50 ways to motivate yourself to workout (or do anything, really) when you don’t really want to!

50 ways to motivate yourself to workout (or do anything, really) when you don’t really want to!

Always do your best. What you plant now you will harvest later. Og Mandino 

I love this quote; because one of the simplest but most powerful ways to motivate oneself is to focus on long-term gains (rather than on what's easiest in the shor term). 

We all have things in our lives we want or need to do BUT sometimes struggle to do. This article focuses on exercise and working out but many of the same principles apply to pretty much anything else that might also contribute to health, wellbeing, happiness or success.

Read on and get motivated…

by Chrissy Stockton of Thought Catalog 

1. Try a new playlist. Music is a very powerful motivator but it’s easy to get stuck in a rut with your own music. Here’s a great place to start.

2. Find a gym that has TVs on the treadmills and ellipticals, only allow yourself to watch your favorite show if you do it there.

3. Sign up for quarterly fun fitness activities like a mud run, that way you’re always working towards a big event you’ll want to be prepared for.

4. Find someone with a similar workout schedule to you and plan workouts together. Not only can it be more fun to workout with another person but you’ll have the extra accountability of not wanting to disappoint someone else by not showing up.

5. Working out is a great motivator for working out. That is, just starting and telling yourself you can quit after 10 minutes if you are still unmotivated. Chances are you’ll start to feel good in that amount of time and you’ll be able to finish your full workout.

6. Measure your progress. The scale can be disappointing because our weight fluctuates throughout the day, but a measuring tape doesn’t lie. Tracking progress can be great motivation to keep going.

7. Ditch your car if it’s possible and make yourself walk or bike to work. Or walk to the grocery store and carry your groceries home. Brainstorm little ways to replace things you are already doing with things that are also exercise.

8. Get a personal trainer at your gym (when there’s deals at the beginning of summer, black Friday, and new year’s, stock up). Space out your sessions depending on what you can afford but use it to keep your workouts fresh and have some accountability. For instance, have your trainer show you a routine, do it on your own for three weeks, and then have them show you something new.

9. Listen to an inspirational speech.

10. Set personal records in everything you do and write them down. Then, try to break them…

…keep reading for 40 more inspirational and motivational ideas HERE