So, this is my first post. I decided not wait to post until I had a perfectly articulated focused set of content, but instead, to just go with what is on my mind at the moment. I’m sure we can all think of moments that we wish we embraced but instead, let them pass us by, not to be experienced ever again. I’m choosing not to let that happen.
This post is about motivation. My example will be fitness. My question is, why do some people achieve an exemplary level of fitness and others don’t. Maybe they start an effort of fitness but then stop, Maybe some stay the course for a while, making great achievements and then regress.
In my experience, the key to motivation and staying the course of fitness involves two forces: 1) A force which portrays an image of myself I don’t want to go back to. The memory recalls negative feelings. 2) The other force is an image of myself that I want to achieve. It brings positive feelings and satisfaction. One of the things that allows me to waver from the “me” I desire is loosing sight of these two forces. Without having them fresh in my mind, I may have the desire to not stay the course . To briefly feel a sample of those negative feelings from the force of the me I don’t want to go back to and the force that gives me satisfaction and pleasure keeps me going in the right direction. It is often easy to fall into the trap that once you are in a condition of fitness that you feel “your there”… “you made it” … “its over”!
Reality is that fitness is a condition of “being” not a milestone. You’re never there, its never over. I constantly bring myself back to my two motivating forces to remind me of that. I remember the level of satisfaction and positive feeling that exists for me in the current state. I also remember how long and hard it was to get there. Not to mention the time and expense!
Reward yourself! If you have achieved that sexy body you always wanted, enjoy it! I like the feeling of a tight t-shirt where my arms actually stretch the fabric as compared to the stringy bean pole arms that used to be there. Women – wear that new clothing that shows your figure and enjoy the looks you get! Establish a way of life that re-enforces the satisfaction you enjoy. There is nothing wrong with a positive self-esteem, a little self love, and healthy narcissism. Place yourself around people with similar interests and goals. They will feed your “positive force”! Mind, body and spirit are inseparable. Let them re-enforce each other with positive energies. A tough day mentally at work can really lower your energy levels, or so it may seem. A good physical workout will release those good endorphins and put you back in a good mental mood. One can be mentally exhausted, but you are still physically ready and able to exercise. Your muscular energy reserves are still there (glycogen and amino acids).
Our society rewards sacrifice. Will your fitness and health be what’s sacrificed? Key to your fitness lifestyle, is not allowing you ego to be more satisfied by those things that would circumvent it. Its very easy to let the adrenaline rush from some activity fill your emotional and psychological needs and forget about your health and fitness. Isn't it easy to skip lunch to finish a project or feed on a snicker’s bar and coffee to get rid of the growl in our stomachs because we feel all pumped up about what we are engaged in at the moment? Then at the end of the day we realize how lousy we feel. Continuing that behavior over a week, month or year and all of a sudden those pants won’t button or that little black dress won’t fit. We then have a revelation: how did I let this happen? It can be easy to allow factors in society to eat away at your accomplishments and desires. Sixty percent of Americans are overweight (2011). What importance do you suppose those sixty percent will place on your fitness and health? None! Its not in there values, priorities or maybe understanding! Its not their way of life and they most likely find it hard to understand why its yours. If they have any influence or control over your life, it won’t include enabling your fitness and health goals because it doesn’t make sense to them! In my experience, those in the sixty percent of overweight Americans category appreciate being fit to some degree, but to many other things are of a higher priority. My assumption is that many believe being fit and sexy is seen as a luxury or self indulgence. If to be healthy one must be fit, and if being fit makes one sexy, than how can anyone say fitness and sexy are anything less than good stewardship of the body we were entrusted with! You have to be your own advocate and champion! You have to have an internal locus of control! Some will challenge your fitness motivation. For example, one is healthy if their blood report lab test comes back with everything in range, right? I’m afraid not! That is just a good attempt at changing your priorities and values. Did you know that some lab reports for women have an acceptable range of testosterone levels beginning at 0?
I find having before and after pictures of my fitness help remind me of the two forces that keep me motivated. Put the photo on the refrigerator! Why not? Be proud! Make a two column list on an index card of your two forces and carry it with you. One column is the negative forces and the other is the positive forces. Think about and write down your “feelings” of how you felt in the state you don’t want and how you feel in your happy state. Be honest with your feelings so that they are strong and compelling! Keep the list handy, like in your wallet or purse, and pull it out when you have an idle minute to refresh your sense of the forces that motivate you.
I have kept a photo on my desk, front and center, of when I was very thin. It reminded me every time I looked in that direction of what I did not want to become again.
The picture below keeps my positive force in mind..
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