Waiting for motivation to hit like a bolt of lightning is like waiting for a Brownie to come in and do the laundry or mow the lawn…it’s not going to happen!
People who are motivated for weight loss are not so lucky. There is no such thing. They are aware of how they’re using their mind and make a choice to create energy from thought.
I’ve encountered many people at Motivation bursting with enthusiasm about their weight loss, using motivational tools daily, writing things down, practicing visualisation and vowing never to go back to their old ways. They lose weight, look great, feel fantastic and believe they have it sorted once and for all.
When I meet people a year or two later, they fall into two categories. Some are maintaining their target weight and continue to look and feel great, others are heavier than ever and look exhausted. They avoid eye contact, painfully aware of back sliding, embarrassed to have regained weight and returned to old habits. The difference –Sustained Motivation. Like Sensodyne toothpaste, sensitivity will disappear while using it, but if you stop the problem will return.
Those who believed they were motivated lacked the COMMITMENT AND DISCIPLINE required to maintain this mental state. They hoped and believed it would last, but became inattentive to the requirements to make it last. Distraction overcame attention, ambiguity replaced focus.
The most motivated people I have met recognised the need for ongoing mental attention to keep the passion alive. They continue to practice the process over and over and over. It matters too much to them not to. They embrace discipline because of the results it gives them. Repetition is the key to success in any life goal or ambition. Those who stay motivated have a burning desire for a particular outcome because the benefits outweigh the effort. They stay motivated for weight loss.
The less consistent one’s effort the lower their motivation. It’s easy to think it’s the other way round, but waiting for drive disempowers you even further. Meanwhile the conscientious keep asking themselves the right questions and have faith in their ability to act on the answers. They review their goals daily, and make a plan on how to achieve them. The downfall for many is prioritising the wrong things, their own dreams and aspirations fading into halfheartedness.
The techniques recommended for losing weight remain for maintaining your new lower weight. Calorie intake is adjusted but the psychological input remains essential. That once acquired enthusiasm has to be nurtured to make it last. Dr Larocque says “Enthusiasm is the key ingredient in the recipe for success….but unless you cultivate it, your enthusiasm will die.” He recommends spending a few minutes each day reading inspiring passages from books on motivation and positive thinking.
He also suggests listening to motivational talks, as the enthusiasm of the speaker will make the message even more effective. Whether you’re on the bus, brushing your teeth or preparing a meal, keep playing positive motivational talks, use ear phones so you’re surrounded with the words and sounds to make an even greater impression on your subconscious. Meet with inspiring positive people regularly, watch them, listen to their language, you will benefit from their energy and ambition.
Don’t despair if you’re one of the people who was all fired up but lost motivation along the way. Learn from the experience and take the step to restart. Choose to commit to your personal ability, focus fully and expand your goals as you lose the pounds and stones. Stay on top of your game by fueling your motivation with effort and consistent mental attention. This is the way to sustain drive, this is the way to remain enlivened, and avoid the pitfalls of distraction and drifting. This is the way to stay motivated for weight loss.
