Myths of Motivation

I've come to realize that running and writing are essentially the same…

As I look at both a blank page or the long road stretched ahead of me, pages and miles not yet started I feel intimidated, overwhelmed, and in disbelief that I'll ever get any of it completed. Every time I have to force my fingers to start typing, I have to lace up my shoes to force my feet to start moving, to just get something on the page or on the road ahead of me. And inevitably with both, once I get started it becomes easier, letting the flow take me through, moving me along. I keep going, moving through one block at a time, one page at a time, consistently pushing myself forward. Eventually, I get to that last page and that last stretch of road, and by the end, I can breathe better, I feel invigorated and accomplished, always happy I persevered through.

But it's interesting that no matter how many times I sit down to write or stand up to jog, it's always a mental battle to convince myself I can do it. Every time.

Yet, many people assume I have an unlimited motivation to work out since I am a movement specialist. They assume that since I teach other people how to exercise that I must not need any help myself. But just like everyone, I often need to dig deeper to be able to get myself moving most days.

Just because I'm a professional in wellness and movement does not mean I am always motivated and ready for a workout. More often than not I have to force myself out the door before I find some reason not to go out. But I schedule my workouts in my calendar just like any other meeting or class that I teach. It's slotted into my calendar at the time I will do it and the workout I will be doing that day. I never regret a workout, and I always feel better afterward, but getting started is the challenge. Motivation is especially challenging for activities that require more effort, so I avoid the need to "get motivated" and simply schedule it in the calendar.

It's more about consistency and creating habits than it is about motivation at all. That's the biggest myth of motivation. If you search "motivation for fitness" in your web browser, you will see countless articles from all the fitness magazines and social personalities trying to teach people how to find their motivation to get fit and live their best lives. However, it's a losing battle since we have literally evolved to be exercise-averse.

Humans are not evolved to actually want to exercise or exert effort. We evolved to store fat and nutrients in our bodies and to reduce excess energy exertion when it's not needed for survival. The irony is that something that we are developed to not want to do is something that actually is extremely beneficial for us and necessary for optimal health in the modern age. It is an evolutionary mismatch.

So if fitness is not about motivation, how do we do it?

Consistency, time, practice, and patience.

There are of course some "motivation" tips that are helpful such as: finding a workout partner to share the time with to keep each other accountable and socialize, creating micro-goals that feel more attainable such as walking one extra minute each day or one extra block and finding the types of movement that you enjoy instead of forcing yourself to endure what you think you "should" do to workout. But overall, it's as simple as creating a schedule and sticking to it. Consistency is key.

When we're looking ahead of ourselves at that first mile we have to walk and it just seems utterly unattainable, we have to remember that it sucks for everyone. We're conditioned to dislike it, but as we take that first step our bodies start to get some energy, and the next step is a little easier.

Most people are never going to love working out. But we know we feel better afterward, breathe deeper, move more freely. Even the mind is positively influenced after a workout. A regular movement practice keeps the body strong and capable, the mind centered and calm, reduces chronic pain, depression, and anxiety, and increases the quality of sleep and overall positive quality of life.

So don't wait to feel motivated…just take that first step and a few more might follow.