So you want to exercise, but don’t feel like doing it?
I’m pleased to post an article by Stephen Guise, author of Mini-Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results. The book is a top-ten bestseller on Amazon and, having read it, he has some of the most interesting AND novel things about getting yourself to do stuff where motivation can let you down – exercise, diet, spirituality, quality time with people.
Here is what Stephen has to say…
You have two options:
Get motivated (v): increase your desire to take action.
Use willpower (v): force yourself to take action.
By the end of this article, you won’t believe in getting motivated anymore.
The extremely popular personal development strategy of “getting motivated” is unreliable, full of false assumptions, and a giver of disappointing results. But the better alternative of willpower is frequently misused to the point that it’s even less effective, which is why many people turn to getting motivated in the first place. We’re going to cover it all, but let’s start with one man who tries to get motivated to meet his fitness goals.
. . . . . . . and an snippet from the article… read the full article on Stephen’s site http://www.deepexistence.com/get-motivated-or-use-willpower-guide/
Here’s Why Getting Motivated Will Never Be A Winning Strategy
Does getting motivated work? The answer is a maddening sometimes. At times, you can conjure up the motivation to be fit or write 5,000 words, but other times, you will end up taking a nap, watching TV, or drinking beer instead. This is a huge problem…
If getting motivated is your strategy, you can’t build habits.
Habits require repetition and consistency, and when your exercise program is dependent on a hearing a rousing speech, listening to a funky beat, or getting motivated in other ways, you’re unlikely to ever develop the habits that will bring you long term success in your pursuits. Motivation is not reliable because it’s based on how you feel, and we’ve known for centuries that human feelings are wacky and unpredictable.
Deep Existence subscribers know how much I love habits, because of how much I’ve badgered them about habits stressed habits this past month. I’m also writing my next book on habits (read about my upcoming Mini Habits book here).
Think about how this Bruce Lee quote relates to getting motivated:
“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”
― Bruce Lee
