Have you ever experienced a lack of motivation?
Have you ever struggled to stay motivated when moving towards a goal?
If this sounds like you read on…
On today's mid-week momentum podcast, I cover five motivational traps you must avoid to make lasting changes in your life, from quitting alcohol to starting an exercise routine.
You will also discover how I made my singing debut at the Royal Albert Hall !!
Here are two motivational traps to warm you up, you will find the rest on the podcast (See below for links)
1. Why can’t I find a big enough ‘why’?
I get the ‘why’ idea. But it’s been totally miss-sold. Finding a big enough ‘why’ that will unlock endless motivation is a 10,000/1 shot that, for the vast majority, never comes in.
The conventional ‘why’ wisdom, lures us in to read the books, embrace the one superpower ‘why’ dream and then when we run out of motivation a few months, weeks or days later - we are left confused - why?
Because in the real world, brainstorming your ‘why’s’ is a great way to generate motivation to get started towards your goals, but it’s not enough to keep you showing up.
Caveat - I fully accept that if you are one of the very lucky few to latch onto a super-powered ‘why’ it can fuel endless motivation.
So I agree with Nietzsche, the great German philosopher when we said,
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”
But for everyone else, the ‘why’ dream is a massive long shot.
So for everyone who can’t find the one ‘why’, which is most of the planet - we need a different type of motivation, which I’ll cover in the next common mistake.
2. Motivation changes over time
When you listen to people talk about their goals before they take any action, you will hear lots of nice shiny ‘why’s’ such as:
I am doing it to make my family proud, to raise money, because I should get healthy…
But if you listen to how successful people talk during their challenges, the conversation changes.
A successful changer's motivational time frame is often different.
It’s no longer about abstract or future-dated why’s or why they should; it’s about motivational wins in the moment.
They have figured out the secret - the motivation to keep showing up is different from the motivation you need to get started.
I talk a lot
Why’s are not enough
Let’s take the classic goal that so many of us struggle with - physical movement.
Think of someone you know who is uber-fit, healthy and moves their body every day.
If you ask them why they exercise, they will not answer with traditional why’s such as to make my family proud, or because the doctor told me, or because I should…
No, they will tell you something different.
They will wax lyrical about the wins during the goal task itself:
“I run because I love the feeling of moving my body”
“When I am swimming the world disappears, it’s like meditation for me”
“Walking and talking with my friends is the best part of my day; movement and connection is bliss.”
Therefore, the secret to limitless motivation is to focus on the wins of the goal activity!
For the next three motivational traps to avoid tun into the podcast!
Your coach
Andy
PS - Jan's diploma in coaching course is filling up!!
If you want to transform your mind, body, and potentially career and go on a six-month learning adventure with me, then come with me and learn to coach.
In January, I will personally train a small group in the art of life/executive/alcohol-free coaching so they, too, can unlock the meaning they seek by “giving back”.
Click the button below to watch a short 20-minute workshop that will explain everything and get you supercharged for 2025!
Click the link to find out more - https://andyramagetraining.com/dcpp-course-details/
