It’s Not Motivation, It’s Cultivation
Something I came to realize years after I had begun focusing on exercise and nutrition, is that one does not need to feel an innate desire to do those things 24/7. I have been going to gym for about 10 years now and I can assure you there are many days I simply do not want to be there. I feel like I have no motivation to go sometimes even to this day. It’s not my motivation that brings me to the gym consistently. It was the practice of consistency and cultivating that discipline to get me into the gym now. So why am I sharing this?
My goal in this post is to first, reframe how we think about going to the gym, and second, break the preconceived notion that one must feel “motivation” 24/7, 365 days a year. That is absolute BS. Motivation is what I would call “the catalyst,” or in other words the spark to a flame. If you have ever created a fire you know that the process of starting it is difficult and requires the most energy. But once started, all that fire asks of you is to add wood once in a while. A lack of that consistency, would mean a shorter life span of the fire. And yes, this analogy is a double entendre. Because a lack of consistency in this area of your life will also likely result in a shorter life. Take it from the guy who has witnessed hundreds of deaths due to preventable causes.
Sleep, food, and water. These are the things that we do every single day without giving them a second thought. So, instead of thinking “I’d love to find time to exercise but (insert reasons a-z here),” you should instead practice making it a part of your essential requirements. It doesn’t have to be every day. In fact, three days of 1-1.5 hours of good intensity is enough. What would happen to you if you pushed off food for a week? How about water? Which brings me to my main point and why we need to frame exercise in the same bracket as the other three. Because the lack of exercise will too result in a shorter lifespan. And not just length of time, but quality as well.
My intention isn’t to be overly dramatic by sharing the importance of exercise in such a context. However, I am simply stating the facts. I think as a culture we have accepted that exercise is an “option” or a “luxury” since it is not something we are required to do like the other three. You don’t need to decide if you should or should not sleep, eat, or drink. You just do it. I challenge you do take the thinking component out of “going to the gym” and just show up. Honestly, it is what I believe is the first mistake people make towards exercise. They think about going instead of just going.
Our aim should be to form a habit, or an automaticity towards our pursuit of health. That is why I urge the people I encounter both in and out of the hospital to find something related to health, and consistently commit to it for about 2 months. Based off a study from London, it took “an average of 66 days” in order to make an activity habitual. If the gym is too much, start with a walk per day for 30 minutes, or every other day. Cut a certain food out, or introduce a better food in respect towards your TDEE. Just start forging a block of time to invest in yourself. It doesn’t matter how small, but be honest with yourself and what you can do. I promise, you can do more than you think. We all can.
I like this approach in thinking since it offers flexibility in your schedule. If you can’t do a walk or an exercise on Monday because you have a packed schedule, that’s fine. Do it on Tuesday or Wednesday. I often tell people to commit to 2-3 days out of the week for 1 hour at the gym. You have 168 hours in a week and I can promise you an investment of 3 hours per week will buy you back years of your life. I understand this may sound easier said than done for some people, but it is really is that simple. Take the steps and build your foundation. Make this part of your core activities that require little thought. Just action.
That’s all there really is to it in regards to cultivating automaticity towards our pursuit of health. Believe me, there are a thousand and one reasons that an individual can come up with to not invest in themselves. Many people view this as some large, life-changing task and they are only right about one of those things. It is life changing, but it starts small. So, the first step is to realize that your goal is to make these habits as automatic as the food, water, and sleep built into your schedule. Don’t view it as an option where you have to think about it. Enter every week “paying” yourself first with 3 hours committed towards your health. The second step is to practice consistency until you cultivate the habit. Obviously you need the “motivation” to begin all of this, but once you start I’d say the hardest part is over with. Just keep going.