A friend who is a highly successful personal trainer and coach sends out a motivational message email every Monday, and this week the message was about motivation.
He pretty much called B.S. on the word motivation, and said what people need instead is d-i-s-c-i-p-l-i-n-e.
Motivation comes and goes, he said. That’s just the way it is.
What it takes to achieve consistency and achieve your goals — physical fitness goals or whatever goals — is good, old-fashioned discipline.
Like another friend says, “Do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it.”
Whether you are motivated or not.
Whether you feel like it or not.
I tell you what, it ain’t always easy to get up, get out, and do a workout when you don’t really “feel like it. But I’ll also tell you what when you do get up, get out, and do something when you know you should but you don’t really want to, it feels pretty damn good. No, it feels really damn good.
Last Sunday, I planned to go in the morning for a pole vault workout.
My left knee was still a little sore from the last practice, and I had a lot of shit to do that day, so a little voice in my head said, “It’s OK, man, you can skip today. Go one day later in the week, or maybe next Sunday.”
I nearly gave in, but I said, no, you need the work. Get your ass up and go do it.
So I did.
And guess what?
An hour and a half later, I walked out of that practice facility with a big ol’ smile on my face. I had a major breakthrough with some technique that I’d been working on for the past six weeks or so.
Who knows? If I had skipped practice, I might have had the breakthrough next time — but I also may not have.
When you’re motivated, it’s easy.
When you’re not motivated, do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it.
You got this ….
