After many years of working out and hearing the same question, “how do you motivate yourself to workout everyday?” I have a not-so-secret secret to share… It isn’t about motivation. It is about discipline. 

While motivation might get you started on your fitness journey, it can often feel like a fleeting emotion, coming and going without much warning. Discipline is what bridges the gap on the days motivation has decided to take a break. This is important, because we ALL have those days. From the hall of fame athletes to the single moms to the injury rehabilitation patients. It happens to us all. 

Now for my real secret, discipline is something you curate over time. It is one of life’s hard skills. You are never too old or too young to work on your discipline. It will serve you in every corner of your life. 

And guess what? Being a disciplined person is simple. Don’t let anyone (especially yourself) convince you otherwise.

The Simplest Path to Discipline in Fitness

The most important step you can take to improving your discipline is understanding what you are working towards and why. That is your buy-in and without a strong buy-in your failure rate will sky rocket. Sounds simple, right?

It is. The problem is that people don’t like what happens during the “understanding” stage. Do you know why? I’ll give you a hint, the answer is almost always the same regardless of the goal. 

It turns out, what needs to be done in order to achieve a goal is harder than a person wants it to be.

Now entering the chat… the cliche, “If it was easy, everyone would do it”.

Mindset

If you accept the above – that the path to achieving your goal is going to be harder than you want it to be – then you are halfway to developing the mindset of a disciplined person. Being disciplined isn’t about having your shit so put together that nothing ever goes wrong. That’s perfectionism and it is toxic. 

Discipline is the synergy between your heart and mind. What you desire and what you believe. What you strive for and what you think is possible. What you can dream and what you know to be true. 

Developing a mindset that is rooted in fact, fueled by possibility, and accepting of an imperfect path.

How do you do that? 

You try. Set a goal. Make a plan. Take action.

Learn. Adjust. Grow.

Action

It is true that words speak differently to people. We each prefer to be inspired in our own way. But words and inspiration are nothing without action. So here is my process for leveling goals, expectations, needs and perception to develop a clear mindset, drive discipline and achieve.

Write your primary goal down.

What you may find is that this needs more definition to generate buy-in. For example, “I want to get fit” doesn’t really create a bond between the heart and mind. However, “I want to get fit so that I can role model good habits for my kids” or “I want to get fit so that I can feel strong and self-sufficient on my own” give you a connection to what you really want. Being fit is just the avenue you are taking to get there.

Determine what you need to achieve that goal.

Oftentimes we need additional support or resources to ultimately achieve our goals. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, finding a running coach once you have built up a base of miles might be an additional resource. In this case, it comes at a cost. Understanding the implications of a resource (cost, time availability) at the beginning will prevent that resource from becoming an obstacle down the road and building stronger buy-in from day one.

Re-evaluate the goal based on what you found in step 2. 

Personally, I think this is a missed step. Take a literal 5 second pause and make sure you still truly, in your heart, want to achieve this goal. If yes, proceed to step 4 🙂 If not, determine what truly is your primary goal and get your personal buy-in.

Set milestones (mini-goals) for your primary goal. 

Milestones are IMPORTANT. They are the progress markers than both encourage forward progress and provide valuable feedback. For example, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds and get off of diabetes medication then the timeline to accomplish that is likely 6 months or more. Setting milestones along the way will help you stay disciplined and focused on the primary goal. Remember, even in the milestones you want to be clear and detailed. Make them S.M.A.R.T. (Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals.) For example, instead of saying, “I will be active everyday,” set a goal like, “I will walk for 30 minutes every day for the next month.” Clear goals give you something actionable and traceable to work towards. 

Execute and adjust as you progress. 

Every few weeks, pause and reflect. What is working, what needs more attention. Your body is changing in this process. Adjusting your plan with it is important. For example, if your goal is to do a triathlon, but you can’t seem to make progress in your swimming performance it might be time to get a coach or change your training program. Instead of putting your head down and doing the work everyday, make sure you are actually moving the needle and see yourself achieving your goal sooner.

Repeat 

Approach every goal you set with honesty. Work through your action plan with honesty. Experience the emotional high that achieving a goal brings. Repeat the process and see where YOU can take YOUR life. 

Motivation is what the world sees when they watch you work towards your goal. Discipline is what you actually use to achieve your goal. Discipline in the form of persistence. Keep moving forward, stay focused, and watch as you lead yourself to incredible results.

Stay active friends,

Chellie

PS – You can pick up these instant download digital and printable wall art in the photos from my Etsy shop.