a note on motivation

I think a lot of us has motivation backwards.

Myself included (previously).

In the past I used to think the only way to achieve my goals was through motivation. When I was motivated, I would push 1000%. When motivation went away I’d pause my journey and push 1000% looking for motivation hoping to find it before I get back on track again.

More often then not, I just never get back on track again.

The thing about motivation is that it’s not within our control. It comes and goes, there’s not really much we can do to summon it out of thin air. The good news is whatever our goals are, motivation isn’t a necessary ingredient to achieve it. The thing required to lose fat is to be in a consistent calorie deficit. You don’t need to be motivated to be in a calorie deficit, not at all.

Does motivation make the fat loss journey easier? Of course. Motivation makes everything easier.

But what do you do when motivation isn’t around?

You gotta keep doing the things that get you closer to your goals anyway. You gotta keep showing up. You gotta keep up the hard work.

It’s like getting up in the morning to go to work or go to school. Are there those days you are super demotivated? Of course. But what do you do? You get up anyway and go, cos you know there’s a lot more at stake than your current feelings.

You gotta treat your weight loss journey the same way.

Mind over feelings.

On days where motivation is no where to be found you gotta remind yourself of the bigger picture. You gotta remember that you’re not doing this for instant satisfaction, you’re doing this for the long term end goal down the line where your efforts of every single day matters.

When you keep going, over time you’ll slowly see results. As you slowly see results the chances of motivation coming back increases. Which then means if you’re really looking for motivation, the act of “looking for motivation” is incorrect.

It’s backwards.

You don’t look for motivation.

You put in the work you gotta put in which over time yields you results, and those results are what attracts motivation to come look for you. Motivation looks for you, and not the other way around, and you gotta give motivation a reason to come back to look for you.

I thought of writing this letter today cos too often the question I get is about seeking motivation, which I feel is the wrong thing you should be looking for if ultimately your goal is weight loss, muscle or health.

Motivation is great, when it’s around totally abuse it to the maximum. But when it’s not around, that’s not a cue for you to take a break to look for it again. It’ll eventually find its way back, you just gotta keep working and pushing forward towards your end goals.

I hope this little reminder today helps!