The art of motivation

One of the best ways to maintain your enthusiasm for exercise is to set yourself a challenge.

By testing your boundaries, you can expand your horizons and push yourself further. It’s a great excuse to re-examine your goals and stretch out beyond your comfort zone.

Below are 3 ways you can challenge yourself and ramp up your motivation.

1. Challenge yourself for 21 days

If you are looking for a simple goal to aim for, why not set yourself a 21 day challenge? Identify a single new behaviour you’d like to adopt (which can make a significant improvement in your health), and stick with it for 21 days. You can even compete with a friend, partner or work colleague.

Some examples include cutting out alcohol, exercising every day, planning your meals in advance or avoiding fast food. It’s thought that if an action is repeated for a minimum of 21 days, it is more likely to become a permanent habit. What’s more, 21 days doesn’t seem too daunting.

2. Plan an active adventure holiday

A fun way to challenge yourself is by planning an active holiday where trekking, bushwalking or sporting activities are a central part of your getaway. You can still include a few rest days afterwards as a reward for all your effort. Look for guided tours that include outdoor adventure activities such as trekking, white-water rafting, canyoning, cross country skiing, mountain biking, or kayaking.

This could include locations such as the Kokoda track in Papua New Guinea, or the Milford track in New Zealand. You can get fit, and explore new surroundings at the same time. This will also give you great incentive to train, because the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy your holiday.

3. Train for an event or fun run

Planning to enter an organised walk, run, swim or cycling event is a great way to inject some enthusiasm into your exercise program. It’s also a good excuse to plan your training in advance and push yourself a little harder than normal.

These events are usually open to all ages and fitness levels, and typically include options for different course lengths and starting times. If you become a regular participant, you will then have a time to beat each year. You could also involve friends, workmates or family in your training, and on the day of the event.