How to become self motivated

ginamariefit
Aug 27, 2014
3 min read

Constantly, I get asked and commended for my motivation. The number one question I get is how are you so motivated? Honestly, I have always been this way. Support has varied a lot for me and anytime I truly wanted to do something I knew it had to come from me. Is it easy? No. Do I fail at times and spout negativity? Yes. We are humans; we are bound to make mistakes. But how else would we learn if we did not fail?

If you want to be a self motivated person you have to get in the right mindset. To be positive, you truly must believe in yourself. If you constantly think “my life sucks,” or “why me” then you will fail. These simple negative thoughts are what fuel people to give up, to make excuses and eventually fail at new ventures. If you start to think negatively then just stop your thought process and divert your attention elsewhere. This is particularly important if you are starting to think negatively about finding the motivation to improve your health, fitness and quality of life.

The components to improve your motivation:

Confidence –“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” Eleanor Roosevelt. Not only do you need to think positive you need to believe in yourself and your mission. This is something I have struggled with throughout my life. I was not always the most confident person and I constantly compared myself to others. Finally, I learned this needed to stop. No two people are the same. No two situations are the same. If you do not believe in yourself then no one will. Ways to become confident can be as simple as thinking what positive things are going on in your life, think of everything you have accomplished up to this point and visualize everything you are about to conquer.

Desire- “The world is little, people are little, human life is little. There is only one big thing-desire” Willa Cather. If you want to be someone that finds the motivation from within then you need to truly want and desire your goals. We can all think about how nice it would be to be in shape, how nice it would be to be wealthy, how great it would be if everything went the way we wanted it. But in reality life falls apart more than we would like. What matters is desire. If you want it enough you will achieve it. If you truly desire your goals, no set back with withhold you from achieving them.

Plan-“ Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation” Brian Tracy. When defining your goals, make them specific to you. It is great to have the “big picture” in your mind but remember to achieve your overall goal it is going to take baby steps. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds you have to lose the first pound first (love Autumn Calabrese). Remember to be healthy and maintain your weight loss you should lose 1-2 pounds a week. With planning comes being organized. Track your progress with your goals. If your goal is to lose weight then from day one take the measurements, write it down and track yourself along the way. Also, be mindful of your behaviors whether it be the moments when your negativity surges or when you encounter the most temptation. Set yourself up for success. Plan to achieve and you will accomplish your goals. Each day plan out your day, include the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. When you visualize your goals it improves your ability to succeed. Nothing makes me feel better than when I have crossed everything off of my “To Do List.”

Be Real- You are a human being first and foremost. When I started this journey, I knew I loved snacking and that I would fail if I never let myself indulge a little bit. I knew if I cut out everything I enjoyed that I wound resent the process. So yes, I did have a snack here and there. We are not machines and everyone deserves a break. However, you need to always be mindful of your overall goal. I knew if I had a snack every day I would never lose the weight I wanted. Moderation is key in all aspects of life. Enjoy life, we are so fortunate to have the life we have, good and bad. So enjoy your successes, learn from your failures and know that the first step is the most important step and you have already done that.