Motivation.

Roger

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you probably already know that best intentions don’t always equal long-term success.

Starting something is easy.

Doing it for a bit isn’t too hard either.

Sticking with it and seeing it through?

Well, that’s a different story altogether.

So why are some people able to drop that weight without much fuss and keep it off?

While for others, it feels like one big never-ending slog of discontentment

Well there is one thing that underpins everything else you do.

Without it, it doesn’t matter how good your exercise routine is or how healthy your meals are.

It can be the difference between reaching a body goal and sporadically dropping a pound here and there before giving up.

And the best thing: it costs nothing.

So if weight loss has never quite clicked for you.

Or if you just can’t be arsed but deep down really think you should.

It’s probably because you’ve not have the right kind of motivation.

Let’s look at what is really is. Why you 100% need it. And how to get some in your life, right now.

More Motivation = Less Perceived Effort

Before we dissect motivation in detail I just want to share a quick graphic with you.

The more motivation you start with, the easier your journey will feel.
Hopefully you’ve grasped from the above that when motivation is low, things seem much harder. And when motivation is high, everything feels easier - sometimes even effortless.

So a little time spent getting motivated will save you time and effort further along. Bear that in mind.

Now, on with the main course.

Mr Motivator

As a PT, people often employ me to motivate them.

But I can’t give people motivation.

Seriously.

I can bring knowledge, tips, tricks, systems, and accountability, but I can’t bring your motivation.

Why?

Well for starters, motivation is something deeply personal and, secondly, if I could bring it, what would happen to your plans if I get hit by a bus?

Game over, for both of us!

Don’t confuse motivation with encouragement - that’s someone egging you on and may be somewhat motivational. 

But we’re not looking for third party cheerleaders here. 

The Benefits

Quite simply, being motivated will help you:

• Take action

• Lose weight faster

• Keep the weight off

• Be more consistent

• Feel in control

• Improve your happiness

What's not to like about that?

So, What is Motivation?

Some psychologists spend their whole lives studying motivation, but even a simple understanding can be the difference between the body you want and one that’s dragging you down.

Motivation can be described in many ways, including:

A desire to want something or not want something.

&

Energised and persistent goal-directed behaviour.

It is a need for change.

It gives you the drive, direction and energy to pursue a goal.

It is your reason for doing something - your reason why.

It is the foundation that everything else you do to reach your goal depends on.

So yep, it’s important.

Magic Example

If you’re familiar with The Wizard of Oz, Let’s take a closer look at what motivated Dorothy.

Her motivation to get back home was so strong because she loved it so much (pleasure).

She also had a very strong desire not to be in Oz because that witch wanted to get her (pain).

Would Dorothy’s desire to get home been as big if she’d been given a Prosecco on arrival and an invite to Oz’s biggest club night?

Probably not.

But she showed very persistent goal-directed behaviour driven by her desire to get to a place she loved (pleasure) and leave behind a place she hated (pain).

The journey to Oz looks pretty straight forward, doesn’t it? 

Where Does Motivation Come From?

Here are a few examples of everyday motivation in action: 

• Your motivation to get a drink comes from thirst.

• Your motivation to see the dentist may come from tooth pain.

• Your motivation to work is probably the money.

Motivation is influenced by the pleasure we get from doing things vital to keep us alive - like eating and drinking, These are physiological needs.

And what about reproducing? The human race would probably be no more if there was no pleasure attached to baby-making.

We have psychological needs too, such as self-esteem, a sense of belonging, power, and wanting to do things well. These vary from person-to-person.

• These needs drive us. They are the engine.

• Our thoughts, feelings, and perception of the world direct us. They are the sat-nav.

• And our emotions bring energy and intensity to the party. Like putting your foot down when you are late (not advised, obvs).

Together, these things cause us to behave the way we do and, as a result, achieve things or not achieve things in life.

Titanic Example

If you've seen Titanic, you'll know that, early on, Rose was motivated to throw herself off the ship as she was fed up of the way she was expected to live her life engaged to Billy Zane's character, Cal (pain).

She then stayed motivated for the next few hours because, well what girl wouldn't want to spend their journey drinking and dancing with Leonardo DiCaprio (pleasure)?

(Not so motivated enough to share that piece of wood at the end though, eh, Rose?)

Before it all kicked off.

The 2 Types of Motivation

There are 2 main types of motivation. Understanding these will give you the best chance of reaching your weight loss or other health-related goal.

Extrinsic Motivation

These are things we do to receive a reward or avoid punishment. The acts themselves are not inherently enjoyable or rewarding, but we get something in return or avoid feeling a certain way by completing these acts.

Extrinsic motivation for body goals could include:

• To fit into your jeans.

• Piss off an ex.

• Avoid feeling uncomfortable on the beach.

But what happens when you’re in those jeans?

And over your ex?

What about the 48 weeks of the year you’re not on holiday?

And do you really want to rely on others to make you feel good?

No. No you don’t.

But fear not, I’ll tell you how to stay motivated after reaching your goal shortly.

Pleasure and pain

It’s most likely that any extrinsic motivation will include elements of both pleasure and pain.

Two sides of the coin; something to gain (pleasure). Something to avoid (pain). Opposite directions.

Example: You may be motivated to earn money to save up to pay for a holiday with friends (pleasure).

You may also be motivated to earn money because you can’t face the thought of missing out on a holiday with your friends (massively painful FOMO alert).

Understanding and connecting with both of these desires could give you extra motivational rocket fuel.

Extrinsic motivation is great to get you started, but it’s not always enough to push you towards long-term weight loss or health goals because there is a lack of connection and enjoyment during the process.

