Motivation Mistakes

by Kris Pitcher

People ask me about motivation all the time. I get asked two things. How do I stay motivated to workout all the time, and how do I stay motivated to write a blog every day.

There are some really simple motivation mistakes we make. It's no wonder we ebb and flow with our enthusiasm for exercise. When we put a few of these things together...we're destined to drop out.

The first one is doing it for anyone but yourself. If your motivation to exercise is to make someone else like your body better, to love you more, to accept you, to find you attractive again, or any variation there of. You. Are. In. Trouble.

Doing this for someone else will breed resentment. Eventually. And we need more than a three minute blog to dig deep into that. You have to be doing this for yourself in order to remain motivated to do it day after day. After day. Repeat.

Being able to make lifestyle changes takes a commitment to yourself, and that means you need to be doing this for you. This is simple and when we approach it from this perspective of self love, it's a whole new journey.

The next biggie on the motivation mistake list is trying to use our super human shield of being able to overcome temptation. When we put ourselves in the path of temptation over and over again...we will soon be up to our elbows in margaritas and nachos. Or, whatever the temptation is in our path.

Tempting willpower is like not wearing your seat belt in the car. You always wear your seat belt in the car. Period. Likewise, you control your environment when it comes to food. You just do. Otherwise it chips away at your motivation and you break down.

Motivation mistakes like these are really no brainers when we break them down. Do this for you foremost. And don't try to be superman, or wonder woman, and sit in the middle of a pile of cupcakes when you are on a plan. Cupcakes are not on your plan. And like a dog, we can't help but roll in the cupcakes.

So, how do I stay motivated to workout? And how do I keep writing witty (oh that was me) blogs every day? I do it for me. That might sound funny, because without you I realize I'm nothing.

But...I write because it keeps me focused on my fitness pursuits. I see the world through my fitness lens and I want to share it. My motivation is internal.

As for my workouts, they are just part of who I am. I owe much of that to my husband who champions me. I'm a better, more balanced, happier person because I exercise. My contest date keeps me on my eating plan...along with seeing the changes and meeting the goals along the way. My motivation is internal.

I do both ultimately to please myself. I'm fortunate to please many of you, most of the time, along the way. I thank you for that. Your motivation is in you too. Find it, it's there when you look in the right place.