Resolutions, Part 3: Motivation

"I'm just not motivated enough to eat healthier or work out." 

"I would do it if someone else made me."

"I just can't motivate myself enough to get off the couch and go for a walk."

Cue ALL the excuses why we don't do what we want to do.

"I'm too busy."

"It's too hard."

"I don't know how."

I'm calling us all out here. We all make excuses for our behavior, or lack thereof.

And it's this habit that's stalling our progress. If we make excuses instead of following through and taking steps toward our goals, we're not getting anywhere.

OVERCOMING THE EXCUSES

In order to truly overcome our excuses, we need some deep motivation. We'll last much longer if we want to eat healthier for the sake of our health than if we just want to drop a few pounds.

Much of this starts with rewriting our internal dialogue. Instead of giving our excuses and believing them, we need to combat them with more positive self-talk, which I talked about a couple weeks ago at the beginning of this series (no worries if you missed it, you can catch it here).

I'm a big fan of finding your "why"-- your deep motivation to be who you want to be and do what you want to do. It's the kind of motivation that reminds you that everything you're doing is worth it because the end result will be so amazing!

When I'm in the middle of decluttering my home, I remember that I want a more simplified, joyful home. I don't want to be surrounded by stuff I don't use or like. To me, it's well worth the work to have a home I love and to have more time and space to breathe because my home is filled with fewer things.

So what's motivating you? What matters the most to you? What's pushing you to make changes in your life?

How can you use that motivation to overcome your excuses?

INTERNAL MOTIVATION

Motivation comes in multiple forms. Setting goals for yourself that are just for yourself (meaning you don't share them or do them to benefit others) is just one way to do it.

You can adopt an encouraging mantra, like, "I CAN do this!" or come up with a reward system for yourself. You can continually remind yourself of your "why." You can create a vision board to inspire you. Do whatever works for you!

One thing I've done is create a reward system for myself. If, for instance, I work on my business for an hour when I'm just not feeling it, I tell myself I can read for half an hour or watch a show as soon as I finish. It gives me just the little extra nudge I need to do what I need to do but don't always feel like doing.

EXTERNAL MOTIVATION

For some people, it works better to have external motivation. Wanting something for themselves just isn't quite enough.

Consider who would benefit from you reaching your goal. If your goal is to work more efficiently by cutting out distractions, one result could be having more time to spend with your friends and family. If you're working to live a healthier life, you'll likely inspire others to do the same, have more energy to spend with others, and live a longer life, giving you even more time to spend with your loved ones.

If that doesn't work, get some accountability!

You can work with a coach or trainer, allowing them to help motivate you to stick to your goals. They can work with you to develop a plan you can stick to, and they can function as your personal cheerleader along the way.

You can also pursue less formal accountability by joining a group. You can find one online (Facebook has groups for everything!) or in person. Knowing that you're surrounding yourself with like-minded people pursuing similar goals can give you the understanding and support you need to achieve your goals.

One thing I know many people struggle with is motivating themselves to work out. They want to do it, but when the alarm clock goes off, they just hit snooze. They're not motivated enough to get out of bed on their own. They need a little more encouragement than what they alone can give themselves. That's when I suggest group fitness classes, because then they have workout buddies who are counting on them to show up, and the days and times are pre-determined, so it can easily be put on their calendars.

And if you're looking to work with someone, either one-on-one or in a group, I highly encourage you to check out my coaching packages! I even have one created specifically for CRUSHING your goals!

How do you stay motivated to reach your goals? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!