And once the goal is reached, what’s going to drive you to keep going and maintain your weight loss?

That’s why you also need...

Intrinsic Motivation

These are things we do that are enjoyable and rewarding in themselves. Intrinsic motivation is found by doing the things we love - the activity itself is the actual reward. 

• You love the ‘high’ during or after exercise.

• Feel satisfied making healthy dinners.

• De-stressed after a yoga session

• Enjoy chatting to a friend on walks.

Sometimes it can take a while for the intrinsic motivation to arrive with a new activity, especially when there is skill or effort involved.

But you 100% can find intrinsically motivating acts that will get you near an extrinsically motivated goal - and carry on with them long after you reach your target.

1+1= Amazing

When you match extrinsic motivation with intrinsic ones you create a super-power (not a technical term).

Basically, the extrinsic motivation gets you started and gives you something to aim for that feels important.

And then the actual things you do to reach your goal make you feel amazing.

And that feeling makes you want to do it again.

Extrinsic motivation for starters. Intrinsic motivation to keep going.

This is the motivation sweet spot.

When exercise brings you a better mood, extra energy, and self-esteem, your desire to reach that weight loss goal will increase and your confidence in reaching it will explode.

If you enjoy the process, things will last.

When things last, the results are better and will last.

If you’re working towards a weight loss target by starving yourself and doing exercise you hate, well that is not going to be intrinsically rewarding.

So you’d be miserable and if you do see any results they probably won’t last.

What will that do to your confidence and self esteem?

The Look of Motivation

Did you know you can actually see motivation in action?

Motivated people have an intensity about them when completing tasks or reaching for a goal. They make an effort. They persist, and you can often see it in their eyes or on their face.

Compare the person on the treadmill moving at 1mph, staring at their phone and displaying little signs of life.

with...

The urban power walker, arms going, headphone on and a focused stare not to mess with (you know the type).

I know who I’m putting my money on reaching their goal.

OK, I quit gambling so there would be no wager but you get the point. 

Ever seen someone at the airport running to the gate about to miss their flight? Now if that isn't a visual representation of motivation I don't know what is!

This screen grab from Home Alone shows motivation in action at the airport.

Motivation goes hand-in-hand with enthusiasm, enjoyment, and attention to detail. 

When you are motivated, you engage. When you are not, you withdraw.

Breaking it Down

You can break motivation down into 3 parts:

Activation: This is like deciding to plant a seed in your garden.

Persistence: This is watering your seed every day, even when you’re not in the mood.

Intensity: This is researching, adjusting the soil and replanting when necessary.

Strong activation will mean you’ll start something, but without persistence and intensity, things won’t last long.

Ever started the week off well and gave up come the weekend?

Fluctuations in motivation levels are normal. You can’t be ‘on it’ 24/7.

And that is OK.

Start Small

One thing that can really help you stay motivated is to break goals down into smaller chunks with check points along the way.

• If you harbour ambitions to run a marathon, get to one mile before worrying about the other 25.

• If you have 100 pounds of weight to lose, work towards the first pound.

• Spend time focusing on exercise technique before trying to complete crazy workouts.

You’ll feel a big sense of achievement ticking off these smaller goals instead of thinking about how you haven’t yet reached the big one.

The snowball effect of checking off small, manageable goals.

How to Get Motivated in 8 Steps

Let’s now take all the above info and glue it together into a nice simple structure so you can see how you can apply it in real life.

1. Discover
First you need to find your extrinsic motivation. Losing weight to look better in clothes (pleasure) because you hate the way they feel (pain) is a good start.

2. Feel
Think about the pain you currently feel having not yet reached that goal. How much is it hurting you? Why is it hurting you? How does it make you feel? Write it down and dig deep. Are you Dorothy in Oz; desperate to leave this place?

3. Feel some more
Think about the pleasure you believe you will feel upon reaching your goal. What will you be able to do? Why will it make you feel so good? How will it make you feel? Where’s your Kansas at?

4. Question 
If the pain isn’t that bad or the benefits aren’t so great, you need to ask yourself if that goal, for those reasons, is enough to get you started and keep you going. If it isn’t, rethink. If it is, move on.

5. Plan
Now armed with enough to activate your desires, you need a plan of action. I'm not able to go into huge details here, but my advice to you is to (1) keep it simple, (2) get active doing something you enjoy or don’t hate, (3) enjoy what you eat, (4) break up big goals into smaller ones (5) be patient.

6. Enjoy
Over the following month or two, your focus is to find some intrinsic motivation. This may not come immediately, but the things you do as part of your plan need to give you some kind of personal reward or you may lose interest. Does exercise give you a buzz? Are you feeling more relaxed? Is there an element of personal satisfaction? Are you in your element?

7. Persist
You may not jump for joy every day of the week, but you must be persistent. A flower won’t grow if you only water it on days you can be bothered. During tough times, reminding yourself of your external motivations and finding a little will power will keep you going.

8. Adapt
Ask yourself if you are looking and acting like the motivated machine you want to be. You must have an intensity about you so you need to be invested in the process. Stick with the main plan, but refine if you must.

Don’t forget to revisit your motivation daily and be kind to yourself.

Summing Up

I hope you’ve found this article useful; motivation can be extremely powerful and massively helpful to your goals if you make strong connections.

Will power alone will not get you there. It will eventually break and then what do you have?

I know it can be hard to stay motivated when you can’t achieve something overnight, but remember quick fixes never, ever work.

But if you can find the right motivation you may never have to look back.

Ronny