Motivation shmotivation

I wish I had more motivation....I'd take over the world!

Truth is, I don't use motivation to get things done, especially workouts or saying no to that new Cadbury chocolate with the beanies, jellies and popping candies......mmmmmmm

Sorry, off in a fantasy world there.

Motivation makes things a little easier....yes.  Motivation makes things way more fun......yes. Motivation is necessary?

NO!

I certainly wasn't motivated to get up at 5.30 this morning to do weights with my husband on a cold winters morning.  My motivation was more in the realms of pretending to still be asleep snuggled up in my warm bed. But, I treat my workouts as a job to be done.  It's there, it's not going to change or go away if I ignore it so I might as well just do it. It's become a habit to work out 6 days a week and man, I notice it when I can't!

I'm more motivated to Facebook than to housework, but the housework gets done, I'm more motivated to coffee with friends than ironing uniforms, yet the ironing gets done. I'm motivated to eat out as opposed to cooking every night but where does that lead?

The trick to it all is DON'T WAIT FOR MOTIVATION! Motivation is a transient thing, it is based on your feelings not your actions. Your actions may make you feel good which gives rise to motivation to repeat it. But motivation is a little like the sunshine in Melbourne.  It's here one minute, gone the next.

What do I do?

I put my workouts on my daily to do list.  I plan the time and what I will be doing.  I plan my meals and snacks so I know exactly what I should be eating and when I've planned it. I plan around eating out or going out. Yes its nerdy to a degree ( I swap meals around and times are flexible by necessity) but it gets results.....it gets me into the HABIT of doing this and THAT is what makes things easy. Now I can read posters or books to fire me up but they are more tools to support and inspire not to drive me. Its the habit that drives me.

Doing Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (www.12wbt.com) gives me shopping lists, meal plans and my exercise plans each week.  I dont have to think about anything, apart from building and strengthening the habit of living well.  It's one of the best habits I'll ever have in my life!

And even after all the planning and habit building, when that alarm goes off and I can hear the rain pelting on the roof and the last thing I want to do is pull on my runners and go to gym, I use this tool I got from Michelle Bridges.

JFDI......Just Freaking DO IT! By the time I've finished arguing with myself, bargaining with myself and sulking with myself, the workout would be done!  So cut out the middle man and just do the workout.  I have even finished workouts still whinging to myself in my head!!!!

So tomorrow, when you catch yourself thinking " I'll do it later" or " I'm just not motivated" get up and 

                                          JFDI!!!!!!!