How often have you heard someone say, “I just need to get motivated”? You might even have said it yourself.
We often believe that people who exercise regularly are somehow more motivated than everyone else. That they wake up every morning full of enthusiasm, eager to pull on their trainers and head out the door.
The truth is rather different.
I am like many other people and I don’t always feel like exercising. There are mornings when I’d rather not go for that run I said I would, and winter evenings when I’d rather stay at home than go for a swim.
The difference isn’t motivation. The difference is habit.
Motivation comes and goes. Some days you have plenty of it; other days it has disappeared. If you rely on motivation, your exercise routine will always be a bit hit and miss.
Habits, on the other hand, don’t need enthusiasm. They simply become part of what you do.
Think about brushing your teeth. You probably don’t wake up feeling highly motivated to do it. You don’t debate whether you feel like it today. You just do it because it’s become automatic. It’s a habit.
Exercise can become like that too.
The people who stay active for years aren’t necessarily those with the strongest willpower. They’re the ones who make exercise part of their routine. Monday might be walking day. Wednesday is strength training. Saturday morning is parkrun. They don’t negotiate with themselves every week because the decision has already been made.
There are simple ways to make this easier. Lay your exercise clothes out the night before. Arrange to meet a friend for a walk. Book a class that you’ve paid for. Put your workout in your diary just like any other appointment. Any of these could work for you.
So don’t wait until you feel motivated. Motivation is unreliable. Instead, build habits that keep you moving even on the days you don’t feel like it.
Because the people who stay fit for life aren’t those who are motivated every day. They are the people who have built habits that make looking after themselves that much easier.