So you’re on a fitness journey, congrats!

Let’s talk about what you’re expecting to occur. If we gauge your journey along the lines of what happens with most people, then you’re probably going to make great progress!

Initially.

But soon … you’ll hit a wall. Falter. Have another inspired mini-surge. Slow down. And then stop ultimately losing all of the progress you’ve made. And given a bit of time, it’s very likely you’ll be worse off than you were in the first place.

Not exactly motivating is it.

But, I believe the more conscious you are that there’s a strong likelihood this is going to happen, the less likely and impactful it will be. You see, successful progress with your training results won’t look like a 45-degree arrow on a stock graph rocketing upwards. At least not for very long.

Great results overall are actually hidden beneath a colourful journey of back and forth, lows and highs, and a bucket load of perseverance. Success often looks like three steps forward and one step back, sometimes two. While there’s likely progress overall, it makes things damn hard to stay motivated when you’re bouncing around.

Success often looks like three steps forward, and one step back, sometimes two.

Also, you should be prepared that the wonderful feelings of elation that come from any forward progress, will pale in comparison to the pain from any stagnation and backward progress. Expect it.

And while I’m bursting bubbles here, I may as well tell you that motivation isn’t the magic key to staying consistent with exercise that everyone seems to think it is. Looking for the latest gadget, new training technique, or expecting your personal trainer to keep you motivated is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes YOU need to step up and do the right thing. Even when you don’t feel like it.

That isn’t just a principle for making progress with your training, it’s a recipe for success in life!

So why is it that when it comes to exercise so many of us need the dopamine burst that comes with motivation or stimulants? Simple, we’ve become wired for instant gratification. It’s all about how we feel now. Not later, that doesn’t matter, it’s about satiating our immediate wants and desires. It’s why we look at how many Likes we get on Facebook, and it’s why we eat the food we know we shouldn’t. And it’s definitely a key reason why people put off and miss exercise.

Yup, instant gratification is the root of all evil. I’m not even joking.

Want to know a little inside secret that should hopefully make you feel better? Here it is, no one is ‘motivated’ to train all the time. No one. We all have our bad days.

What separates those who get the results that can only come from long term adherence is delayed gratification. They’ve learned to embrace the short term suffering knowing the end will be worth it. They’ve moved beyond the short term burst that comes with motivation, and have embraced THE PROCESS.

Saying that you need someone (or something) to keep you motivated with exercise is like saying you need someone to motivate you to shower or brush your teeth. You don’t skip brushing your teeth because you’re not motivated right? It’s a process you’ve adopted. It’s become a habit. At least I hope so.

Motivation gets you started, but habit keeps you going.

So, with this in mind, I encourage you to look at your training routine. And beyond needing to stay motivated, recognise that you need to look beyond the initial ‘hurrah’ and accept that you’re going to have days where you don’t want to go, sessions you’ll want to skip, and that’s okay.

You don’t have to give 110% every time. Far from it. A session performed at 70% still dominates the version of you sitting on the couch.

The mindset you bring to the table is one that anticipates setbacks and knows you’re in this to pay the dues necessary to get the long term benefits.

My top tips:

  • Get a Personal Trainer or training buddy to help you stick with things until it’s become a rock solid habit.
  • Plan your exercise routine on a weekly re-occurring basis and don’t cancel this critical meting for anything.
  • Listen to your body and mind – if you’re not feeling up to it, do something less intense anyway so you don’t break the habit. Even if you’re completely fried, haven’t eaten, and had the worst sleep of your life last night, you could just do some breathing exercises and maybe stretch. It’s the action of you still taking that allocated time to do something good for you that’ll help keep the habit rolling forwards. Having trouble relaxing? Try delta 8 flower cbd flower.
  • Relect on how you feel after you’ve done the right things versus how you feel after you’ve been naughty.

It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to eat better, learn yoga, follow your weekly gym program, or learn a new language. Wrap your head around the power of delayed gratification, the challenge ahead of you, and commit to making the right choice even when you don’t feel like it.

Just like brushing your teeth.

Embrace the process. Pay your dues. And the desired outcome, will come.