Finding the What Behind the Why

Hello and Happy Belated New Year! January is the month of change and fresh starts. As always, the new year ushers in new goals and resolutions. Many people often find themselves at the gym or on a new workout regimen, striving to reach their personal fitness goals. However, as time marches on, the motivation established on January 1st slowly depletes. Before you know it, all the motivation you once had is gone, you’re back to your usual habits, and your goals are not achieved. 

Now that it is the end of February (Nearly March!)

It’s easy to establish your personal goals and resolutions for the new year. The difficult part is staying motivated long term. The key to keeping that long-term motivation is finding the what behind the why. What aspect of your life is the fuel behind your reasoning to make a change?

Many people’s resolutions often consist of “surface whys.” When asked why they want to improve their physical health, they often give reasons such as “I want to lose weight,” “I want to fit into my new swimsuit,” “so I don’t have a heart attack,” or, “for my spouse/kids.” These are all completely valid reasons to want to improve your physical health! But in order to maintain long-term motivation, you have to want to do it for yourself. You have to truly look within yourself, acknowledge what you can’t do, and think about why that is upsetting. Why is it worth making a change over?

Think of it this way: Have you ever jumped waves at the beach with your kids, or do you avoid it because you’re afraid of pulling your shoulder or knee out? I love to jump waves with my daughter. We do this for at least an hour, but she never wants to stop! And I don’t want to be the reason we stop. We keep going until she says she’s tired or wants to do something else.

Being able to keep up with my daughter truly is a quality of life that I am grateful for. And these goals – not the “surface whys” that merely brush the surface of the bigger picture, the real nitty gritty, gut-wrenching goals that make you want to make a significant change in your life – are obtained in many different ways, at many different paces. 

Goals are a lot like sandcastles – sometimes you build a beautiful sandcastle, but a giant wave rolls up and washes it away. When you build a new sandcastle, it may not look the same as your first one. The process might be different as well, but the outcome is still just as beautiful!

Lifetime health is an ongoing process. It is a journey, not a one and done situation. Like building sandcastles, making goals is easy. The process – acknowledging the aspects of your life that truly want you to make a substantial change – is the difficult part. Once you understand why you’re striving to achieve your goals, reaching them will not only be easier but also much more gratifying in the end!

So as you welcome the new year, the new decade, and your new fitness goals, take care to really understand why you want to make these changes. It may take longer than anticipated to meet your goals, but maintaining that long-term motivation is the key to success! Contact us today for help with finding the motivation to achieve and maintain your long-term goals!