10 Items of Motivation

Motivation never disappears.

When you lack motivation to achieve a main goal, you still have some motivation to complete another feat. When motivation runs high, you complete tasks with more ease and focus. You have read the literature on motivation - the items that motivate individuals. You enjoy the videos on motivation, whether they include Ted Talks, motivational speakers such as Les Brown, Willie Jolley, and pastors who preach from a motivational standpoint, and workout or pure athletic videos of insurmountable feats.

You love motivation because you need it to gain results.

Motivation does not arrive with ease. It requires work, letting go of distractions, goal setting, a mentality of just do it, and perhaps assistance from a coach, teammate, friend, stranger, family member, or even a pet.

You have watched movies in which a scene of motivation followed with a catchy song, a high speed chase, running, comedy; bet someone worked out, survival, and more.

But, how often have you experienced good times of motivation? Who were you with? What happened? In my coaching and training career, I thought about the most motivated teams I have coached as a head coach or assistant as well as the most motivated clients that I have trained. Below is a list of characteristics that motivated these individuals:

Events. A wedding, a race, a hike, public appearance. You want to look good for all of them. One of my most determined clients was a bride. She had a goal. We worked at least 3x/week right up to the wedding, which was beautiful.

The will to compete and win. I have coached some pitbull players in ice hockey who clamped down and never liked to stay down.

Family. Exercising for your children is a good goal. Exercising for your spouse is a good goal. They see you, and you may inspire them. Pass it on.

Just cause (it's a part of life). Training for a sport or race or working out to feel good should resemble brushing your teeth. It's not a burden. You have to do it.

Innateness. You need fewer cues to get going. The bite is in you.

Age. It's a number and a reason to exercise, especially as we grow older.

Fun. Because fun is the number one reason for many physical goals. 

Health status. The doctor said you have high blood pressure, borderline Diabetes, high cholesterol, overweight, and now you want to adopt an improved exercise regimen - the case of many.

Religion. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 John 1:2, ESV. You follow scripture and believe in the religion you practice. 

Past activity. When you were a child, you used to play. When you were a teenager, you were the captain of your baseball team. Why stop moving now? 

To think about the reasons for why athletes may not practicen their sport or why individuals do not exercise their bodies, time is not the limiting factor. Space...not a limiting factor. Money...not a limiting factor. Knowledge...it is second to motivation. Motivation...a key limiting factor for starting and maintaining a physical, spiritual, and mental regimen. 

Any lly word falls in this category.

Motivation picks at you as you find it. Its presence lingers. You have to grab it.

Look up the various forms of motivation on YouTube and social media. What gets you going?

Derek | @teemptraining derekteempt@gmail.com