Things They Never Told Me: Motivation vs. Determination

"Where can I get some of your motivation?"
"How do you stay motivated?"
"Where do you find the motivation to continue?"
"I'm just not motivated enough."
"I start out motivated, and then it completely fizzles."
"I just wish I could find the motivation to do it."

I hear over and over and over from people who are completely discouraged. They feel like they lack the secret formula that allows those who succeed to stay continually motivated and because they lack this secret, they continue to fail. Do you want to know the secret?? I totally have it. I know the secret. I'm going to share it with you. Are you ready??

There is no way to stay continually and constantly motivated to be healthy. 

There are so many days that I wake up and think, "Man. I just want to be lazy. I want to sit around the house, do nothing, and eat every potato chip within a 20 mile radius." I have days that I would rather go down a slide made of razor blades into a pool of alcohol than put on my running shoes and hit the road. I've been on date nights where I wanted to eat a Bloomin' Onion and Chocolate Thunder From Down Under as my meal (PS, Don't do that. You're looking at over 3000 calories and 200g of fat if you eat those two items).

Motivation doesn't last. In my experience, motivation comes in spurts. I feel exceptionally motivated for a short period of time, and then, just as I'm sure all of you have experienced, it slowly fades until it doesn't exist. Then, it starts to rekindle again until it is fully aflame once more. What allows me to continue on my journey day in and day out isn't the motivation to do so. It's determination to make it. I am determined that no matter what, I'm going to reach my goal. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care how hard I have to push. I'm going to make it. I know this, beyond all shadow of a doubt, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

Let me put this into perspective by using a couple different scenarios, because frankly, I love analogies. Bare with me.

You go to the dentist every 6 months. A week or so before the dentist appointment,  you suddenly have real motivation to brush your teeth, because you don't want to be fussed at while at your cleaning. You are extra diligent about brushing for a full two minutes, twice a day, everyday. You floss daily- even your back teeth. You lay off the gum and sugar. Then, after your dentist appointment, for a few days, you continue, but the motivation to be so diligent fades. Does that mean that you stop brushing your teeth? I sure hope not. But you don't have that pressing accountability staring you down for another few months. You still continue to do what you need to do in order to maintain your healthy smile. You just accept it as something that you have to do, and you don't even think about it. You just do it. It's part of your routine. You accept that it's something you have to do, and you do it.

Housework. Generally speaking, no one likes housework (and if you're one of the weirdos that does, I don't wanna hear it because I secretly hate you). If someone is coming over to visit, you are suddenly intensely motivated to clean your house. You work diligently to get things EXTRA tidy before they arrive. Does that mean that you don't routinely pick up even if no one is coming over? Again, I hope not. You know it's important to clean house. I highly doubt that you routinely wear dirty clothes or eat on dirty dishes. You know the importance of maintaining your home, and you just accept it as part of your routine. You know you have do it it, and you do it.

Weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn't about being motivated. It's about being determined. You have to make the decision in your mind that it's important, and even if it's something that you don't FEEL like doing, you're going to anyway. Once you reach the moment that you accept that it's something that you need to do, everyday, for the rest of your life, that it isn't always easy, but it's always worth it, you've made it. Your success lies in being determined to reach your goals, not being motivated to.

Enjoy the moments that you are motivated. Use them to push yourself even harder and even farther. But don't rely on them to get you where you need to be. Motivation fades. Determination is forever.