new lifestyle choices.
Wherever they come from, we need a plan for handling them.
Structure first, then self-discipline. Self-discipline is an amazing thing, and it’s not something we innately have. Rather, it’s a muscle like any other that can be strengthened, and can also atrophy.
As you are strengthening your self-discipline muscle, build structure into your life.
Depending on your goals, hire a trainer, join a gym, take classes, or workout with a friend. That added structure will help you stay on track.
When things don’t go your way in other aspects of your life, don’t let the frustration bleed over into your workouts.
Don’t binge eat or drink when you get bad news. Don’t skip workouts because of a bad mood.
Instead, decide how you’ll handle bad news. Therefore, it’s important to know your current patterns.
If your current coping mechanism for bad news is retail therapy, replace it with something more constructive.
The life you want is on the other side of your alarm. It’s on the other side of your morning workout.
Don’t think about what you did yesterday. Don’t think about what you’re planning to do tomorrow. Get out of bed.
Lean into your new identity.
You’re getting tougher. Grittier. Stronger.
Do you want to be those things?
Let me know!
Additional resources
If you’d like some additional help, you can connect with one of our Coaches for a no-cost call to talk about your goals.
We’ve got three free courses as well: Our Goals Course, Values Course, and our Get Out of Debt course.
Connect with one of our Certified Partners to get any question answered.
Stay up to date by getting our monthly updates.
Check out the LifeBlood podcast.
Health for life is available to you!
Work with a coach to unlock personal and professional potential.
We’re here to help others get better so they can live freely without regret Believing we’ve each got one life, it’s better to live it well and the time to start is now If you’re someone who believes change begins with you, you’re one of us We’re working to inspire action, enable completion, knowing that, as Thoreau so perfectly put it “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” Let us help you invest in yourself and bring it all together.
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