Do you find it hard to motivate yourself to get dressed and workout?<\/p>\n

Have you been working out regularly but find it really boring and monotonous?<\/p>\n

Do you feel like you are putting in the effort but not able to get the desired results?<\/p>\n

Do you often feel lost as if there is nothing to be excited about?<\/p>\n

If the answer is Yes to any of the above questions, Read On!<\/h4>\n

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One of the most common and underrated reasons someone feels lost in life is because they don\u2019t have anything to look forward to.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It is that feeling of something exciting on the horizon is what motivates us to keep going. The next vacation, the next episode of your favourite series, an upcoming movie, salsa lessons, your kid\u2019s birthday, the next promotion at work, and so on. These are all examples of events that we eagerly look forward to and that\u2019s what drives us to continue doing what we do every day. The same principle applies when you are working out regularly but feel lost or demotivated:<\/p>\n

YOU DON\u2019T HAVE ANYTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO <\/em><\/h4>\n

There are two major reasons for the above problem:<\/p>\n

1. You don\u2019t have goals to track progress<\/p>\n

2. You don\u2019t have the right kind of motivation to drive yourself<\/p>\n

PART ONE: YOU DON’T HAVE GOALS TO TRACK PROGRESS<\/h3>\n

Goals are extremely important, not just for tracking progress but also to ensure that you have a definite focus leading yourself in the right direction. Without definite goals, it’s like having all the ingredients in place but not knowing what exactly to prepare for dinner\u2026 It\u2019s pointless!<\/p>\n

Start setting SMART goals<\/h3>\n\n\n

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S – SPECIFIC<\/h4>\n

The goal must be clear and specific. An example of a vague fitness goal is \u201cI want to get fit\u201d or \u201cI want to lose fat\u201d. A specific goal would be something like \u201cI want to lose 2 inches off my waist\u201d or \u201cI want to lose 10 kgs weight\u201d or \u201cI want to build endurance to run for 5 km continuously\u201d<\/p>\n

M – MEASURABLE<\/h4>\n

Assessing progress keeps you focused and helps you to look forward to something. It is essential to have a measurable goal so that you can track progress and stay motivated. A fitness goal must therefore be measurable. An example of a measurable goal is \u201cTo gain strength in order to perform 5 pull-ups\u201d<\/p>\n

A – ACHIEVABLE<\/h4>\n

A fitness goal, just like any other goal in life, must be realistic and attainable. If you\u2019ve never written an article in your life and your goal is to directly publish a book, it\u2019s highly likely that you may give up soon. Instead have attainable goals such as starting a blog or writing the first chapter of your book so you are not bogged down by the thought of completing a mammoth task of writing an entire book. Similarly, if you\u2019ve not been active for a long time, instead of having a mammoth goal of competing in iron man triathlon, break it down into smaller goals. Start with a realistic goal such as running continuously for 10 km or 200 m swim. This would keep you motivated and on track to eventually prepare for the triathlon.<\/p>\n

R- RELEVANT<\/h4>\n

A goal must serve an ultimate purpose in line with what you\u2019d like to achieve in long term.  E.g. If your purpose is to run a marathon, then there is no merit in having a fat loss goal or a target weight which may be achieved automatically as a result of a more relevant goal of building endurance to run for say 10 km without a break<\/p>\n

T- TIME-BOUND<\/h4>\n

Often, people set goals with no set timelines which leads to procrastination or the progress is so sluggish that they end up losing motivation to continue. While its important to be patient and persistent, it’s equally important to have a set time frame in mind so you don\u2019t lose sight of your purpose.<\/p>\n

Try it out when you start a fitness regime next time, set SMART fitness goals for yourself, and have clarity on what is it you want to look forward to<\/p>\n

PART TWO: YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT KIND OF MOTIVATION TO DRIVE YOURSELF<\/h3>\n

The most common reason people join a gym or commence a fitness regime is to lose weight and look good. Naturally, the goals are also focused on how many inches you\u2019ve lost from your waist or how many layers of muscles have you added onto your chest and biceps.<\/p>\n\n\n