I’m trying something a little different today.
Over the past 15 years of working with clients, I’ve learned that success in fitness isn’t just about knowing what to do… it’s about having strategies for when things inevitably get tough.
Where do habits usually break down? Why does motivation fizzle out? And what can we actually do about it?
Behind the scenes, I’ve been building a “coaching toolkit” that maps this all out. (In it’s current form, there are 7 big challenges, 22 underlying causes, and over 50 tactics that I use with clients to help them stay on track.)
Today, I want to zoom in on just one part of that toolkit: three times motivation dips and how to respond.
I recorded a 15-minute video walking through these ideas. You can watch it on YouTube, or treat it like a short podcast while you’re driving, cooking, or folding laundry.
And if you prefer the quick-hit version, here are the highlights:
Dip #1: The Initial Push
If you struggle to get started with a fitness plan, or say to yourself, “I just can’t seem to get motivated”, this is for you.
While this looks like a motivation problem, it often covers up a resources problem.
If you’re already super stressed, busy, and have a ton on your plate, it’s really hard to add fitness on top of everything else.
Here are three tactics to try:
- The Big Why: Connect your goals to your core values by asking “why” change is important to you multiple times. It won’t directly address a resources problem in and of itself, but it can be helpful to fall back on when making decisions about where to focus your time and energy.
- Temptation Bundling: Pair something challenging with something enjoyable.
- Upgrade Your Bat Cave: Make small changes in your environment to promote your desired behavior.
Dip #2: All-or-Nothing
If you start off really strong, but struggle to stay motivated long enough, or say to yourself, “I fell off the wagon and just couldn’t get back on,” this is for you.
We often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything perfectly RIGHT NOW IMMEDIATELY. Add to that our tendency to put our blinders on and try to just “push through”, and we set ourselves up to repeat this pattern over. And over. And over.
Here are two tactics to try:
- Turn on Dial Mode: There is no “normal” day. So let’s plan for that!
- Set An Accumulation Goal: Rather than build a perfect streak, instead focus on accumulating practice.
Dip #3: Ambiguous Results
If you’ve been consistent for a while, but feel like you haven’t really noticed any big changes yet, it can be really hard to stay motivated!
This is one reason why we’ve found being able to visualize your progress over time is so important.
Here are two tactics to try:
- Zoom In, Zoom Out: Laser in your day-to-day habits and workouts and collect data. Then, every 2-6 weeks, step back and evaluate your progress. This helps you avoid the constant comparisons, while still making course corrections on a timely basis.
- Progression Stacking: Ask yourself: what has the progression of my workouts and habits looked like over the last 4-6 weeks? If things are stagnant, think about one little adjustment you can make to get the ball rolling again. That could look like adding a few reps to your exercises, taking a walk break during the day, or leveling up to the next Nerd Fitness Nutrition Leve!
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That’s the gist – but the the video digs deeper into the details of each one.
I’d love to hear from you: do you like this format? More whiteboard-style breakdowns of big ideas you can come back to? Just hit reply and let me know. –Matt
P.S. We’re hiring! We’re looking for a marketing specialist to join our team and work closely with me!
If you’ve got the experience and drive to help us make a difference in the fitness industry, please check out the link and consider applying. ❤️
