Sustainable Motivation

Motivation is one of those things that's elusive at best.  Most of us started this program with at least a small burst of motivation, but that motivation was often based in negativity.  We didn't like the number on the scale or our clothes were getting tight or our doctor had a stern talk with us.  Most of us didn't decide to lose weight because we wanted to create something wonderful (even though we do!); the catalyst for change is more about fixing a problem rather than creating something.

Therein lies the dilemma . . . when we start to feel better (and on this program, we start to feel better pretty quickly), when our jeans aren't so tight anymore (and they loosen up fast!), motivation can be difficult to sustain.  It's ironic because at the same time we're making progress, we can lose motivation.  So how do we sustain motivation over time?

First and foremost, we sustain motivation by staying focused on what we want - what we're moving toward.  Be very clear about what it is that you want.  Write it down, in detail.  What will life look like for you when you are at a healthy weight?  Write it down in present tense, as if you are already living at a healthy weight.  Describe how you will look, how you will feel about yourself, what kinds of things you'll enjoy doing.  What will be better?  Post this where you will see it so it is an ongoing reminder of what you're moving towards.  Put together a "dream board" of pictures of clothes you want to wear, things you want to do, places you want to visit when you're at a healthy weight and post that where you'll see it, too (get the pictures from magazines, Google images, etc.).

Secondly, sustainable motivation comes through accomplishment.  Even if you don't feel motivated today, make the choices you need to make anyway.  As you do that, there is empowerment that comes from pushing through inertia and taking action, and that will help you to take the next step and make the next choice.  Make a list of what you've accomplished so far and keep adding to the list as you keep moving forward.  I set a lot of mini-goals on my journey to lose 126 pounds and I celebrated each and every one.  On those days when I wasn't feeling particularly motivated, I'd look at the list of things I'd already accomplished and seeing how far I'd come helped me to refocus on the next mini-goal.  I also took a lot of progress photos and would review them when my motivation began to wane.  Seeing the change from month to month was a visual reminder of where I'd been and how far I'd come.

So, whether you are brimming with motivation today or wondering where on earth the motivation went, you can choose today to keep moving toward your goal.  Don't wait to feel motivated to choose wisely :-)