When people have big dreams they want to achieve, they benefit from understanding how to motivate themselves. Motivation can be defined as the anticipation of accomplishing a goal. It is important to set small, manageable goals so that you can start to build confidence right away.
Positive Motivation Works Best
Certainly, negative motivation exists, but eventually, you could begin to associate something positive like working out with something negative. Plus if there is an underlying fixation with losing weight, then an individual might even begin to slowly stop going to the gym. They may have convinced themselves that no matter how hard they try nothing will change.
Our point is don’t fuel yourself on negativity. Disgust might seem like red-hot motivation at first but eventually, it will suck the joy out of your wellness journey and you.
Instead, we recommend positive motivation techniques and associations. The gym is your friend, not a torture room.
Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym by Giving Yourself a Pre-Workout Pep-Talk
Pep talks are fun, and when done well they get you super hype. What we love about the classic technique is that it not only motivates but it boosts your confidence as well. If you don’t know what should go into a pep talk give the list below a skim…
- Make a considerable effort to believe the positive stuff you're telling yourself.
- Stand in front of the mirror put on a good song and dance with yourself.
- Reflect on what went right at your last training session
- Give yourself a high-five, it may seem goofy but who cares if it makes you smile?
- Use affirming language. Instead of listing your anticipation about a new group fitness class talk about how the group fitness class will teach you new skills and be engaging.
Giving Yourself Positive Feedback:
- If you give yourself feedback, it should be constructive and actionable.
- For those dealing with anything like body dysmorphia use the gym to focus on how good you will feel after working out, not how you want to change the way your body looks.
- Consider everything you gained from being active today. Do you have a clearer head and more energy? Keep those in mind as you get ready for the gym.
- Keep it real, don’t ask questions you can’t answer. Instead, ask yourself questions you’re ready to answer and think deeply about. The kindest evaluation is honest and wisely worded.
- Rather than focusing on what went wrong, reflect on how you can improve.
When a goal is achieved, you’ll feel more confident. So it’s beneficial to establish goals that don’t take too long to accomplish then you’re able to knock them off your list.
If you want to build confidence lean on your previous successes and use them as future motivation. The great thing about this is that it’s almost instant gratification. Anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes and the brain will start releasing feel-good endorphins. Even if your physical appearance does not change, these factors will boost your self-esteem.
