If you want to have more motivation, it's important to stop thinking about motivation the way you learned to.
If you don't feel like doing something - especially something you haven't tried or achieved before - you might say, "I don't feel motivated."
To get started, you might read quotes, listen to music, or watch an inspiring movement in hopes of finding your spark.
But here's the problem: increasing motivation doesn't work that way.
We think motivation leads to action when – in reality – action increases motivation.
If it seems like a backwards process, we would agree. It almost seems unfair that you have to immerse yourself in something even if you don't have the mental support and energy. But that's how it works.
Although we didn't design the human body, we can help you ensure that you can still set yourself up for success when motivation is low or hasn't even been created because you're trying something new.
What is motivation?
Motivation comes from the Latin wordMovere, which means “to move”. So, in theory, it makes sense that motivation helps you get places in life.
However, if you want to feel motivated, you need to move (or, more appropriately, take action).firstand then comes the motivation.
Neuroscientists have studied motivation and found that when your brain can understand your challenges, goals and hurdles, you are more likely to have the mental energy needed to achieve your goals.
It would be great to have a lot of motivation, but that's not the default mode for many new tasks. When you want to try something new or achieve a goal, a part of your brain (your right prefrontal cortex) lights up, causing doubt and disbelief. Your brain is capable of helping you conquer the world, but unfamiliarity can reduce your drive.
If you want more motivation, you need to tap into the left prefrontal cortex, which increases mental energy and focus. This other side is fueled by hope, inspiration and the belief that you can succeed.
What is the difference between propulsion (left side) and diving (right side)?
Your brain needs to understand the actions required to achieve the goal and it needs to feel realistic.
If you can accept this concept, you will have the motivation to be successful with many diet and fitness plans.
Why you have low motivation for nutrition and fitness
Many diet and fitness plans are a trap. One designed to allow you to start and stop with limited success. We help customers achieve any goal Losing fat to build muscleand we see a common pattern that we are working to reverse. The pattern usually falls into two categories:
Option 1:You want to start a plan and maybe buy a book or a diet program. It is possible that you go to a gym. But you never really get started or gain momentum. It's frustrating from the start and you blame yourself.
Option 2:You start a plan and feel excited. You get new workout clothes, buy healthy food, and dive in with extreme compliance. You are probably also seeing initial success. Eventually (usually around the 4 week mark) you've suddenly lost motivation, almost as if it was sucked out of your body. Going to the gym is harder. Healthy food no longer strengthens you. Instead, it now feels stressful.
In both options you are in a similar position. The pressure is coming your way. They sneak in desserts or snacks that aren't part of the plan. Little by little you make decisions that you know are not ideal and as a result you give up the vision of what you want to achieve.
Why is it so likely when your desire for change is so strong?
not like most diet booksI'm not going to suggest a detox, tell you to buy or recommend a supplement. “ a change that will fix everything.“
Sometimes the problem is the plan itself, whether flawed 4 week fixor a diet plan not designed for your body.
The bigger problem is that you are missing a basic concept that will allow you to be successful.
Motivation is real, but relying on it can lead to frustration and failure.
Why you lose motivation
There are two main reasons that make it difficult to rely on motivation. Instead of thinking of motivation as a jumpstart or first step, think of it as refueling.
Motivation is much more likely to keep you going and help you achieve your goals than to help you get started. Luckily, getting started doesn't mean you have to workout for a month or eat all the superfoods. It's much simpler, but requires you to rethink your typical approach.
Your brain is amazing, but if you want it to work for you, it helps to know how it works.
As mentioned earlier, action increases motivation. Your brain is designed to increase motivation for the things we are confident about, have tried and understood. The habits we build create feedback loops that make them easier to repeat. The habits we haven't built are more difficult. So you need to think about how you can make it easier to build a habit before you just jump in and start a new plan.
Motivation will come…if you give yourself the right tools.
There's another important reason why it's difficult to rely on motivation when starting a program. The area of your brain that controls motivation and willpower is the same part of your brain that handles your daily tasks, short-term memory, and focus. It's more revised than yours Instagram feed.
Take a minute and think about iteverythingYou have to manage daily. And now imagine that same overworked employee also having the responsibility of dragging your butt to the gym, eating the right foods, and saving you from half a dozen old fads at the end of the day.
If you want to truly transform your body, the most important plan starts not with your body plan or diet plan, but with an approach that empowers your mind.
The Science of Increasing Motivation (and Promoting Body Transformation)
For many years, scientists tried to figure out how to increase motivation. It turns out that you don't increase it directly. Instead, you make it easier for your brain to motivate you.
This is achieved withIntentionandengagement– Two actions that transform your goals into a clear framework for your brain to get excited about. If you can train your mind to understand your goals (and what you'll do to achieve them), you can trigger motivation.
It's the difference between visualizing a goal in such a way that your left prefrontal cortex lights up and gives you the strength to persevere and succeed, or your right prefrontal cortex shuts you down
This may seem like a joke, but the facts are undeniable: There are countless studies showing how making a commitment—and preferably writing down your intentions in specific detail—makes it much more likely that you will not only stay on task, but also achieve your goals.
It's behavioral psychology 101, and while it's not as sexy as meal plans and new workouts, these plans become more effective when you make commitments first.
Research from the British Journal of Health Psychologysuggests why this gets the job done better than “just starting out.” Scientists focused on helping people become more consistent with exercise. In the experiment, one group tracked their exercise [the control group] and another group tracked the exercise but also tried to increase motivation [the motivation group] by reading about how exercise prevents disease. The idea here was to help your brain better understand why your goal is so important.
A third group [the intention group] did the same as the motivation group, but they also had to specify their intentions as follows:
Next week I will be exercising vigorously for at least 20 minutes [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].
The results? “Compliance” was considered once per week. In the control and motivation groups, around 35 percent of participants trained at least once a week.
The intention group had an astounding compliance rate of 91%.
Other research, such as the work done in Norway, found that those who formulate a plan for your dietEat healthier.
How to Increase Motivation (and Never Run Out)
If you want to increase your motivation, there are several steps you can take. Researchers from Australia found that moving slowly helps you achieve your goals faster. Instead of trying to master multiple habits, it's more effective to adopt one Step-by-step approach, like building one habit at a time. This helps reduce cognitive load, meaning your brain can both learn a habitandIncrease motivation.
In plain English, when your brain has less to process, it's easier to eat more vegetables or hit the gym consistently.
When you create large tasks (I will lose 20 pounds), your brain relies on precedent. If you haven't achieved this goal before, there's a chance that your brain is reminding you of past mistakes on a subconscious level and this can be triggering learned helplessness. Fail enough and you expect failure.
Instead, if you can focus on achievable small goals, find ways to clarify why they are important, and set intentions, you will have created an environment for good habits, less stress, and more motivation.
You still have to work hard, put in the effort and be consistent. However, when you make your goal simple, clear, and easy to follow, you reinforce a process that makes success a more likely option.
It may seem simple or even ridiculous. But in no time, you'll no longer worry about lost motivation. Training your brain for success builds a mindset that leads you to success.
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