Do you ever find yourself stuck in a cycle of waiting for motivation? You know you need to make positive changes, like improving your health, advancing your career, or strengthening your relationships. But you just can't seem to get started or maintain consistency.
You tell yourself, "I'll start my new workout routine on Monday" or "I just need some motivation first." But Monday comes and goes, and you're still on the couch. The motivation never seems to arrive.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Most people struggle with motivation at some point. The good news is, you don't actually need motivation to make progress. What you need is momentum.
I spoke with health and fitness coach Joe Villegas about why motivation isn't the answer. Here are 3 key lessons we covered:
1. Motivation is fleeting, inspiration comes from purpose
Motivation is an emotional state that comes and goes. Some days you feel motivated and energetic. Other days you feel lazy and apathetic. But either way, motivation is unreliable.
Instead, you need to connect your goals to a deeper sense of purpose and inspiration. Figure out how achieving this goal ties into your greater mission in life. How will it serve you and others? That inspiration stemming from purpose is what will push you through on the tough days.
2. Set up simple, maintainable rituals
If your goals and plans are too complex, you'll quickly fall off track and self-sabotage. Why? Because your brain has a "set point" it tries to maintain. When you push too far beyond your baseline habits and routines too quickly, your brain rebels.
The solution is incremental progress through simple, maintainable rituals. Set up just 1-3 tiny habits you can stick to daily without fail. Over time, the momentum carries you forward.
3. Choose the discomfort you want to live with
Ultimately, making sustainable progress comes down to choosing discomfort. The discomfort of sticking to tiny habits that form over time into big results. Or the discomfort of staying stuck in your status quo.
Push past instant gratification for long-term rewards. Show up daily even when you don't feel like it. That's how real change happens.
Ready to stop waiting around for motivation? Check out the full episode to pick up more practical strategies for unlocking inspiration through purpose, building momentum through micro habits, and continually improving each day. Just visit www.TheFitMess.com/ to learn more.
