Your Motivation Toolkit: 6 Hacks To Keep You Going
I would love to tell you that motivation always exists, but it doesn’t. Motivation is a choice that you must choose in order to achieve what you want. The good news is that the more you show up, the easier it becomes….
Did you know it takes more brain capacity to constantly keep trying to start and stop a habit than to just stick with it? When you do something consistently for a long period of time your brain starts to get accustomed to it and the brain power it takes to actually complete the task goes way down. So simply put it is HARDER to keep getting motivated to start again after stopping than to just keep after it. The longer you keep going, the easier it becomes for the body to do it without being so taxing. This is why most people quit in the beginning as their brain is working in overdrive trying to create new habits so it NORMAL to be overwhelming and taxing, but if you continue through the beginning stages it will actually be easier to keep up the task as compared to quitting and trying to restart again.
The longer I continue on this journey, the easier it has become to continue with the healthy habits I created long ago. It's almost like second nature and a part of who I am now, but I know how hard it was in the beginning and I acknowledge that. It took months of showing up not knowing if it would pay off like I wanted it to, it took months of trusting the process and my capabilities, and it took making sacrifices to keep promises to myself when life wanted to derail them every way possible.
So….how do you push through in that beginning, taxing phase!? Let’s break this down!
Hack # 1- KNOW the Statistics
Isn’t it true that if we knew what the future held that we would be a lot less fearful? When it comes to studies and research on a healthy lifestyle we pretty much know what you can expect out of the future if we are consistent. All of these should reaffirm why doing the hard things in your health journey is ALWAYS worth it.
Mental Health-Research shows that poor mental health days drop by 40 percent in those that exercise and that exercise is 1.5x more effective than antidepressants. So you have the ability to do something that is free with zero side effects AND it improves my mental health!? I am in!
Physical Health-Research shows that 80 percent of chronic diseases (cancers, heart disease, diabetes, etc) and premature deaths could be prevented by changing your habits to be healthier. This means that your family history does not get to define your health, your lifestyle does. Your family history only accounts for 15% of your future health, the rest is up to you. Simply said, if you don’t make time for your health, you might as well make time for your illness.
Children's Health-A parents health is more strongly associated with his or her child's health than any other socioeconomic or demographic factor. Simply said, when parents are in good health their children are 4 times more likely to be in good health than those whose parents are not.
So knowing that changing my daily habits to be healthier can keep illnesses and long term health concerns away, can improve my mental health, and can set my children up for success…what more do you need to be motivated!? In my opinion, that is the secret sauce!
Hack # 2- Get an Accountability Partner
There is SO much power in “ME TOO!” Having someone along for the ride with you takes your commitment to the next level. The best thing you can do is find a friend who has similar goals as you and commit to taking action together. Plan workouts together so that someone else is depending on you to show up. You can even plan to take classes where you receive a penalty (such as a loss of money or a class credit) if you do not show up.
If you can’t seem to find a friend or a class schedule that works for you and your goals, think about hiring a coach to keep you on track and accountable to your why. One of my favorite parts of being a coach is reminding my clients on the tough days just how important their goals are to them and getting them back to believing in their capabilities.
Hack #3: Break Down Your Goals Into Daily Actions So That EVERY DAY COUNTS
Too many times we set goals that look similar to “this year I want to lose 20 pounds.” While I love a good goal, there is nothing about that goal that holds me accountable to taking daily action. We have to take our longer term goals and break them down into smaller goals and daily steps we need to take to get there. This works so much more than the typical goal because it shows that everyday counts. It is a lot easier to talk ourselves out of doing something if we feel like how we show up daily will not impact it as much. We will always default to “I will just make sure to show up tomorrow”
The best rule of thumb for this is to break your annual goals into quarterly goals and then list out the daily actions you need to take each quarter to make sure you get to that goal. Then use a weekly habit tracker and track your progress. If we aren’t tracking, we are guessing and usually when we just guess, we aren’t really progressing like we think we are.
Hack #4: Include Your Kiddos In the Process
I know that so often our children give us many reasons to talk ourselves out of our goals such as “I do not want to leave them to go to the gym”, “I don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen taking away from family time”, or “they just really need me in this season and it does not make sense.” I get that and I love encouraging my clients to stop letting them deter the process and instead include them in it. Do at home workouts and let them do it with you. My kiddos love to work out with mom! If you are meal prepping, let them help you mix things together and play a role. Pro tip: Pick recipes that are made in 30 minutes or less so that you still get good quality family time!
While this also gives you your time back and eliminates you feeling selfish for leaving them to take care of you, it also sets a really great example for them and they need to see it. It sets them up for success to understand the true importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Hack #5: Celebrate ALL Wins
In order to keep momentum, we need to feel like what we are doing is working ... .the only way to prove that it is to TRACK all the things. If you are on a health journey take progress photos, take measurements, track your hunger, sleep, stress, steps, how your clothes fit, your energy, etc. There is so much more to a health journey than what is on the scale and honestly it's the worst indicator of success. The best way to keep momentum is to constantly track all the variables so you can always see just how far you have come.
CELEBRATE any and all wins, no matter how big or small. Celebrate with others and let them share in your achievements. It makes this journey so much easier.
Hack #6: Surround Yourself with The Right People
Surround yourself with people who are further along than you. Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed and cheer you on no matter what. Surround yourself with people who can remind you why you started this tough journey and can challenge you when you want to quit. If we stick to a tribe of people who are in the exact same situation that we are in now it doesn't challenge us to new heights. It teaches us comfort and no dreams were ever achieved in your comfort zone. Have you ever heard the quote “show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”!? It could not be more true! Your surroundings play a BIG ROLE in what your success looks like.
All of these things listed above have helped me to stay motivated or push onward in seasons of defeat. Use these as tools in your toolbelt to keep you aligned with where you want to go and remember that motivation comes and goes, but you get to choose what you do in those moments. Those moments define the future you build.