What's YOUR "secret" for staying motivated?

PJilly · January 2011

I’ve seen a lot of people post about wanting help staying motivated, and I think about that a lot. So here are some of the things I talk to myself about that help me stay on track. Maybe they can help someone else too. [Yes, I really do talk to myself. A lot. But that’s a different topic. ;-) ]

First, the Serenity Prayer is good stuff. It’s so simple, yet so powerful:

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

1. Decide what it is you want to change.

2. Be honest with yourself about whether the change is realistic or even possible. If not, find something that is achievable and use your precious energy to work on that.

3. Learn what work is required to achieve the results. If you want the results, you have to do the work. Period. (If you don’t want the change badly enough to do the work, that may be OK, but then you need to accept the things you cannot, or will not, change.)

4. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Yes, you have to do the work, but that doesn’t mean you have to make yourself miserable because you deserve to be punished for not having done the work up to this point. You don’t. You just need to start doing it, not make up for all the time you didn’t.

5. Messing up sometimes is all part of the process. Don’t sweat it. You’re only human.

That’s an oversimplification of the thought process that keeps me on track, but it’s the basis of it. I know many people really struggle with motivation, and for me, it boils down to really understanding what I want, understanding what it takes to achieve it, and then committing to doing what it takes whether I feel like it or not. Some days, I really don’t feel like it. Nobody can stay “motivated” forever. You have to dig deeper and make a commitment to yourself. You really do get to a place where it’s just the way you do things, and you don’t have to think about it so hard or struggle so much. But until then, you really do have to fake it till you make it. When the struggle becomes too much, you need to re-evaluate what it is you really want and either get back on track or accept that this is a change you don’t want badly enough to do the work.

pattybond1234 · January 2011

Thanks for sharing! I love your thought process and ideas. For me, the healthy lifestyle is somewhat new. I've always just done whatever I wanted to do and not thought much about it. I was raised in a very healthy household so, thankfully, because of that, I suppose I was never really too bad! But, I have found that the easiest for me is to take small chunks at a time. If I work on one thing, it's easier to stay motivated and stick to it, whether I want to or not. Giving up and/or starting one or maybe two things at a time is much less overwhelming than looking at everything that needs to change all at once! Then, I just try really hard not go back to it. Yep, I've fallen off the wagon alot and I try not to beat myself up over it. For example, this first holiday season in my healthy lifestyle was pretty rough and I gained back 6 pounds. But, all in all, not too terribly awful! And...don't feel bad...I talk to myself, too! :blushing: :bigsmile:

PJilly · January 2011

Good point about tackling one or two things at a time, Patty. It's pretty amazing how much of a difference just one small but consistent change can make.

simpleliving · January 2011

Thank you both for the great tips! It's motivating for me to read through the posts of individuals who have succeeded and stay on track and if they fall off they get right back on it! Keep up the Good work!

valeriebpdx · January 2011

Thanks for posting this. I have been struggling too long with the gap between what I want and what I am willing to do. I am not willing to accept where I am, so I intend to grow up this year and do what is required to get to the weight and level of fitness I want to be.

What's YOUR "secret" for staying motivated?

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