To paraphrase one of the most beloved St. Louis natives, Yogi Berra…
“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
Of course, that doesn’t make any sense.
But, it makes perfect sense.
And it makes perfect sense for our fitness.
This time of the year brings an excess of:
- Festive parties
- Delicious food
- Strong drinks
It’s a great time of year!
So, mentally, where are you right now?
Are you motivated to work out?
Are you motivated to eat healthy?
Or, are you motivated end 2023 in a gluttonous blaze of glory?
And hey, there’s no shame if you don’t feel like hitting the gym.
There are cold suds, cookies, and Christmas ham to be had.
Motivation comes and goes – we’ve all experienced it.
Right now, our motivation usually drops like a stone.
BUT, it’s about to pick up very soon!
Our motivation will be at it’s annual highest in 11 short days.
Maybe you’ll go running.
Maybe you stop boozing for a month.
Maybe you’ll cut out processed food.
But…
Like clockwork, about halfway through January, we may NOT be so motivated.
Because, again, motivation comes and goes.
Here’s the thing:
In spite of motivation being fleeting, people assume that is what is holding them back:
- “I can’t get motivated to go to the gym. I suck.”
- “Why can’t I get myself motivated to eat right? What’s wrong with me??
- “I’ll start lifting weights when I’m motivated.”
Typically, the villains for not being able to get fit are ” I don’t have time”, “don’t know what to do”, or “I’m too tired.”
Those are NOT the problem.
It’s motivation.
And spoiler alert: NOBODY can stay motivated forever.
The people who stick to their fitness goals aren’t blessed with a magical amount of motivation.
Instead, those who stay consistent with fitness and nutrition build sustainable habits.
What kind of habits?
Could be:
- Drinking 24 oz of water first thing in the morning
- Walking the dog for 30 minutes
- Hitting the gym on their commute home
Here’s the most important part: strategically stacking habits sloooowly.
Turning your life upside down overnight doesn’t work.
For example, if you’re just getting back to the gym, start with 2 or 3 workouts per week.
When you jump into P90X 6 days per week for the next 3 months, there are two outcomes:
1) You get injured (I did)
2) You get burned out and quit
Very few people can successfully go from zero to three months of misery.
Again, the important thing is slowly building a stack of habits that will last forever.
Alright, I’ve got some feng shui-ing I need to do in our new podcast studio.
I think you’re gonna dig it.
STAY STRONG,
Jeff
PS – What to learn how to build your own habit stack?
Then you should join our 30-Day Resolution Revolution coaching program.
Instead of the usual “30 days of the current exercise trend” that leaves you wondering “now what” after 30 days…
We’re going to teach you how to build your own long-term habit stack that is actually manageable for just a few weeks.
That way, your February will build on your January.
Your March will build on your February.
And so on…