How to stick to your training plan even if you are struggling to stay motivated
You think when it comes to making a positive change, if you can find the right motivator you would do the thing that you should do.
Here’s the thing:
This way of thinking puts the blame largely on yourself when you’re unable to sustain your motivation.
You. Are. Not. To. Blame
Motivation is unreliable and unpredictable.
In a world that is constantly changing we are presented with new challenges daily and our ability to adapt and stay motivated is important more than ever right now.
And it’s perfectly normal for you to be all over the place and to be feeling pretty anxious and stressed out about it all.
I know all too well the struggle you face getting out of the door, staying consistent with your training plan or prioritising your runs and making time for yourself when life gets busy.
But if there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that movement has a huge impact on how much energy I have and how I handle what the day throws at me.
It doesn’t need to be hard all the time, something as small as a five-minute core workout can completely reset your mood.
I want to share a few of my favourite tips with you to help you navigate the challenging times so you can stay motivated, be consistent and achieve your goals.
Set a challenging goal
Whether that’s a dream race or a personal goal. This could be running faster over a certain distance or setting weekly mileage goals to reach your monthly target. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?
Write your goal down so you can visually see it, stick it on the fridge or the bottom of your computer monitor someplace you’ll see it every day so you can get that daily reminder. Cliché as it is, I find having a reminder each morning helps me get clear on what it is important to me and shapes how I make certain choices through the day.
Break down your goal
The truth is the goals we often set for ourselves can actively sabotage our progress as they've built to focus on the things outside of our control whilst distracting us from the things we should be thinking about instead: our behaviours (the things which are within our control).
Break down your goal into small specific daily actions that you can reliable and consistently do. With this approach you focus on who you wish to become rather than what you want to achieve.
Get a running coach
The one thing I’ve learnt on my own running journey is that having the support of someone who understands the challenges, can help you build small positive habits and give you the accountability to drive you forward to achieve your goals, is the fastest way to make your dreams happen.
Celebrate tiny wins
I'm a big believer in celebrating your successes no matter how small they are. Feeling successful is the single most important skill in behaviour change, helping us to wire in new habits and motivating us to do more.
The ability to pat yourself on the back instead of beating yourself up allows you to plant tiny seeds of positivity that you can start to nurture, and watch grow. Think of a few small ways to reward yourself – take a hot bath for example or watch an episode of your favourite Netflix show.
Plan your day
Instead of jumping to week ten of your training program, try to focus on what it is that you need to get done each day. Familiarise yourself with your priorities and other commitments for the day ahead and move things around if necessary.
No matter how well intentioned you are, life gets busy. If you like to run in the morning, set out your kit the night before. And if you like to train after work is there a prompt you can use to get you out of the door? Maybe your favourite podcast goes live at 5pm each day?
Find your tribe
Whether that’s in a real-life run club, online Facebook community, friends or family members. Share your training and goals so you can support, encourage and hold each other accountable.
Often half the battle is to just show up so I find having someone you can count on for early morning runs and harder sessions will help to keep you motivated when you need it most.
Start a gratitude practice
There are days when you’ll have good run days and other days not so good. But taking the time to focus on the positive in every day will kick start you with the right mindset to tackle your longer runs.
And will naturally counter your stress levels, leaving you feeling much more grounded and able to deal with whatever the day throws at you. It can be as simple as thinking of one thing you are grateful for when you put your feet on the floor in the morning, when you brush your teeth or when you sit down to drink your morning cup of coffee.
Reconnect with your why
Remind yourself why you are doing this in the first place. What is it that is important to you? What does running mean to you? How do you feel after a run? Notice any changes in your mood. I often find heading out on easy runs with a focus on time on my feet over pace is a great way great way to take some of the pressure off and rediscover the pure joy of running. It so easy to get caught up in the pressure to get faster quickly and doing what you feel you should rather than what feels good.
I’d you enjoyed reading this, I’d love to share so much more in my 25 page PDF workbook: the ultimate guide to motivation. Packed with actionable tips to get you started straight away.
Take the techniques that I have found work for me and implement them for yourself today all for free.