Myth-Busting Motivation

1. Motivation is often thought of as being a magical force. 

We think that motivation lifts us up from the couch and propels us out the door for a jog, and it follows us around the grocery store and prompts us to choose only the healthiest items. In reality, however, motivation is not something magical that simply happens to us—more often than not, motivation is a slow slog toward success and a force that comes from within us.

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2. We experience high motivation at the start of something.

The changes we’re making are new and exciting and the hope for a better, healthier future are tangible. But then, as the newness of it all fades and difficulty sets in, so does our motivation, which in turn makes it easy for us to slip back into old habits.

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3. Motivation maintenance can be a challenge.

For example, only about 20% of individuals who have successfully lost weight through implementing lifestyle changes are able to maintain their weight loss over the long term. That’s why focusing on making realistic and permanent lifestyle changes starting from day one will set you up for success.

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In order to maintain our metabolic health, we must form new habits and patterns. Changing how we do things day after day means taking motivation out of the picture entirely—when we change how we eat and move and sleep and feel, we no longer need to rely solely on motivation and willpower. Repetition rewires the brain.

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4. What does all of this mean for you? 

You do not need to wait for a magic moment to happen or for everything to be perfect to start making changes—you can make some small changes right now. Any action is better than no action. Any change you make and maintain over the long term will give you enormous benefits.

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References

1. (Wing, 2005) Rena R Wing, Suzanne Phelan, Long-term weight loss maintenance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 82, Issue 1, July 2005, Pages 222S–225S, https://doi-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/10.1093/ajcn/82.1.222S