Working towards a healthier life, creating new positive habits, we need to set some goals. We need long-term, medium-term and short term goals. Staying motivated towards those goals is quite an art in itself. We need to understand first why we sometimes lose motivation. Why do we become discouraged? Why do we beat ourselves up when we fail? Even if we fall how do we get straight back up and regain momentum?
Motivation
It’s important to look at where your motivation comes from. So often we’re drawn to external sources of motivation: Things like body image, looking a certain way, or short-term money goals. These all rely on something outside of you that you want to reach. These motivations often can have negative connotations.
What we actually want is an intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction, rather than for some separable consequence. When intrinsically motivated, a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external products, pressures, or rewards.
Something that comes from inside of you, something that feels fun. Creating a drive to want to do more of it.
So for example:
- A skill you really like to achieve
- A sport you’ve always wanted to try
- A language you want to learn
Making it something you are passionate about means you’re always brought back to that goal. This is a huge difference in motivation toward a goal and becoming consistent in your healthy habits.
Maintain Motivation And Stay On Track
1: Intrinsic Motivations
Look at different areas of your life and think about where those intrinsic motivations for you could come from. Perhaps a new hobby or sport. Something you find fun, rather than the gym if you find it a chore.
2: Support
A support system can be a huge differentiator when it comes to motivation. Without a support system, and accountability often some people can lose motivation. A support system offers positive encouragement and they help us keep accountable as well. Your family or friends, personal trainer, coaches, can really help.
3: Community
The same applies to community, whether that’s teammates, neighbours, community schemes being involved in something bigger than you can help you stay on track toward achieving your goals. You’ll be encouraged to go back to see those people and they’ll help and encourage you toward your goal.
4: Communication
Having somebody in your life to talk is important, our inner voice and self-talk is also vitally important. So don’t forget to include yourself. Journaling is a fantastic way to stay on track with your goals, for example.
5: Never Miss Twice
Habits are formed and goals’ re achieved through consistency so apply the never miss twice approach. Make sure to never miss twice on your goals. See if you can put that to practice with whatever it is that you’re trying to achieve to create consistency.