The Secret Trick “Motivated People” Use To Workout Regularly
May 22, 2021 // Uncategorized
Some days, even the best Spotify playlist won’t get you excited for lunges. Here’s how to trick your brain into a workout.
When I tell people I do some sort of workout every day, the typical response is some like “Wow! You must be super motivated. I wish I could get motivated like that.”
Motivated…?
….Me?!
Hardly.
In fact, at least half of my workouts are on days when I would love nothing better to skip the gym and take a proper siesta. But over the years, I’ve learned to reframe my perspective on my pending workout of the day and instead approach the gym with a different mindset.
In speaking with many clients over the years, especially those that are waking up in darkness to exercise, I’ve learned that just about everyone who workouts regularly has stumbled upon the same technique I apply to my less-than-enthusiastic gym days.
On these days, while dreading the idea of another pullup or Bulgarian split squat, I create a simple internal negotiation that entails permission to quit the workout at any point so long as I walk through the door and do a proper warm-up.
Once warmed-up, should I really feel totally defeated and unmotivated, I am allowed to grab my stuff and head for the exit.
By solidifying this internal negotiation, I immediately feel the pressure of the upcoming performance virtually removed. The anxiety associated with a high-expected output can be debilitating, so by changing the expectations, I allow for my body to open up and thrive without overthinking it.
99% of the time, with this internal negotiation in place, I end up completing my entire workout at a very high output and energy.
These “motivated people” are just masters at tricking their brain into doing something that they may very-well have little to no interest in doing at that exact moment.
The takeaway is that there is no better day/time than the present, and rarely does anyone actually feel excited to go exercise, so for your next workout, try reframing your expectations and create an internal negotiation in order to convince yourself to show up.
Once you are through the door, I am certain you will do plenty of movements to be productive and yield the benefits of exercise.
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