Where Do You Get Your Motivation?

By , SparkPeople Blogger

Excuses, excuses, excuses. I’ve heard them all and I hear them all the time.

"I just can’t seem to get motivated to exercise.'' 

''I’m just not feeling it today.''

''I have no energy.''

''I have to help a friend move next weekend.''

How do you find the motivation? 

Vanity is one very good reason that some people find their motivation. That’s right, vanity. In today’s world, it seems that looks are everything, right?  Well, if that’s what it takes for a person to have motivation to get healthy, so be it! I’ll admit that there was part of me that hated what I saw when I looked in the mirror. I didn’t like those puffy cheeks, didn’t like the fact that I didn’t have a neck anymore.Vanity is one reason for a person to find motivation. 

When did you last have a physical done? Maybe you got some news you didn’t like and the doctor wanted to prescribe a remedy. I’ve heard from more than one person who was in this exact situation.The doctor wanted to medicate a condition that was related to their weight.  Our weight is something WE can control, isn’t it? Why would we WANT to be medicated for something we can regain control over?  Yes, a visit to the doctor office is a GREAT reason for us to find motivation and take our health back.

Could you take care of your family in the wake of a natural disaster? My wife, Chelle, watched one disaster after another unfold on television. Tragic events all around the world were happening and she began to wonder what would happen if she were a victim of such an event?  Could she care for herself?  Could she protect her children? It hit her hard when she realized that she would be of no use to her family in this type of crisis. She realized that she wouldn't be able to care for and protect her family as she would want due to her weight, so she took action. She found the motivation to become as strong as possible so that if the need arises, she will be prepared. That motivation didn’t come to her every day, though.  She made the commitment to complete at least ten minutes of exercise every day whether she felt like it or not!

For me personally, I got sick and tired of being fat.  I couldn’t play with my daughters, I couldn’t help around the house and I hated the way I looked.  I took the action I had to take to get my life back; a life that I allowed to be robbed from my family and me by obesity! 
I’ve asked a few friends where their motivation comes from:

Michelene – ''I could barely walk up three flights of stairs at the office after a fire drill. That was the moment for me.''

John – ''Spending time with my buddies at my Marine Corps reunion. They reminded me how great I was…and it helped me see that I could be again.''

Coach Nancy – ''Knowing that with exercise, I no longer need to ‘diet’ to keep my weight down – but this does not mean I have a free ride to eat whatever. Just like you don’t put ordinary gas in a NASCAR, I want to put the best fuel in my body.''

Robert – ''When a man fights for his life, the gloves come off.''

Nancy – ''To avoid the family history of heart disease.''

Nicholas – ''My motivation was to prove to myself that it could be done.''

You see, motivation comes from all different angles.  It really can be different for every single individual on this journey.  Remember, it’s YOUR JOURNEY.

Here’s the part where I get real with it. Sometimes there is no motivation and you know what, that’s tough.Those are the times when you as a person have to suck it up, get out the door and simply make it happen. Is your life not worth it to make that effort? Do your family and friends mean enough to you that it will force your fanny out the door for a walk to better your health? The ONLY workouts I’ve ever regretted are the workouts that I skipped for whatever reason.  Ever heard the phrase, ''fake it till you make it''? Well, I’m telling you right now, that SOMETIMES that’s the bottom line.

You ARE worth it! You DESERVE IT, your family DESERVES IT and your life DEPENDS on it!

I challenge every person who reads this blog to post a short summary of your motivation. YOUR motivation may trigger something with the person who has none.  Post it, right here for everybody to see. You could make a difference in someone's life today.

What is your motivation? What keeps you going when it would be so much easier to quit?