Maintaining your motivation to move
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Staying active is not only more enjoyable when you genuinely want to do it, genuinely wanting to do it will keep you moving, too. Here’s how to maintain your motivation.
- Move goals/
- Maintaining your motivation to move
The Experimenter
More than willpower alone
Ah, willpower. It’s the thing we often wish we had more of in order to achieve our goals. But research suggests that kicking goals takes much more than willpower alone.So instead of trying to strengthen yours, it’s better to work on your desire to move – think more pleasure than punishment. And that’s where motivation comes in.
Here’s 3 ways to keep yours topped up as an Experimenter.
1. Remember your ‘why’
Keep reminding yourself why you set a movement goal in the first place. Behavioural scientists say keeping that front and centre in your mind will help you stay motivated to continue working towards your goal.There’s no such thing as a right or wrong ‘why’, but people who are motivated to move for reasons that resonate with them on a deeply personal level tend to be more successful.
2. Share what you know
As an Experimenter, you’ll naturally get a kick out of doing this – particularly if it means introducing friends and family to new ideas. But it turns out it’s an effective way to give your motivation a pep talk, too.The majority of people involved in a US study said they felt more motivated to work towards their own goals after giving relevant advice to someone rather than receiving it.
3. Plant a few carrots
In other words, reward yourself for remaining focused as you work towards your goals. Studies on ‘rewards as motivation’ show they work – but dishing them out frequently is more important than the size of the reward.So, instead of waiting to reward yourself when you reach your end goal, organise some small but enjoyable-to-you rewards to treat yourself with weekly.
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