Excuse Me, What’s YOUR Motivation?
One of the few things left that cannot be outsourced to China or India, yet. You cannot transplant it. You cannot siphon it off someone else. It is ALL yours. So find it!
M.O.T.I.V.A.T.I.O.N.
Sustainability: Have you ever seen an inspirational movie or video short, that got you super HYPED!? You got so motivated to put your all into a workout. It may have lasted one session, maybe even the week. But, like extended weekends or holidays, or the time you have with your kids, it comes, then just as quickly, it is gone. To keep that same energy, you need to constantly and consistently find what motivates you and apply it. Some folks use personal trainers, others use group workout sessions. That can get pricey. There is no way that one video is going to sustain your motivation for the long term.
You may have several sources of motivation that you keep tapping in to. About two years back, the uniform service I was commissioned into (Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, www.usphs.gov) implemented a stricter weight and height standard. This came with stronger avenues for enforcement. I was not particularly worried, as I have always kept myself fit. Nevertheless, I viewed it as an great opportunity to better myself. Full transparency, my Body Mass Index (BMI) has always been on the higher end. However, my body composition being what it is, I have always passed “tape” with waist, neck and hip measurements, alongside body fat percentage. Last year, a support group on Facebook was started and anxious energies, as a result of the new policy, were channeled into action. I loved it and I joined in! I would tap into this source of motivation on a regular basis. I got so honed it, I even set a new personal record (PR) in the 1.5 mile run for my Annual Physical Fitness Test (APFT).
Feedback Loop: Life happens, and it happens at full speed. We get in ruts, or times of when we are impossibly busy. That is life, right? There is no way around that. So, you must set up guard rails to prevent your rut from getting out of control. Who or what is going to keep you from going off the deep end? What do you have in place to keep that one day off physical activity, from expanding to three, five, A WHOLE MONTH! My uniform is that guard rail. I do not mean that in some philosophical way. I mean, literally. When that same pair of trousers that you have been wearing for two to three years, starts to fit a little differently, seams start to look stretched, buttons looking stressed, that’s my indicator light telling me I am veering off course. The same goes for everyday clothing or work attire. You know when your clothes are not fitting. Don’t blame it on the washer machine and shrinkage (although SOMETIMES the case). Let that serve as a mechanism to check yourself.
This can be equally true going in the other direction. It is less common, but failing to listen to your body tell you to take a rest is just as important. When you have gone 2.5 months straight of high impact physical activity, with not rest period, that is not good. I mention this, because I have been on this end as well. Being so gratified with results and not wanting to deviate from that feeling, I have pushed myself to a point of exhaustion to where my body has forced me to rest, for like a week. This is not only NOT a good look, but counterproductive. The worse part about it is, I know better.
Your Clique: The people in your circle influence you. Duh, right? That is a given. Your people should be pushing you in the right direction, not always with pressure tactics (however necessary sometimes), but from sheer observation. Are you surrounded by highly motivated, health conscious people that make it a point to engage in physical activity? Or do they have a shopping list of excuses of why it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to accomplish? I have kids, there’s not enough time, I am too busy, a gym membership is too expensive, et cetera et cetera. My circle consists of my wife, JoAnna. This is just a matter of fact, not some cheesy notion. She has been the most consist person in my circle beyond the five plus years we have been married. Being in a uniformed service (Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, www.usphs.gov ), as I stated above, relocation is a part of the job. A consequence of this is frequent changes in scenery, and changes in folks around us. Couple that with my job position requiring 50% travel, there is little to no time for me to nurture any other relationships outside of my household. So JoAnna and I are not just tight, we TIGHT TIGHT! (frfr) In that, we place similar expectations upon ourselves when it comes to physical activity. These personal expectations are self-imposed, with exactly zero direct pressure placed upon each other in this aspect. We are not going around our “cozy” apartment pointing out our imperfections (she is of course, PERFECT…there’s your cheesy). I literally “Do me” and she does her, and with both our minds set on prioritizing daily physical activity, I see the work she puts in and I get inspired! She has also beat me in the three races (1 Marathon and 2 Half Marathons) we have ran together in. So, I married well! Also, that Facebook group I mentioned above, has weekly weigh ins to keep each other accountable and staying focused on the target, if weight loss is the goal. It works perfect for those constantly being relocated.
We have control over our circle. If the people that surround you are not headed in the direction you want to go in, it is time to start subbing some folks out. In the same notion, think about your own contributions to your circle. Are you that person that is making all the excuses? If so, get motivated, get feedback and nurture your circle.
Final Thought: Find what motivates you. Some people need a kick in the trousers, others need a nudge. Watching workout videos may get you going, or an inspirational speech dubbed with a musical score may be your jam. Personal Fitness is personal. If you get bored on the treadmill, go outside! Literally, TAKE A HIKE! If it is too hot or raining outside, find a gym/fitness center. If you do not like running, then don’t! You will not be motivated to do something you hate, at least not for long. Lastly, STOP MAKING EXCUSES!