Motivations To Keep Going
I was asked to given my motivations to keep exercising recently and, honestly, they come and go. A lot of time, I don’t have the motivation. I think that after this long, it has become more of a habit than anything. Of course, some days are worse than others, and I skip. But, for the most part, I make it to some form of workout every day. However, I thought that it would be interested to look closely at what motivates me. These will be about all things in life, not just fitness related.
- To Be Better. Whether it be physically, mentally or spiritually, I’m always trying to better myself. This can mean going to the gym, going back to school, reading, listening to podcasts, or other various things. I am super focused on not remaining stagnant. The moment that I feel that starting to set in, I like to shake things up a bit. Each time I try to find new ways to push myself to be the best possible version of myself that there is.
- To Motivate Those Around Me. Whether this be people who physically go to the gym with me, or those who follow along on social media, I get great joy out of knowing that I can help others keep pushing forward. Even this question alone was enough to put a smile on my face. A lot of times when I’m doing things I can get caught up in the idea that I’m just going through the motions and that the things I’m doing have no effect on anyone else, but that’s just not true. Being able to motivate others is a great feeling and driving force behind why I work out.
- I Feel Better. There have been numerous times where I went all in on diet and exercise and even more times where I didn’t care about either. I can say, without a doubt, that when I am focused on living a healthier lifestyle, I feel better overall. Outside of the obvious that I feel better physically, my mental state is at an all time high. I can focus much easier and I am, in turn, more productive because of it. This is probably one of the biggest motivations for me. It feels like every time that I slip up, or come off of a routine altogether, I feel sluggish and it tends to make me lazier. It makes getting back into things even harder, and the lack of productivity continues.
- I Want To Look Good. This one should be obvious. I’m nowhere near where I want to be and probably won’t ever be completely satisfied with where I’m at. However, having this goal in fron of me pushes me all the time.
- Seeing Progress. Whether it’s a change on the scale, in physical appearance, going up in weight on a lift or getting faster, progress is HUGE! Being able to see all the hours of hard work pay off is the best. During the workouts and eating right, there are times where I want to give up because it has become so unbearable. When I can actually see that the work I am putting in means something, that keeps me going.
- Goals. I don’t always put my goals out there, but I certainly have them. It’s usually a pretty good sized list, some short term, others long term, but all something that is attainable. Some may be harder to achieve than others, but that’s what keeps me motivated. If everything was something that I could accomplish with ease then it wouldn’t be worth working for. The fact that I set these personal goals for myself keeps me grinding day in and day out. Even when times get hard and I want to quit, I remember what I’m working towards and I’m right back in it.
Like I said, these come and go. Sometimes they are stronger motivators than others, but there is always some kind of driving force behind what I do. It isn’t easy, but it’s not supposed go be. It takes some time to make these things a habit, but once they are, you’ll realize just how easy it is to keep going.
