Motivation - It Doesn't Last

This is a topic that pops up a lot in weight loss: motivation.  Everyone wants to know how to get motivated.  Honestly?  I think they are all asking the wrong question.

Motivation to me is external.  It is when you are looking for something else, outside of yourself, to get you to want to do something.  Maybe it is an upcoming event, a cute outfit in a smaller size, a friend who has lost weight, etc.  But thing about motivation is that it doesn't last.  After that event passes, then what? When you finally can fit into those skinny jeans, how will you stay in them?  Envying your friend's weight loss isn't going to get you anywhere.

So instead of motivation, I think people should be thinking about determination.

That is how I lost weight.  When people ask me how I did it, I have a hard time replying because honestly, one day I just woke up and decided I had had enough and was going to lose this weight for good.  I was determined to do it.  I had no "motivation", no dream outfit, no big event.  I did have goals though and that is critical.

Determination is deciding to do something.
Goals help you figure out how to get there.

My first goal was to run a 5K and I did it.  And to get there, I had to train.  Once I was determined to lose weight and run this 5K, it was easy from there.  How do I do it?  Well, I had to eat better and I had to learn how to run.  By deciding on a specific goal, it was easy to figure out the how.

So I just want to tell everyone out there struggling to find motivation that you should stop looking for it right now.  Just decide today to do whatever it is you want to do.  Be determined to do it.  Don't let yourself fail because failing's not an option.