Motivation

People talk a lot about motivation, but motivation-the way we usually think about it, is really quite ineffective. What my clients and others who have come to me for help with staying motivated have come to realize is, getting psyched-up because someone else has encouraged you, or has excited your enthusiasm is great but it usually doesn't last more than a few hours or days. One thing that does last-for months, years, or perhaps forever-is your motive-it's intrinsic. That is, it can only come from inside you.

Big goals, in and of themselves, do not create great accomplishments! What creates great accomplishments is what lies behind the big goals-your own personal motive, the thing that really drives you. This is what I call your why. It may have to do with other people; maybe someone else is relying on you-your children, spouse, or business partner. Or, it may be a commitment you've made to yourself. But knowing why you want to achieve your goals is crucial to achieving them.

Try this exercise... on paper. It will bring you face-to-face with your deepest motives for getting healthy or for achieving any goal. Ask yourself why you want to get in shape and/or live a healthier lifestyle, etc. Have the answer? Now, what is the why of that answer. Ask yourself this the same way a five year-old would ask an adult-why? For example, why do I want to get in shape? Answer: to lose 20 pounds. Why do I want to lose 20 pounds? Answer: I'll look better in my clothes. Why do I want to look better in my clothes? Answer: because it makes me feel more confident. Why do I want to feel more confident (or what will feeling more confident do for me)? And so on…..This is a powerful way of looking inside yourself to uncover what you really want out of life. The answers to these questions are as varied as the number of people answering them.

Motivation may be what gets you started. But habit is what keeps you going. Living a healthy lifestyle is not much more than implementing a new set of habits. Check out some of my favorite ideas for staying motivated here on these Motivation pages. Music, for example, is a huge motivator. Check out some of my sample playlists for songs that will make you look forward to diving into that workout or that will keep your spirit fed on days when obstacles seem greater than possibilities.

How can chocolate keep you motivated? Indulge in my Chocolate life and find out. Take my Are You Ready? Quiz and find out if you're ready to commit to a lifestyle transformation and then listen to the success stories of some of my athletes who've done it. Discover what's possible when you commit to following a new path.