“I know what I need to do. I’m just not motivated to do those things.”

How many times have you uttered those phrases when it comes to tackling your goals? I can tell you that I’ve been there plenty of times, and I help clients who are there all of the time.

Ambivalence is a crazy thing. You know changing your habit will result in a healthier life/better body/weight loss/whatever goal you have, but it’s just so damn easy to talk yourself out of doing what needs to be done to get there. Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there at one point in another.

For instance, this post is timely for me, as I’ve been trying to incorporate meditation into my daily ritual for oh, a while now. However, I’m not doing what it takes (i.e. meditating – even if for 3-5 minutes!) to get it done. It’s just every time I close my mind, my mind wanders. I’m horrible at it! But, I get it.

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Unfortunately motivation is a fleeting resource, and sometimes seems so intangible that it’s literally the only thing keeping you from where you’d like to get.

Obviously, I’m not a psychiatrist, nor any sort of doctors, but I sure have helped people (and myself!) when it comes to slumps in motivation. I  have some tips to becoming motivated when doing what needs to be done just isn’t happening. Hint: it isn’t looking at “fitspo” boards on pinterest

How to Get Motivated to Accomplish Your Goals

1. My number 1 piece of advice is to take care of your basic needs first.

There have been a handful of clients who I’ve worked with who have needed to take a break from training – and their goals – to get their life in order first. Whether that’s getting right with your faith, your loved ones, your home, your financial situation, getting sufficient sleep, or what have you, it’s a lot easier to think of non-absolutely necessary goals when your basic needs are taken care of. This doesn’t mean putting off eating better until everything else in your life is in order. I’m just saying, from my experience, when crucial life components are in order, motivation is a lot easier muster up.

2. Find social support.

Tackling a goal is SO much easier to do when you’re surrounded with like-minded people. Trying to lose weight? Find some people to hang out with who are physically active! Trying to stop drinking? Maybe it’s time you limit time spent with friends who booze it up. If your goals are fitness-related, try meetup.com for hiking groups, or find an online fitness community.

3. Associate the journey as positively possible.

If your goal is to get in shape or become more active, but gyms absolutely repulse you, it probably wouldn’t make sense to join a gym to accomplish that goal, right? Just as if you wanted to lose weight or improve cardio endurance but hated running, you probably wouldn’t want to do that by hopping on the treadmill. Taking on a big goal is overwhelming and hard enough, so it might as well be done in the most positive environment possible. It helps to set yourself up for the best possible scenario by including things you enjoy in the process. This could mean positive reinforcement i.e. allowing yourself to watch your favorite show after completing a workout, or joining a point-based community that rewards one for healthy habits.

Also, if you know you’re a people person and thrive on community, why not join a group fitness series. If the thought of meeting a personal trainer in person intimidates you, try finding a trustworthy online personal training program. If the outdoors is your thing, a hiking group or outdoor boot camp might help you be more successful in your goals.

How do you deal with the ebbs and flows of motivation?