Motivation vs Habits & Discipline
What’s the main driving factor in a successful fitness journey? If you think motivation is the key, then you need to keep reading…
Unfortunately it’s impossible to feel motivated all the time – so why do we create that expectation for ourselves?
To be successful in your fitness journey or any other journey you must rely on consistent action to reach your goals.
Initially you need a bit of motivation to get the ball rolling and top take action, and typically it’s smooth sailing at first. However life happens and when you hit your first speed bump motivation can come to a halt.
This is where discipline comes into the picture.
Let’s break down discipline…
Broadly speaking, discipline is what you use to get the things that you don’t enjoy done. Whereas motivation is the process that initiates the action. Both have their own roles, but it’s vital to not rely solely on one or the other.
Most of the reasons why we don’t get something done has got nothing to do with our physical ability, our mental ability or the free time that we have. It’s often due to a lack of discipline and lack of consistency.
The thing that separates those who get what they want and those who don’t isn’t anything exciting, actually it is the opposite. It’s the ability to stay disciplined when it’s no longer fun, and the ability to stay consistent every day. The journey won’t always be fun or exciting, and may even take a little bit longer than you hoped. That is what separates the ones who achieve vs. the ones who only dream of it.
It’s all about making adjustments in your daily habits, and implementing changes bit by bit. Instead of starting the day scrolling on your phone, get up and move for 30 minutes before you convince yourself not to. The more consistent you are the easier it gets. Once it becomes part of your habitual way of being it will feel weird not to do it. That’s the sweet spot.
Today, you can start by determining what are the non-negotiables in your life. These are the actions that are important to you and align with your goals. Once you have established these, you need to make them a priority and complete them consistently until it becomes a part of your lifestyle without a conscious thought.
Remember, you won’t wake up motivated each and every day, so you have to learn to be disciplined. No one else will do it for you, and on the days that you have minimal energy or are rushed off your feet, because you’ve already made it a habit it will be a part of your day regardless, without and without a second thought.
Programmes or challenges are a great way to create these habits, getting you in a routine and giving you structure to follow.
