How many times have you heard someone say "I just need to find my motivation" before getting started on a fitness program or goal?
We tend to think of motivation as a magical, external force that will make everything better.
But what if I told you that motivation is actually one of the biggest dangers when it comes to fitness?
What Is Motivation?
Motivation is the reason for engaging in a particular behavior.
As humans, we are constantly motivated to engage in certain behaviors in order to achieve specific goals. And that's completely okay!
For instance, we may be motivated to get good grades in school so we can be accepted into a good college.
Or, we might feel a rush of motivation to engage in training in order to be liked by a certain person.
However, within the context of fitness, health, and general wellbeing, it is important to realize that there are different types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation comes from external factors such as awards, recognition, money, and others.
This type of motivation often requires some type of external reinforcement.
In other words, we often need someone else to give us a pat on the back or offer some type of incentive before we’re motivated to do something.
This is an unsustainable source of motivation because it is dependent on too many things outside of your control.
Intrinsic motivation is a desire to do something because the action is interesting or satisfying in of itself.
Intrinsic motivation has been found to be more powerful than extrinsic motivation and is more likely to lead to long-term success.
Why Discipline Is Key
Now, regardless of the way in which you feel motivated, one thing is for sure - motivation will not always be there for you.
Some days you may not have external reasons to engage in certain activities, and sometimes you may not have the internal drive.
This is why you should rely on discipline in the long term.
Discipline is better than motivation because it leads to lasting change.
We’re not necessarily saying motivation is bad, but the burst of energy you receive is temporary.... - It will eventually fade.
Discipline, on the other hand, is a habit that you develop over time.
Once it becomes ingrained in your psyche, it will be with you for life.
When that happens, you can apply it in basically any other aspect of life - not just fitness and nutrition!
Stay fit my friend,
Michael
Founder & CEO