5 Steps That Will Spark Your Motivation
Motivation is clearly needed to successfully reach your goals. Some people lack the motivation to get started. Others lose their motivation to keep going.
Did you resolve to reach your healthy weight, eat healthier, or get fit? Approximately 55% of New Year resolutions are related to diet and weight loss. However, research shows that most people give up on their resolutions before the end of January. Why?
How can you fire up your motivation and reach your goals?
Here are 5 steps that will spark your motivation:
#1 Know Your Why
Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to eat healthier?
There is no wrong why. So it just has to have great meaning and is personal to you. You cannot take someone else’s why and make it yours.
When your reasons to reach your goal are strong, getting there will be easier. Are you really passionate about the change or do you just think you should do it? Because it is so important to really, really want it in order to maintain your motivation.
So get clear on what you want and why you want it. Write down why you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or get fit. Keep the list in your sight. Read it every day. Then, take small steps to get there. After that you will have increased motivation.
#2 Focus on the Process
Many people trying to reach a goal only set goals they want to achieve at the end. These are outcome goals. Outcome goals, such as, “I want to lose weight” or “I want to weight ___ pounds” (fill in the blank) can feel too distant. Above all, they can easily derail your motivation.
Break down your outcome goals into steps. These steps are called process goals. Each step leads you to your outcome goal so focus on these steps. Celebrate each small achievement because that will help you stay motivated and not give up.
If your outcome goal is to lose weight, set a process goal toward that end. For example, I will walk briskly for 30 minutes five days next week.
Having several doable process goals will help maintain your motivation.
#3 Confront Your Challenges
Food nourishes our mind and soul as well as our body. Changing the way you eat can be the most frustrating challenge ever. The hardest part is to move beyond your limiting thinking that it will be such a hassle.
Plan out how you will confront your challenges. There will always be holidays and social events so you can plan ahead for these challenges. Check out restaurant menus in advance and find a healthy option. You can eat half and eat the rest the next day. In addition, you can take your own healthy recipe to holiday meals or parties. This will result in less anxiety.
Take away food’s power. For instance, take one food you think you couldn’t live without and stop eating it for one week. Two weeks. This will take the power you think certain foods have over you away. Review your reasons for reaching your goals. The result will be increased motivation and a better chance to reach your goals.
#4 Make It Enjoyable
In order to become the person who eats clean, healthy meals, or reaches your healthy weight range, you need to walk from where you are now to where you want to be. This means you have to give things up. You have to add in things you might not like so much yet. You need to be more aware.
If all of this does not sound very appealing to you, go back and check in with your goals. Are they important? Next, look at the smaller steps you made that will take you there.
Start with eating more foods that you know are good for you and that you actually enjoy. As a result, you will enjoy what you are doing.
Focus on what you enjoy about your new meals and lifestyle. Find deep satisfaction in being able to implement a new lifestyle and your motivation to continue will follow.
#5 Stay Positive
Make a list of things that make you smile because this will make your experience better every day. Your focus on “stuff you have to do” will shift to “things I want to do.” Let positivity carry you over to reach your goals.
Whenever your motivation is low, pull out your list and pick anything that gives you back your energy and drive.
Recognize negative self-talk because once you are aware of it, you can replace each negative thought with a positive one. Do not focus on how hard your changes will be but rather on finding a way to make them work anyway.
Be your own biggest fan and supporter!
Motivation is important to make long-term lifestyle changes. In the end, we all have to find it within ourselves and want to change for the better.
Your goals are worth the effort and you will end up creating the life that really fulfills you.
Do you lack the spark to commit to losing weight or eating healthier?
Or, have you ever started a program but lose motivation and just quit?
We recently added a motivational component to our programs. Click Here to learn more
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